Cost of Living & Housing in West Memphis

West Memphis's cost of living centers on genuinely affordable housing and Arkansas's low state income tax, weighed against a real, layered hazard profile this record discloses directly.

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Genuinely affordable housing, with a real cross-source spread

West Memphis's Zillow-cited typical home value runs approximately $131,756, closely matching ZIP 72301's $133,000 PropertyIQ median, while Redfin's separately calculated median SALE price runs higher at approximately $175,000 (November 2025) -- a real, disclosed spread between an estimated-value index and actual closed-sale prices (base record).

Rent runs affordable, with a wide cited range

West Memphis's median rent runs approximately $870-$950/month depending on source, with RentCafe's separately calculated average running lower at $717 -- all comfortably below national rent medians (base record).

Crittenden County's below-national-median property tax rate

Crittenden County's own 0.96% Ownwell county-wide median effective property tax rate runs below the national median (1.02%), used here as the closest reliable proxy for West Memphis specifically since a confirmed, non-conflicting city-specific figure was not found this pass (base record).

Arkansas's 3.7% flat-topping income tax and Social Security exemption

Arkansas's real, current top individual income tax rate is 3.7% for tax year 2026, with a full exemption for Social Security retirement income and a $6,000 exclusion on other qualifying retirement income for taxpayers 59.5+ (base record).

Key takeaways

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Last reviewed: 2026-08-27. Independent research; not financial, tax, or legal advice -- confirm current figures with a local professional before making a decision.