Mena, AR Cost Of Living

Demographics | Crime | Cost Of Living
Updated: 2025-10-23

Cost Of Living In Mena, AR Summary

Cost of living in Mena 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 Mena 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 Mena is 84, with 100 being the average.

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

  • Mena ranks as the #20 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.

  • Mena ranks as the #406 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.

  • The median home value in Mena is $189,840.

  • The median income in Mena is $50,875.

Table Of Contents

  1. Summary
  2. National Comparison
  3. Housing Breakdown
  4. Detailed Pricing
  5. Nearby Comparisons
84
Mena's Overall Cost Of Living
0.8x
Lower Than The National Average

What is the cost of living in Mena, AR?

According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Mena has an overall cost of living index of 84, which is 0.8x lower than the national index of 100.

Compared to Arkansas, Mena has a cost of living index that's 1.0x lower than Arkansas's index of 84.

The standard of living in Mena ranks as #20 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Mena ranks as the #49 most expensive place in the Natural State.

For more reading on life in Mena, check out:

20 out of 69
In Arkansas
406 out of 6,489
In America

Mena Cost Of Living Vs. Arkansas

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

  • The Services index in Mena is 101.

  • The Groceries index in Mena is 98.

  • The Health index in Mena is 90.

  • The Housing index in Mena is 52.

  • The Transportation index in Mena is 88.

  • The Utilities index in Mena is 94.

Living Expense Mena Arkansas National Average
Overall 84 84 100
Services 101 98 100
Groceries 98 96 100
Health 90 86 100
Housing 52 66 100
Transportation 88 89 100
Utilities 94 93 100
For more reading on cost of living around Arkansas, check out:
Mena Cost of Living Vs. AR

Mena, 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 Mena is $189,840.

  • The Median Rent in Mena is $720.

  • The Median Income in Mena is $50,875.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mena is 3.7x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mena is 0.17x.

Statistic Mena Arkansas United States
Median Home Value $189,840 $218,895 $303,400
Median Rent $720 $914 $1,348
Median Income $50,875 $58,773 $78,538
Home Value To Income 3.7x 3.7x 3.9x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.17x 0.19x 0.21x
$189,840
Median Home Value
$720
Median Rent
$50,875
Median Income

Mena, AR Costs By Category

Detailed Mena Services Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Mena Arkansas
Shampoo $1.07 $1.28
Movie $11.78 $12.13
Bowling $17.78 $18.0
Haircut $26.67 $24.26
Beauty Salon $54.14 $45.56

Detailed Mena Groceries Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Mena Arkansas
Ground Beef $5.15 $5.84
Fried Chicken $1.39 $1.57
Milk $4.52 $4.67
Potatoes $5.23 $4.93
Pizza $10.47 $12.09
Beer $9.83 $10.41
Toothpaste $3.75 $3.7

Detailed Mena Health Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Mena Arkansas
Optometrist $113.39 $125.68
Doctor $185.5 $135.78
Dentist $94.42 $113.29

Detailed Mena Transportation Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Mena Arkansas
Gasoline $3.1 $3.46
Tire Balancing $66.08 $59.92

Detailed Mena Utilities Costs Vs. Arkansas

Item Mena Arkansas
All Electricity $166.58 $193.99
Phone $205.55 $192.25

Mena SnackAbility

3
/10
Overall SnackAbility
Jobs
3/10
Housing
4
Affordability
8
Diversity
5
Safety
5
Amenities
7
Education
5
Commute
9.5

Cost Of Living In Cities Around Mena

The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Mena. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:

  • Greenwood, AR has a cost of living index of 92, 1.1x Mena.

  • Poteau, OK has a cost of living index of 84, 1.0x Mena.

  • De Queen, AR has a cost of living index of 85, 1.0x Mena.

City Population Cost Of Living Vs. Mena
Greenwood, AR 9,570 92 1.1x
Poteau, OK 8,903 84 1.0x
De Queen, AR 6,077 85 1.0x

Articles About Arkansas

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