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Buying a home in Forrest City, Arkansas

The typical owner-occupied home in Forrest City is worth about $92,000, 51% below the Arkansas median of $188,000 and 72% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $484 a year in property taxes, about 0.53% of their home's value, close to the Arkansas rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $35,689 a year, so the median home costs 2.6 times the median income (3.1 times for Arkansas). 39% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 55% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Forrest City at a glance

Forrest City Arkansas U.S.
Median home value $92,000 $188,000 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $484 $1,040 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.53% 0.55% 0.94%
Median household income $35,689 $60,773 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 39% 66% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 55% 53% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,004 $1,345 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 20.8% 18.5% 21.0%
Median rent $805 $947 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 37.0% 27.6% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1978 1987 1980
Vacant homes 16.9% 13.5% 10.1%
Population 12,646 3,049,391 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Forrest City

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Forrest City home of $92,000 with 20% down costs about $574 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $727, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $24,603 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 19% of the median Forrest City household income of $35,689; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $133,000.

The median rent here is $805 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$18,400
Loan amount$73,600
Principal and interest$495
Property taxes (0.53% a year)$41
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$38
PMI$0
Total per month$574

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$3,220
Loan amount$90,334
Principal and interest$608
Property taxes (0.53% a year)$41
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$38
FHA mortgage insurance$41
Total per month$727

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Questions about home buying in Forrest City

What is the median home value in Forrest City?

About $92,000 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Forrest City?

Homeowners pay a median $484 a year, which is about 0.53% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Forrest City?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $574 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $24,603 a year.

More about Forrest City

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data