Median Income
$26,875
household / year
Median Home Value
$88,600
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$608
gross / month
Cost of Living
84
national avg = 100

Is Perla, AR a Good Place to Live?

Perla is a small town of 225 in Arkansas, with a median household income of $26,875 and a 9.2% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 84 (US average = 100), which is 16% below the national average.

Strengths: Perla 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 Perla is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Perla 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: 84.4

Perla's overall cost of living index is 84.4, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Perla costs roughly 16% less than the average American city.

Metric Perla, AR National Avg
Median Home Value $88,600 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $608 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 58.9% 65.9%
Median Household Income $26,875 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Very Safe

Perla's violent crime rate is 245.8 per 100,000 residents — 35% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
245.8 /100k
Property Crime
1051.2 /100k

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

Schools & Education

Metric Perla, 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 5.7% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 80.9% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Perla sees average highs of 51.8°F in January and 91.9°F in July, with 57.5 inches of annual precipitation and 1.2 inches of snow per year.

MetricPerla, AR
Average High — January51.8°F
Average High — July91.9°F
Annual Precipitation57.5"
Annual Snowfall1.2"

Demographics

MetricPerla, ARNational Avg
Population225—
Median Age36.738.9
Unemployment Rate9.2%3.7%
Avg Commute Time19.0 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)36.9%59.3%
Black or African American34.7%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino0.0%18.9%
Asian0.0%6.3%
Under 1831.6%22.2%
65 and over18.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

Malvern, AR 3 mi Rockport, AR 3 mi Magnet Cove, AR 7 mi Poyen, AR 8 mi Traskwood, AR 9 mi

Perla vs Other Cities

Perla, AR vs Malvern, AR Perla, AR vs Rockport, AR Perla, AR vs Magnet Cove, AR Perla, AR vs Poyen, AR Perla, AR vs Traskwood, AR

Frequently Asked Questions

Perla's cost of living index is 84, where 100 is the national average. That makes Perla roughly 16% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $88,600 and median rent is $608/month.
Perla's violent crime rate is 245.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1051.2 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.
Perla, AR has a population of 225, a median household income of $26,875, and an unemployment rate of 9.2%. 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.
Perla averages 51.8°F in January and 91.9°F in July. Annual rainfall is 57.5 inches with about 1.2 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
The population of Perla, Arkansas is 225 with a median age of 36.7. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Perla: cost of living index 84 (100 = US average), median home $88,600, median household income $26,875, crime index 59 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Perla side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.