Jonesboro, AR
The numbers that matter most
What an investor checks first when sizing up a new metro — affordability ratio, rent vs income, cap rate proxy, and where the market is moving. Each metric shown vs. state and national medians for instant context.
moderate
Price to income
3.27×
The single most-cited 'is this market still cheap' check. Below 3× and you're in an affordability tailwind.
- vs Arkansas
- 3.18×
- vs U.S.
- 3.43×-0.16
Benchmark
ACS median home value ÷ median HHI
comfortable
Rent to income
22.5%
What share of a typical household's income goes to rent. Below 30% means tenants can absorb modest rent increases.
- vs Arkansas
- 21.1%
- vs U.S.
- 23.3%-0.8
Benchmark
(HUD FMR 2BR × 12) ÷ median HHI
deal-by-deal
Cap rate proxy
4.48%
Rough first-pass yield assuming a 35% expense ratio. Not an underwriting number — a 'is this even worth modeling' filter.
- vs Arkansas
- 4.49%
- vs U.S.
- 4.35%+0.13
Benchmark
(FMR 2BR × 12 × 0.65) ÷ ACS median home value
steady
Net migration
+0.02%
Forward-looking demand signal. Positive net migration drives rent growth and absorbs new supply.
- vs Arkansas
- 0.09%
- vs U.S.
- 0.03%
Benchmark
IRS net migration ÷ population
strong
Permit pipeline
7.93
permits per 1,000 residents
Forward-supply indicator. Above ~5 means the metro is building meaningfully relative to its size; below 2 means supply is tight.
- vs Arkansas
- 3.86+4.07
- vs U.S.
- 3.52+4.41
Benchmark
Census BPS permits TTM ÷ population × 1,000
healthy
Unemployment
3.9%
Tighter unemployment means higher wages, more rental demand, lower vacancy.
- vs Arkansas
- 3.9%=
- vs U.S.
- 3.9%=
Benchmark
BLS LAUS, latest month
Where prices are and where they've been
5-year price appreciation
+38.9%
homeValues.yearOverYear
+2.4%
Median home value
$181,200
The rent ladder
| Bedroom | Monthly | Annual | % of median HHI |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 BR | $870 | $10,440 | 18.8% |
| 2 BR | $1,040 | $12,480 | 22.5% |
| 3 BR | $1,402 | $16,824 | 30.3% |
Labor market direction
Unemployment
3.9%
Median household income
$55,478
What's being built
Total TTM
1,063
+22.2% YoY
Single-family
632
2–4 unit
277
5+ unit
154
All 2 counties, ranked by population
| County | Population | Home value | Median HHI | Permits TTM | YoY |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Craighead County | 111,038 | $198,700 | $57,615 | 972 | +20.1% |
| Poinsett County | 22,997 | $101,200 | $47,188 | 91 | +44.4% |
Similar metros nationally
| Metro | Pop | Med HHI | P/I | Cap proxy | HPI 5y | Permits/1k | Unemp |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ★Jonesboro | 134,035 | $55,478 | 3.27× | 4.48% | +38.9% | 7.93 | 3.9% |
| Johnstown, PA | 133,263 | $56,292 | — | — | +44.9% | — | 4.4% |
| The Villages, FL | 131,832 | $55,228 | — | — | — | — | — |
| Sumter, SC | 136,362 | $55,990 | — | — | +51.6% | — | 6.0% |
| Hammond, LA | 133,953 | $57,256 | — | — | +39.7% | — | 4.7% |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | 139,287 | $58,705 | — | — | +35.3% | — | 4.5% |
Where people are moving in from
Net migration
+25
+0.02% of population
| Origin county | Tax returns |
|---|---|
| Greene County, AR | 304 |
| Poinsett County, AR | 255 |
| Craighead County, AR | 253 |
| Mississippi County, AR | 253 |
| Crittenden County, AR | 120 |
| Pulaski County, AR | 105 |
Who lives in Jonesboro
- Median age
- 35
- Bachelor's+
- 25.0%
- Owner-occupancy
- 60.0%
- Vacancy rate
- 10.3%
- Rent burdened (30%+)
- 45.4%
- Median household income
- $55,478
This page shows federally sourced data. A full editorial analysis with charts and investment commentary is in progress.