Is Lake City, AR a Good Place to Live?
Lake City is a small town of 2,389 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $56,414 and a 8.3% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 88 (US average = 100), which is 12% below the national average.
Strengths: Lake City stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, lower-than-average crime, solid school ratings (B+), short average commutes.
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Lake City is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Lake City 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: 88.1Lake City's overall cost of living index is 88.1, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Lake City costs roughly 12% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Lake City, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $121,800 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $794 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 62.3% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $56,414 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
Very SafeLake City's violent crime rate is 146.6 per 100,000 residents — 61% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Lake City is served primarily by RIVERSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT. The student-to-teacher ratio is 10.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Lake City, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | RIVERSIDE SCHOOL DISTRICT | — |
| Elementary Schools | 2 | — |
| Middle Schools | N/A | — |
| High Schools | 1 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 10.9:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 17.6% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 85.3% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Lake City sees average highs of 46.8°F in January and 91.2°F in July, with 48.5 inches of annual precipitation and 3.9 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Lake City, AR |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 46.8°F |
| Average High — July | 91.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 48.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.9" |
Demographics
| Metric | Lake City, AR | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 2,389 | — |
| Median Age | 32.5 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.3% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 20.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 92.5% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 1.5% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.3% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 20.8% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 19.7% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Lake City
Lake City, AR is covered by 1 ZIP code: