Median Income
$45,746
household / year
Median Home Value
$104,800
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$758
gross / month
Cost of Living
87
national avg = 100

Is Blytheville, AR a Good Place to Live?

Blytheville is a small city of 13,276 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $45,746 and a 13.6% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.

Strengths: Blytheville stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-), short average commutes.

Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Blytheville is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Blytheville city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.

Cost of Living

Index: 87.0

Blytheville's overall cost of living index is 87.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Blytheville costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.

Metric Blytheville, AR National Avg
Median Home Value $104,800 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $758 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 51.0% 65.9%
Median Household Income $45,746 $74,755

Crime & Safety

High Crime

Blytheville's violent crime rate is 1359.9 per 100,000 residents — 258% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
1359.9 /100k
Property Crime
4419.6 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Blytheville is served primarily by BLYTHEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Blytheville, AR National Avg
School District BLYTHEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT
Elementary Schools 2
Middle Schools 2
High Schools 1
Student/Teacher Ratio 13.3:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 15.2% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 85.7% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Blytheville sees average highs of 45.3°F in January and 90.1°F in July, with 51.6 inches of annual precipitation and 2.9 inches of snow per year.

MetricBlytheville, AR
Average High — January45.3°F
Average High — July90.1°F
Annual Precipitation51.6"
Annual Snowfall2.9"

Demographics

MetricBlytheville, ARNational Avg
Population13,276
Median Age38.138.9
Unemployment Rate13.6%3.7%
Avg Commute Time15.5 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)34.1%59.3%
Black or African American60.8%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino3.3%18.9%
Asian0.1%6.3%
Under 1824.4%22.2%
65 and over16.9%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Blytheville

Blytheville, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code:

Blytheville vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Blytheville's cost of living index is 87, where 100 is the national average. That makes Blytheville roughly 13% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $104,800 and median rent is $758/month.
Blytheville's violent crime rate is 1359.9 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 4419.6 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Blytheville are operated by BLYTHEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The district has 2 elementary, 2 middle, and 1 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 13.3:1. 15.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Blytheville, AR has a population of 13,276, a median household income of $45,746, and an unemployment rate of 13.6%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Blytheville averages 45.3°F in January and 90.1°F in July. Annual rainfall is 51.6 inches with about 2.9 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Blytheville, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 72315.
The population of Blytheville, Arkansas is 13,276 with a median age of 38.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Blytheville: cost of living index 87 (100 = US average), median home $104,800, median household income $45,746, crime index 299 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated B-. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Blytheville side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.