City profile · Arkansas · Census ACS 2023

Rector, AR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Rector - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,631
Residents
$41,534
Median income
$82,500
Median home
$880
Median rent (state)

Rector - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Rector places in the 9th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

9th
percentile, household income
4th
percentile, home value
3rd
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Rector, AR

1,631 people live in Rector, Arkansas - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Rector brings in $41,534 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.6%. Rector's housing stock carries a median value of $82,500, and the median resident age is 40.3 years. About 12.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 50.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 3 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Building Boom), up 200% from five years earlier.

Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Arkansas at 86.9 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $880 per month statewide. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Arkansas run around $210, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 71.6 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (High).

Population

1,631 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arkansas

Median Household Income

$41,534 /yr

Poverty 13.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

86.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average

How does Rector compare to other US cities?

Here's how Rector stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 9% higher than other cities
Home value 4% pricier than other cities
Median rent 3% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Rector's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arkansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

9thIncome percentile

9th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Rector's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$82,500 Among the most affordable more affordable than 96% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Rector $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Rector, AR Rector, AR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Rector, AR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Rector, AR median $41,534/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Rector, AR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Rector, AR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 12.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,631
Median Income
$41,534
Median Home Value
$82,500
Median Age
40.3
Poverty Rate
13.6%
Labor force participation
50.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
12.6%

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,760 residents1,780 residents1,800 residents1,820 residents1,840 residents1,860 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,845 residents 1,789 residents ▼ -3.0%
Rector's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

📈 Building Boom
Total Permits (2024)
3
housing units authorized
Single-Family
3
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
1.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 1
2020 1
2021 15
2022 1
2023 0
2024 3

Permit volume increased 200% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
78.2%
Carpool
5.9%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
1.6%
Work from Home
9.3%
Other
5.0%

Based on 696 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arkansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$210
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arkansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arkansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Rector sits in

Cost of Living Index
86.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$880/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
71.6 / 100
High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arkansas

Bull Shoals
1,687 people
Mulberry
1,573 people
Clarendon
1,565 people
Avilla
1,549 people
Newark
1,522 people
Decatur
1,516 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Rector's 1,631 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Webster, FL
1,631 people
Cherokee, NC
1,631 people
Greenback, TN
1,631 people
Beverly Hills, TX
1,631 people
Southside Place, TX
1,631 people
North Key Largo, FL
1,630 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Rector's $41,534 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Worthington, IN
$41,534 median income
Mount Carmel, SC
$41,534 median income
Patrick Springs, VA
$41,532 median income
Bainbridge, GA
$41,531 median income
Elma, IA
$41,528 median income
Ashland, LA
$41,528 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Rector, AR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Rector, AR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 93.5% 6.2% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 0.3% White 93.5% Black or African American 0.0% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 6.2% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Rector compares to nearby Arkansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Rector (this city) 1,631 $41,534
Bull Shoals 1,687 $46,848
Mulberry 1,573 $47,596
Clarendon 1,565 $33,500
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Rector, AR?

What is the population of Rector, AR? +

The population of Rector, AR stands at 1,631 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Rector, AR? +

The median household income in Rector is $41,534 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Rector? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Rector; the closest available measure is the Arkansas state average, a cost of living index of 86.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arkansas vary by metro area.

What is the median home value in Rector, AR? +

Homes in Rector carry a median value of $82,500, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.