Mena, AR Cost Of Living

The latest cost of living statistics for Mena. Includes statistics on rent, mortgages, healthcare, and other costs for Mena compared to the state and national averages.

Cost of living in Mena, Arkansas

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:

83 Cost of living index 0.8x lower vs US
#11 Cheapest in Arkansas (of 70)
#162 Cheapest in the U.S. (of 6,489)
$192,538 Median home value
$639 Median rent
$47,428 Median income
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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 83, 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 85.

The standard of living in Mena ranks as #11 most affordable out of the 70 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Mena ranks as the #59 most expensive place in the Natural State.

For more reading on life in Mena, check out:

Mena Cost Of Living Vs. Arkansas

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

  • The Services index in Mena is 95.

  • The Groceries index in Mena is 95.

  • The Health index in Mena is 53.

  • The Housing index in Mena is 97.

  • The Transportation index in Mena is 88.

  • The Utilities index in Mena is 96.

Living Expense Mena Arkansas National Average
Overall 83 85 100
Services 95 95 100
Groceries 95 93 100
Health 53 68 100
Housing 97 96 100
Transportation 88 92 100
Utilities 96 92 100

Mena Cost Of Living Compared To Arkansas Averages

Services
Mena 95
Arkansas avg 95
Groceries
Mena 95
Arkansas avg 93
Health
Mena 53
Arkansas avg 68
Housing
Mena 97
Arkansas avg 96
Transportation
Mena 88
Arkansas avg 92
Utilities
Mena 96
Arkansas avg 92

Index where 100 = national average. Source: cost-of-living index 2026.

For more reading on cost of living around Arkansas, check out:

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Source: Cost-of-living index 2026, normalized to US average = 100

Mena, AR Housing Cost Breakdown

$192,538Median Home Value
$639Median Rent
$47,428Median Income

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 2020-2024. The key points are:

  • The Median Home Value in Mena is $192,538.

  • The Median Rent in Mena is $639.

  • The Median Income in Mena is $47,428.

  • The Home Value To Income in Mena is 4.1x.

  • The Rent To Monthly Income in Mena is 0.16x.

Statistic Mena Arkansas United States
Median Home Value $192,538 $222,050 $332,700
Median Rent $639 $947 $1,413
Median Income $47,428 $60,773 $80,734
Home Value To Income 4.1x 3.7x 4.1x
Rent To Monthly Income 0.16x 0.19x 0.21x

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
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

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

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 89, 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 9,616 89 1.1x
Poteau, OK 8,959 84 1.0x
De Queen, AR 6,058 85 1.0x