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Living in
Marion.
About
Life in Marion
This small county seat sitting just 11 miles west of Memphis offers something increasingly rare: affordable living with actual job access nearby. The median home value hovers around $212,400, and you're looking at a median household income of $78,330—numbers that mean your money stretches further here than in most comparable communities. The job market is solid thanks to some serious infrastructure: Union Pacific runs a 600-acre intermodal facility here, BNSF Railway operates an intermodal yard, and you're essentially in the Memphis metro area for employment without living in the city itself.
Marion at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.8 yrs
Poverty Rate
8.6%
Foreign-Born
2.8%
Broadband Internet
94.4%
of households
Population Growth
-2.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.8% foreign-born, most often from Canada
Who lives in Marion: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Marion, the largest foreign-born group is from Canada (20.3%), and 1.3% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
28.4%
of residents
65 and Older
12.6%
of residents
Households with Kids
37.4%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
26.0%
of households
Married Couples
46.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.61
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 21% above AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Marion
In Marion, rent runs 21% above the AR average, and home values are 13% above the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
32.8%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
18.3%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
92.2
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,686
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
71.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Home Value Trend
Latest: $239,594 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.5 pts above AR average
Unemployment in Marion
Unemployment in Crittenden County, which includes Marion, is 1.5 percentage points higher than the AR average.
Unemployment rate
Marion: Crittenden County rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Crittenden County (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Marion Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute22.3 min avg
How Marion residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Marion, most residents drive alone to work (79%), and 71% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 17 mi
Frederick W. Smith International Airport (MEM)
Small hub2.4M 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 71% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Marion runs 71% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
564.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
1,596.6
per 100,000 residents
About average (1,552 national, 2025)
Marion Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 32 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
83.0 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Crittenden County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Crittenden County, which includes Marion, the most common type is heat, with 32 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 32 | Heat | $148,000 |
| 2024 | 18 | Excessive Heat | $36,000 |
| 2023 | 23 | Heat | $318,000 |
| 2022 | 23 | Heat | $5,000 |
| 2021 | 9 | Heat | None reported |
| 2020 | 7 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,000 |
| 2019 | 11 | Heat | $5,000 |
| 2018 | 15 | 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.
8 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Crittenden County, county-wide
Air Quality39 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Crittenden County, which includes Marion, is typically good — 295 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
39
Good Days
295
per year
Moderate Days
69
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Crittenden County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 35°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Marion has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 35°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
52°/35°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
50.4"
Annual Snowfall
1.7"
Hot Days/Year
66
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
58
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
123
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 50°F | 33°F | 3.82" |
| Feb | 54°F | 36°F | 4.31" |
| Mar | 63°F | 43°F | 5.10" |
| Apr | 73°F | 52°F | 5.03" |
| May | 82°F | 62°F | 5.03" |
| Jun | 89°F | 69°F | 4.10" |
| Jul | 91°F | 72°F | 4.12" |
| Aug | 91°F | 71°F | 2.37" |
| Sep | 86°F | 64°F | 3.05" |
| Oct | 75°F | 52°F | 4.09" |
| Nov | 62°F | 42°F | 4.50" |
| Dec | 53°F | 36°F | 4.88" |
Healthcare
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Marion
Uninsured
7.0%
of residents
No hospitals inside Marion's limits — nearest hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Memorial Hospital-crittenden, Inc.
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 3 mi away · West Memphis
Perimeter Behavioral Hospital of West Memphis
Psychiatric · 3.9 mi away · West Memphis
Unity Psychiatric Care-memphis
Psychiatric · 9.2 mi away · Memphis
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.
Education13.5:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Marion
Marion's student/teacher ratio is 13.5:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 24.7% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
5
within city limits
Private Schools
0
within city limits
College Degree Rate
24.7%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.5:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges Near Marion (within 15 miles)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 1,836 students · in-state tuition $59,082 · 82% graduate · median earnings $79,506 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 905 students · in-state tuition $39,750 · 59% graduate · median earnings $55,642 (10 yrs after entry)
Baptist Health Sciences University
11.1 mi awayPrivate nonprofit · 4-year · 770 students · in-state tuition $14,036 · 49% graduate · median earnings $70,235 (10 yrs after entry)
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 581 students · in-state tuition $12,778 · 28% graduate · median earnings $41,221 (10 yrs after entry)
The University of Tennessee Health Science Center
10.8 mi awayPublic · 4-year · 394 students · 93% graduate · median earnings $77,971 (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: Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail, 66 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Marion
Marion has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail (66 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Trail Of Tears National Historic Trail
National Historic Trail
66 mi awayEmmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument
National Monument
86 mi awayBrices Cross Roads National Battlefield Site
National Battlefield Site
97 mi awayPublic Libraries in Marion
Woolfolk Library
100 North Currie Street, Marion
Cities Near Marion
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Marion?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Marion FAQ
Is Marion, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Marion's median rent is $1,148/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $78,330/year. Median home value is $212,400.
Is Marion, Arkansas safe?⌄
Marion's violent crime rate was 564 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 1597 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Marion, Arkansas?⌄
Crittenden County, which includes Marion, has an unemployment rate of 5.6%, which is slightly above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Marion, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Marion is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,148/month and median household income is $78,330/year. The median home value is $212,400. About 33% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Marion, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Marion is 22 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