Forrest City, AR Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-24

Cost Of Living In Forrest City, AR Summary

Cost of living in Forrest City research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Forrest City is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.

On a city-by-city basis in Arkansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:

  • The cost of living index in Forrest City is 78, with 100 being the average.

  • The cost of living index in Forrest City is 0.8x lower than the national average.

  • Forrest City ranks as the #6 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.

  • Forrest City ranks as the #46 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Forrest City is $68,651.

  • The median income in Forrest City is $33,522.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
78
Forrest City's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Forrest City, AR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Forrest City has an overall cost of living index of 78, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arkansas, Forrest City has a cost of living index that's 0.9x lower than Arkansas's index of 85.

The standard of living in Forrest City ranks as #6 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Forrest City ranks as the #63 most expensive place in the Natural State.

For more reading on life in Forrest City, check out:

6 out of 69
In Arkansas
46 out of 6,489
In America

Forrest City Cost Of Living Vs. Arkansas

Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Forrest City. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:

  • The Services index in Forrest City is 93.

  • The Groceries index in Forrest City is 101.

  • The Health index in Forrest City is 88.

  • The Housing index in Forrest City is 47.

  • The Transportation index in Forrest City is 90.

  • The Utilities index in Forrest City is 91.

Living Expense Forrest City Arkansas National Average
Overall 78 85 100
Services 93 99 100
Groceries 101 95 100
Health 88 89 100
Housing 47 65 100
Transportation 90 90 100
Utilities 91 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arkansas, check out:
Forrest City Cost of Living Vs. AR

Forrest City, AR Housing Cost Breakdown

Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arkansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Forrest City is $68,651.

  • The Median Rent in Forrest City is $795.

  • The Median Income in Forrest City is $33,522.

  • The Home Value To Income in Forrest City is 2.0x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Forrest City is 0.28x.

Statistic Forrest City Arkansas United States
Median Home Value $68,651 $218,895 $303,400
Median Rent $795 $914 $1,348
Median Income $33,522 $58,773 $78,538
Home Value To Income 2.0x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.28x 0.19x 0.21x
$68,651
Median Home Value
$795
Median Rent
$33,522
Median Income

Forrest City, AR Costs By Category

Detailed Forrest City Services Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Forrest City Arkansas
Shampoo $1.11 $1.28
Movie $11.99 $12.13
Bowling $13.75 $18
Haircut $26.94 $24.26
Beauty Salon $41.92 $45.56

Detailed Forrest City Groceries Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Forrest City Arkansas
Ground Beef $6.1 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.46 $1.57
Milk $4.71 $4.67
Potatoes $5.15 $4.93
Pizza $10.66 $12.09
Beer $9.95 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.62 $3.7

Detailed Forrest City Health Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Forrest City Arkansas
Optometrist $77.39 $125.68
Doctor $124.94 $135.78
Dentist $91.51 $113.29

Detailed Forrest City Transportation Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Forrest City Arkansas
Gasoline $3.14 $3.46
Tire Balancing $55.67 $59.92

Detailed Forrest City Utilities Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Forrest City Arkansas
All Electricity $163.38 $193.99
Phone $192.72 $192.25

Forrest City SnackAbility

1
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
4/10
Housing
4
Affordability
7
Diversity
8.5
Safety
3
Amenities
8
Education
4
Commute
10

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