County FMR · HUD FY2026
Craighead County Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Craighead County, AR - 9% below the US average.
- $870
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,040
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +7.1%
- YoY change
- -9%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Craighead is the 12th most expensive of 75 counties in Arkansas by 2-bedroom FMR; nationally it ranks #1,510 most expensive of 3,145 HUD counties; rent here has climbed 7.1% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.
- #1,510
- most expensive of 3,145 US counties (2BR)
- #12
- most expensive of 75 in Arkansas (2BR)
- +16%
- vs the state average
- $34,800
- income to afford it (30% rule)
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (10.8%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (39%); nearby Arkansas counties range as much as 56% apart in 1-bedroom FMR, so the county line itself can matter for renters comparing options.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Craighead County, AR. Verify with HUD →
HUD sets the FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent for Craighead County, Arkansas at $870 per month - the federal rental-assistance benchmark for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,040/mo and a studio is $805/mo. This is 9% lower than the national average of $959 and 16% above the Arkansas average of $751.
Rent increased7.1% from FY 2025 ($812), outpacing inflation. Under the 30% rule, affordability starts near $34,800/year for a 1-bedroom.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Arkansas. Population: 111,038. Population grew 6.1% over the past five years (Census ACS) - among the faster-growing counties nationally, a trend that typically adds upward pressure on rents. That's faster than Arkansas's statewide growth of +1.4% over the same period.
FMR filing desk
Area CRAIGHEAD·COUNTY·AR·AR
Craighead County, AR: $870/mo 1BR · #1510 of 3145 counties (2BR) · FY2026
- FMR-AREA AR
- 1BR-FMR $870
- 2BR-FMR $1,040
- RANK-MID #1,510
- YOY-SURGE +7.1%
- VSUS-BELOW -9%
- VS-ST-HIGH +16% AR
- INC-ROOM 18%
- POP-MID 111K
- PHOTO-NEAR Pulaski County
- VOUCH-90-110 $783–$957
- FY-2026 FY2026
Photo-finish peer: Pulaski ($119 1BR gap)
Read with: How Fair Market Rent works
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $697 | $805 | +$108 (+15.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $812 | $870 | +$58 (+7.1%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $973 | $1,040 | +$67 (+6.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,304 | $1,402 | +$98 (+7.5%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,526 | $1,480 | $-46 (-3.0%) |
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in Craighead County. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
Where Craighead sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,040 higher than 52% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How Craighead compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Arkansas counties
- Benton
Benton County
$1,115 1BR FMR / mo
- Washington
Washington County
$1,115 1BR FMR / mo
- Pulaski
Pulaski County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Faulkner
Faulkner County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Saline
Saline County
$989 1BR FMR / mo
- Craighead
Craighead County
$870 1BR FMR / mo
- Sebastian
Sebastian County
$714 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Craighead is highlighted. Nearby Arkansas counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: Benton County ($1,115), Washington County ($1,115), Pulaski County ($989), Faulkner County ($989), Saline County ($989), Craighead County (this county) ($870), Sebastian County ($714).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $870/mo compares to Arkansas salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | AR Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $96,820 | 10.8% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $77,130 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $64,260 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $64,180 | 16.3% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $50,550 | 20.7% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $49,420 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $49,520 | 21.1% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $48,090 | 21.7% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $46,940 | 22.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $37,490 | 27.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $37,380 | 27.9% | Affordable |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $29,540 | 35.3% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $29,420 | 35.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $29,270 | 35.7% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $26,740 | 39% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Craighead County. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Craighead (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 38.5% overall, from $628 to $870. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.3% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑7.1% | $805 | $870 | $1,040 |
| FY 2025 ↑5.9% | $697 | $812 | $973 |
| FY 2024 ↑15.3% | $634 | $767 | $936 |
| FY 2023 ↑2.6% | $562 | $665 | $840 |
| FY 2022 ↑2.7% | $553 | $648 | $832 |
| FY 2021 ↑0.5% | $535 | $631 | $811 |
| FY 2020 | $517 | $628 | $793 |
Part of the Jonesboro, AR Metro Area
Craighead County is a central county of the Jonesboro, AR metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Craighead County ranks #1 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Craighead County (this county) ($870), Poinsett County ($685).
Nationwide peers by 2BR FMR & rent burden
Two PlainRent-derived comparison paths for Craighead County, both outside Arkansas so the link neighborhoods are not the same-state geography lattice above. Axes stay disjoint: burden peers exclude the FMR peer set.
Similar 2-bedroom FMR
Nearest HUD 2BR Fair Market Rents outside AR (FY2026).
Similar rent burden
Nearest 2BR FMR as a share of median household income (outside AR).
Nearby Counties in Arkansas
Largest counties by population in Arkansas
Showing the 8 largest of 74 other counties in Arkansas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Craighead County? ▼
How does Craighead County rent compare to the national average? ▼
Where does Craighead County rank nationally for Fair Market Rent? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Craighead County? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Craighead County? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Craighead County? ▼
How much has rent changed in Craighead County over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Craighead County? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Craighead County? ▼
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.