Jonesboro cost of living
Prices in the Jonesboro, AR metro area run at 85.9 against a national average of 100, ranking it #369 of 387 metros. Rents there sit at 53.8.
What drives the number
Jonesboro is one of the least expensive places measured, at 85.9 against a national 100, ranking #369 of 387 metro areas. A 14.1 per cent discount to national prices only helps if local wages do not fall by more, which is the comparison worth making. Against Arkansas as a whole it is 1 point less expensive, which is the unusual direction, and it means the expensive part of the state is somewhere else.
Housing is unusually cheap relative to everything else here. Rents sit at 53.8 against goods at 93.6 and other services at 75.0, so the overall figure of 85.9 understates how affordable the housing itself is. It is the opposite of the usual pattern, where housing is what makes a place expensive. Goods at 93.6 are themselves 6.4 points off national, which is a wide gap for a category that is mostly shipped in.
The number is most useful in reverse: a job here can pay less in cash and still leave a household better off, by roughly 14.1 per cent before anything else is considered.
The vertical line is the national average of 100. Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities, SARPP, 2024.
What the biggest local jobs are really worth
The same pay buys different amounts in different places, so a salary quoted in Jonesboro is not comparable to one quoted elsewhere until it is divided by the local parity. These are the occupations that employ the most people here, with the quoted median alongside what that median is worth at national prices.
| Occupation | Employed | Median pay | Worth nationally | U.S. median |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,890 | $78,730 | $91,653 | $93,600 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,840 | $26,480 | $30,827 | $30,480 |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,690 | $29,320 | $34,133 | $34,580 |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,580 | $63,660 | $74,109 | $102,950 |
| Cashiers | 1,520 | $27,320 | $31,804 | $31,190 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,360 | $37,370 | $43,504 | $38,940 |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,210 | $36,170 | $42,107 | $43,630 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,160 | $46,970 | $54,680 | $57,440 |
Pay from the BLS metro survey, adjusted by dividing by the metro parity of 85.9.
Nearby metro areas
| Metro area | All items | Rents | Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memphis | 92.2 | 79.8 | #237 |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | 91.4 | 76.9 | #261 |
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | 89.4 | 68.3 | #302 |
| Fort Smith | 85.9 | 53.4 | #367 |
| Hot Springs | 85.7 | 57.3 | #375 |
| Texarkana | 84.0 | 49.9 | #384 |
Jonesboro: common questions
Is Jonesboro expensive?
Prices are 14.1% below the national average, a parity of 85.9 where the country is 100. It ranks #369 of the 387 metro areas BEA measures. Against Arkansas as a whole it is 1 point less expensive.
What salary do you need in Jonesboro?
The median worker there earns $39,900, which buys what $46,449 buys nationally once local prices are taken into account. Comparing a salary offer between cities without this adjustment is comparing nothing useful.
Is housing the reason?
Usually. Rents here are at 53.8 against goods at 93.6. Goods barely vary between American cities because most are shipped and priced nationally; housing varies enormously, and it dominates any cost of living comparison.