Living in Arkansas · 2026
Is $27,000 enough to live in Arkansas?
Single adult · AR · 2026 tax brackets · Real cost-of-living data
Monthly take-home
$1,890
Avg monthly expenses
$1,747
Avg monthly surplus
$143
Savings potential
~8%
After-tax take-home in Arkansas
How $27,000 feels in Arkansas cities
Rent: HUD FMR 2026 · Food: USDA Low-Cost Plan × COL · Transport/Utilities/Healthcare: BLS CES × COL
Little Rock
COL index: 0.83× national avg
Fort Smith
COL index: 0.77× national avg
Fayetteville
COL index: 0.91× national avg
Springdale
COL index: 0.89× national avg
Jonesboro
COL index: 0.80× national avg
Conway
COL index: 0.82× national avg
50 / 30 / 20 Budget Planner
Based on your monthly take-home of $1,890 ($22,680/yr)
$945
per month
- ›Rent / mortgage
- ›Groceries
- ›Utilities
- ›Insurance
- ›Minimum debt payments
- ›Transportation
$567
per month
- ›Dining out
- ›Streaming services
- ›Gym
- ›Hobbies
- ›Travel
- ›Shopping
$378
per month
- ›Emergency fund
- ›401(k) / IRA
- ›Investments
- ›Down payment fund
- ›Debt payoff (extra)
Needs / year
$11,340
Wants / year
$6,804
Savings / year
$4,536
Salary Intelligence
Below comfortable level in Little RockRent would consume 48% of take-home income — above the 35% stress threshold. A higher salary or lower-cost housing is needed for financial stability in this city.
Lifestyle Assessment
A $27,000 salary can cover essential living costs for a single adult in Little Rock, Arkansas, but leaves little room for savings (~8% of take-home). Lifestyle is rated fair, with careful budgeting required to avoid month-to-month shortfalls.
Purchasing Power
Due to Little Rock's low cost of living (index: 0.83), $27,000 here has the purchasing power of roughly $60,181 in San Francisco or $63,434 in New York City. Your dollar goes significantly further here.
State & National Benchmark
$27,000 is 13% below the Arkansas individual median of $31,200. Consider negotiating a higher salary or exploring higher-paying roles in this state.
State individual median
$31,200
-13%
State household median
$52,528
-49%
Tax reduction strategies
$27,000 vs. Arkansas income benchmarks
Individual median (Arkansas)
$31,200
-13% vs. this salary
Household median (Arkansas)
$52,528
-49% vs. this salary
Source: US Census Bureau ACS 2023
Related salary insights
Explore other salary levels in Arkansas
Data Sources
- •Tax calculations: IRS federal tax tables
- •Rent data: HUD Fair Market Rents
- •Cost-of-living index: C2ER / ACCRA Cost of Living Index
Data updated monthly using government datasets.