What it's like to live in Jacksonville
Jacksonville is a small city in Arkansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with smaller class sizes than the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Jacksonville deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a poverty rate above the national average.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
- Above-average rainfall
How Jacksonville compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Jacksonville
Based on Jacksonville's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,860
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $37,200 a year
- 47% of Jacksonville renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$32,680
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $16,340
- Homes cost 3.3× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 34% below US
$930/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $930 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 $163,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $163,400 · 47% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▲ 14% above US
4.9% unemployment
Unemployment here is 4.9%, somewhat above the national average of 4.3%. Lining up work before the move is the safer route.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 195% above US
971 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 3282/100k · Jacksonville Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 22% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.3 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 8% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 91°F, and winters are cold, with lows around 30°F and snow a regular occurrence. Rainfall is regular throughout the year.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
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 13:1, well below the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
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
Jacksonville's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($930/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Jacksonville
All Arkansas guides →Moving to Sherwood →
5 mi away · pop. 33,070
Rent $1,101/mo · Income $81,328
Compare with Jacksonville →Moving to North Little Rock →
9 mi away · pop. 64,538
Rent $1,069/mo · Income $52,707
Compare with Jacksonville →Moving to Maumelle →
15 mi away · pop. 19,373
Rent $1,047/mo · Income $103,333
Compare with Jacksonville →Not sure Jacksonville is the one?
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