Lafe is a small town of 421 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $33,182
and a 9.6% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 83 (US average = 100), which is
17% below the national average.
Strengths:
Lafe stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lafe is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lafe 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: 83.2
Lafe's overall cost of living index is 83.2,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in Lafe costs roughly 17% less than the average American city.
Metric
Lafe, AR
National Avg
Median Home Value
$66,300
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
$625
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
90.0%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$33,182
$74,755
Crime & Safety
High Crime
Lafe's violent crime rate is 770.0 per 100,000 residents
— 103% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
770.0 /100k
Property Crime
2552.7 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
Lafe, AR
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
7.9%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
88.6%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
Lafe sees average highs of 45.7°F in January
and 89.8°F in July,
with 48.9 inches of annual precipitation
and 2.5 inches of snow per year.
Lafe's cost of living index is 83, where 100 is the national average.
That makes Lafe roughly 17% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $66,300 and median rent is $625/month.
Lafe's violent crime rate is 770.0 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2552.7 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
Lafe, AR has a population of 421, a median household income of $33,182, and an unemployment rate of 9.6%.
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.
Lafe averages 45.7°F in January and 89.8°F in July. Annual rainfall is 48.9 inches
with about 2.5 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Lafe, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: 72436.
The population of Lafe, Arkansas is 421 with a median age of 40.1. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Lafe: cost of living index 83 (100 = US average), median home $66,300, median household income $33,182, crime index 170 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Lafe side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.
