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Living in
Conway.
About
Life in Conway
Conway offers a solid middle-ground living situation if you want Arkansas amenities without being in Little Rock proper. The three colleges here—University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix, and Central Baptist—create a educated community (41% have bachelor's degrees) and bring decent cultural offerings through theater, orchestras, and festivals year-round, though you're not going to confuse this with a major arts hub. The job market is reasonable with a 3.6% unemployment rate, and median household income sits at $63,004, though cost of living isn't dramatically cheaper than you'd expect—median home values hover around $252,100 and rent runs roughly $1,011 a month.
Conway at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
30.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.9%
Foreign-Born
5.3%
Broadband Internet
93.6%
of households
Population Growth
+12.7%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics5.3% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Conway: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Conway, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (34.1%), and 5.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.3%
of residents
65 and Older
11.4%
of residents
Households with Kids
27.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.2%
of households
Married Couples
41.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.31
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 7% above AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Conway
In Conway, rent runs 7% above the AR average, and home values are 34% above the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.3%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
19.9%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
89.4
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,467
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
45.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1998
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.4%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $250,256 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.5 pts below AR average
Unemployment in Conway
Unemployment in Conway is 0.5 percentage points lower than the AR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Conway Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.8 min avg
How Conway residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Conway, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 67% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 28 mi
Bill & Hillary Clinton National Airport/Adams Field (LIT)
Small hub1.1M 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 48% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Conway runs 48% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
486.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,904.9
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Conway Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 15 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Faulkner County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Faulkner County, which includes Conway, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 15 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 15 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $110,000 |
| 2022 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $175,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Hail | None reported |
| 2020 | 8 | Thunderstorm Wind | $120,000 |
| 2019 | 15 | Thunderstorm Wind | $2.1M |
| 2018 | 20 | Thunderstorm Wind | $316,000 |
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.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Faulkner County, county-wide
Air Quality55 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Pulaski County, AR (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 23 miles from Conway) is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
55
Good Days
114
per year
Moderate Days
247
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Pulaski County, AR (23 mi away)
Climate90°F summers, 29°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Conway has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and cold winters (avg low 29°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
71°/48°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/68°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
73°/49°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/29°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
51.2"
Annual Snowfall
2.3"
Hot Days/Year
70
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
66
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
95
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 49°F | 27°F | 3.82" |
| Feb | 54°F | 30°F | 4.17" |
| Mar | 63°F | 39°F | 5.25" |
| Apr | 72°F | 47°F | 5.43" |
| May | 79°F | 58°F | 5.57" |
| Jun | 87°F | 66°F | 3.62" |
| Jul | 92°F | 70°F | 3.40" |
| Aug | 91°F | 68°F | 3.48" |
| Sep | 85°F | 61°F | 3.12" |
| Oct | 74°F | 48°F | 4.03" |
| Nov | 61°F | 38°F | 4.56" |
| Dec | 52°F | 30°F | 4.74" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Conway
Conway has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
8.0%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Conway Regional Medical Center, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Baptist Health Medical Center- Conway
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Conway Behavioral Health
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
United Methodist Behavioral Hospital
Psychiatric · 14.3 mi away · Maumelle
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.
Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Conway
Conway's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 42.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
16
within city limits
Private Schools
4
within city limits
College Degree Rate
42.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Conway
University of Central Arkansas
Public · 4-year · 7,762 students · in-state tuition $10,940 · 53% graduate · median earnings $49,756 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,100 students · in-state tuition $39,750 · 65% graduate · median earnings $59,310 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 484 students · in-state tuition $23,050 · 38% graduate · median earnings $49,734 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site, 25 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Conway
Conway has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (25 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
National Historic Site
25 mi awayHot Springs National Park
National Park
51 mi awayBuffalo National River
National River
71 mi awayArkansas Post National Memorial
National Memorial
99 mi awayPublic Libraries in Conway
Faulkner-Van Buren Regional Library, Conway
1900 Tyler Street, Conway
Cities Near Conway
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Conway?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Conway FAQ
Is Conway, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Conway's median rent is $1,011/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $63,004/year. Median home value is $252,100.
Is Conway, Arkansas safe?⌄
Conway's violent crime rate was 486 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1905 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Conway, Arkansas?⌄
Conway has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Conway, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Conway is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,011/month and median household income is $63,004/year. The median home value is $252,100. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Conway, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Conway is 23 minutes, which is about 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