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Little River County, AR

The Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Little River County, AR is $880 per month, ranking #679 out of 693 areas nationwide. The area median household income is $52,241, meaning a household spending Fair Market Rent on a 2-bedroom would pay 20.2% of income on housing. Rent in Little River County has increased 8.1% year over year. The area has a population of 12K, with 20% of households renting.

Little River County, Arkansas is among the most affordable rental markets in the U.S. HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom is $880. The very-low-rent end of the distribution is dominated by rural counties and small metros where housing supply meets local demand at modest price levels.

Rent burden is manageable at 20 percent of median income — below the federal "cost-burdened" 30 percent threshold. Renters at the area median income have room for savings and other essentials. For renters and prospective movers, the HUD FMR is the asking-rent baseline for a modest unit; actual market rents on freshly-listed units typically run 5-15 percent above the FMR in faster-growing markets. The county vacancy rate (21.1 percent) is the structural indicator of how much availability exists in the local market.

20.2%
Moderately Affordable
of income → rent
$880
2BR Fair Market Rent
vs $1,250 national median
$52,241
Median Income
vs $71,049 national
$812
Actual Median Rent
Census ACS estimate
+8.1%
Year-over-Year
2BR FMR change
12K
Population
Census ACS
20%
Renters
of occupied housing
$113,400
Median Home Value
4.8%
Unemployment
BLS LAUS
21.1%
Vacancy Rate
of housing units
16.5%
Poverty Rate
below poverty line

Fair Market Rent by Bedroom Size

$666
Studio
$671
1 Bedroom
$880
2 Bedroom
$1,166
3 Bedroom
$1,170
4 Bedroom

Fair Market Rents (FMRs) are set annually by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality units in an area. FMRs are used to determine payment standards for the Housing Choice Voucher program and other federal housing assistance.

Housing Affordability

In Little River County, AR, a household earning the area median income of $52,241 would spend 20.2% of their gross income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This falls below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, meaning housing is relatively affordable for median-income households in this area.

Income Needed for 2BR
$35,200
annual (30% threshold)
Hourly Wage Needed
$17
full-time (2,080 hrs/yr)
Actual Median Rent
$812
$68 below FMR

5-Year Rent Trend

+34.6% since 2021
$6542021$6492022$7202023$8142024$8482025$8802026

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent by fiscal year. Source: HUD FMR API.

Minimum Wage Affordability

The minimum wage in Arkansas is $11.00/hr. A minimum-wage worker would need to work 61.5 hours per week to afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent without exceeding 30% of income on housing. This means a single minimum-wage earner cannot afford a 2-bedroom working a standard 40-hour week. The poverty rate in Little River County is 16.5%, near the national average of approximately 12.4%.

State Min Wage
$11.00/hr
Hours/Week Needed
61.5 hrs
Poverty Rate
16.5%

Housing Market Context

The median home value in Little River County is $113,400. At a median income of $52,241, this represents a price-to-income ratio of 2.2x. 21.1% of housing units in the area are vacant, which is above the national average and may indicate softer demand or seasonal housing. The local unemployment rate is 4.8%, roughly in line with national averages.

Rent vs. Buy
$794 est. mortgage
vs $880 FMR rent
Vacancy Rate
21.1%
of housing units
Unemployment
4.8%
BLS, latest available

Other Areas in Arkansas

Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers
$1,347/mo
2BR FMR · 20.7% burden
Memphis
$1,274/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway
$1,147/mo
2BR FMR · 21.1% burden
Texarkana
$1,101/mo
2BR FMR · 24% burden
Hot Springs
$1,090/mo
2BR FMR · 23.6% burden

Areas With Similar Rent to Little River County

Frequently Asked Questions

The HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom in Little River County, AR is $880 per month. A studio is $666/mo, a 1-bedroom is $671/mo, and a 3-bedroom is $1,166/mo. The actual median gross rent from Census data is $812/mo.

Little River County has a rent burden of 20.2%, meaning a household earning the median income of $52,241 would spend 20.2% of income on a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent. This is below HUD's 30% cost-burden threshold, indicating relatively affordable housing. To afford a 2-bedroom without being cost-burdened, a household would need an annual income of at least $35,200.

Little River County's 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $880/mo is $370 below the national median of $1,250/mo. Little River County ranks #679 out of 693 areas for highest rent in the United States.

To afford a 2-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Little River County without spending more than 30% of income on housing, you would need an annual household income of at least $35,200, or a full-time hourly wage of $17/hour. The area median income is $52,241.

The 2-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Little River County increased by 8.1% compared to the prior year. This is a significant increase, suggesting growing demand in the local housing market.

Fair Market Rents represent the 40th percentile of gross rents for standard-quality rental units. Rent burden is calculated as annual 2BR FMR divided by area median household income. Census data (income, home value, population, vacancy) is from the ACS 5-Year estimates. Unemployment rates are from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.