© OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap
Living in
Blytheville.
About
Life in Blytheville
Blytheville is a community of 13,026 people in Arkansas. The median household income is $47,865, median rent runs about $855 per month, and median home values are around $119,000. Unemployment is low at 4.8%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Blytheville at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
42.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
24.2%
Foreign-Born
3.6%
Broadband Internet
79.1%
of households
Population Growth
-8.8%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Blytheville: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Blytheville, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (42.6%), and 3.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.5%
of residents
65 and Older
18.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
28.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.0%
of households
Married Couples
31.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.19
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 10% below AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Blytheville
In Blytheville, rent runs 10% below the AR average, and home values are 37% below the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
51.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
30.6%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$662
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
50.3%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
20.6%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $101,840 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts above AR average
Unemployment in Blytheville
Unemployment in Mississippi County, which includes Blytheville, is 0.7 percentage points higher than the AR average.
Unemployment rate
Blytheville: Mississippi County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Mississippi County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Blytheville Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.5 min avg
How Blytheville residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Blytheville, most residents drive alone to work (81%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 60 mi
McKellar-Sipes Regional Airport (MKL)
Regional airport · few flights10k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 256% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Blytheville runs 256% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,171.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,571.7
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Blytheville Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 40 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
89.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Mississippi County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Mississippi County, which includes Blytheville, the most common type is heat, with 40 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 40 | Heat | $249,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | Heat | $23,500 |
| 2023 | 23 | Thunderstorm Wind | $182,000 |
| 2022 | 32 | Heat | $250,000 |
| 2021 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.5M |
| 2020 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $116,000 |
| 2019 | 13 | Heat | $21,000 |
| 2018 | 20 | Heat | $1.0M |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
11 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Mississippi County, county-wide
Air Quality34 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Dyer County, TN (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 30 miles from Blytheville) is typically good — 276 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
34
Good Days
276
per year
Moderate Days
83
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Dyer County, TN (30 mi away)
Climate89°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Blytheville has warm summers (avg high 89°F) and mild winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
70°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
89°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
72°/52°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
48°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.6"
Annual Snowfall
2.9"
Hot Days/Year
58
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
58
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
104
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 45°F | 30°F | 3.85" |
| Feb | 51°F | 34°F | 4.13" |
| Mar | 60°F | 42°F | 4.81" |
| Apr | 71°F | 51°F | 5.40" |
| May | 80°F | 61°F | 5.90" |
| Jun | 88°F | 70°F | 3.76" |
| Jul | 90°F | 73°F | 4.00" |
| Aug | 89°F | 71°F | 3.55" |
| Sep | 83°F | 64°F | 2.76" |
| Oct | 73°F | 52°F | 4.07" |
| Nov | 59°F | 41°F | 4.28" |
| Dec | 49°F | 34°F | 5.07" |
Healthcare1 hospital, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Blytheville
Blytheville has 1 hospital, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
5.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Great River Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education11.8:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Blytheville
Blytheville's student/teacher ratio is 11.8:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 16.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
7
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
16.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
11.8:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail, 15 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Blytheville
Blytheville has 1 nearby national park or recreation area, closest being Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (15 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
15 mi awayPublic Libraries in Blytheville
Mississippi County Library System
200 North Fifth Street, Blytheville
Cities Near Blytheville
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Blytheville?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Blytheville FAQ
Is Blytheville, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Blytheville's median rent is $855/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,865/year. Median home value is $119,000.
Is Blytheville, Arkansas safe?⌄
Blytheville's violent crime rate was 1171 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3572 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Blytheville, Arkansas?⌄
Mississippi County, which includes Blytheville, has an unemployment rate of 4.8%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Blytheville, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Blytheville is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $855/month and median household income is $47,865/year. The median home value is $119,000. About 51% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Blytheville, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Blytheville is 16 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from