What it's like to live in Bryant
Bryant is a small city in Arkansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, county unemployment below the national average, and crime rates well below the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Bryant deals with hospital ratings below the national average, hot summers, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low unemployment in the county
- Low crime rates
- Short commutes
- Fast-growing population
The not so good
- Below-average hospital ratings
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Bryant compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Bryant
Based on Bryant's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,986
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $39,720 a year
- 26% of Bryant renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$44,640
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $22,320
- Homes cost 2.7× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 30% below US
$993/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $993 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $223,200. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $223,200 · 26% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.4% county unemployment
Unemployment in Saline County is 3.4%, a little below the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Saline County (county-wide)
Safety▼ 58% below US
137 violent crimes per 100k
Pretty safe, all things considered. Violent crime sits below the national average, nothing alarming, just ordinary city-life awareness.
Property crime 1752/100k · Bryant Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 12% below US
23 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 22.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 9% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 33°F. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
2 hospitals
There are 2 Medicare-certified hospitals inside city limits. They average 2.5 out of 5 on Medicare's star rating.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
38% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 38% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
9 public schools inside the boundary
There are 9 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site (14 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Bryant's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are hospital ratings below the national average and hot summers. A year of median rent ($993/mo) equals 14% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget, job seekers (county-wide unemployment is low), and anyone prioritizing low crime.
Other places near Bryant
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