Is Camden, AR a Good Place to Live?
Camden is a small city of 10,587 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $48,302 and a 5.8% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 86 (US average = 100), which is 14% below the national average.
Strengths: Camden 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 Camden is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Camden 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: 86.0Camden's overall cost of living index is 86.0, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Camden costs roughly 14% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Camden, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $96,700 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $704 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 63.2% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $48,302 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeCamden's violent crime rate is 1087.3 per 100,000 residents — 186% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Camden is served primarily by CAMDEN FAIRVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 11.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Camden, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | CAMDEN FAIRVIEW SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 11.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 16.0% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.7% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Camden sees average highs of 53.3°F in January and 91.9°F in July, with 53.1 inches of annual precipitation and 1.5 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Camden, AR |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 53.3°F |
| Average High — July | 91.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.5" |
Demographics
| Metric | Camden, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,587 | — |
| Median Age | 38.7 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.8% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 21.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 47.0% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 50.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.6% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 25.2% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 20.3% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Camden
Camden, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: