What it's like to live in Sherwood
Sherwood is a small city in Arkansas with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, 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. Sherwood deals with crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, above-average rainfall, and fewer dining and entertainment options than a bigger city.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Low student-teacher ratio
The not so good
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Above-average rainfall
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
- Car-dependent — few commuters use transit
How Sherwood compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Sherwood
Based on Sherwood's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$2,202
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $44,040 a year
- 42% of Sherwood renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$39,900
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,950
- Homes cost 2.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 22% below US
$1,101/mo median rent
Cost of living works in this city's favor. Median rent sits around $1,101 a month, nothing that raises eyebrows. Solid value overall. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $199,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $199,500 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market▼ 12% below US
3.8% unemployment
Unemployment here is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%.
City-level (BLS)
Safety▲ 85% above US
611 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 1961/100k · Sherwood Police Department · 2025 data
Getting aroundNear US average
24 min average commute
Commutes run about average, at 24.1 minutes. Fine day to day, but it adds up over a year, and where someone lives relative to where they work starts to matter. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 13% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 90°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 34°F. 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, rated 4.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
36% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 36% 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
11 public schools inside the boundary
There are 11 public schools inside the boundary and 1 private school. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14:1, 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 (10 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Sherwood's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are crime rates above the national average and air quality that falls short of national benchmarks. A year of median rent ($1,101/mo) equals 16% of the median household income here, less than the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget.
Other places near Sherwood
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