The Town FilesHelena-West Helena, Arkansas
City in Phillips County · population 9,519 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $73,200
- Household income
- $36,019
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 39.3
Helena-West Helena is a city of 9,519 people in Phillips County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $73,200, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for young professionals than 87% of Arkansas towns, better transit than 85% of Arkansas towns, better for cycling than 83% of Arkansas towns.
How Helena-West Helena ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Helena-West Helena is worth $73,200, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $36,019, which is more affordable than 86% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $771 a month. 42.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Helena-West Helena | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $73,200 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $771 | $792 |
| Median household income | $36,019 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 42.0% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1972 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.4% | — |
Who lives in Helena-West Helena
| People | Helena-West Helena | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.3 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 28.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 31.7% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 4.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 2.2% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 20.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 79.5% | 84.4% |
Weather in Helena-West Helena
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 32.2°F. About 49.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.3 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helena-West Helena since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on April 29, 1963 about 8.2 miles from the town center and killed 5. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 15 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 10 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on May 24, 2024.
Severe weather in Phillips County since 1996
Phillips County has been included in 18 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| July 10, 2020 | Tornado | DR-4556: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Phillips County
Phillips County had 4,531 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,596 a year. Unemployment was 6.5% in 2023; in Helena-West Helena itself the ACS puts it at 17.7%.
Public schools in Helena-West Helena
5 public schools with 1,846 students, about 9.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| J.F. WAHL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 541 | 15.5 |
| KIPP DELTA ELEM LITERACY ACAD (charter) | PK-5 | 470 | 14.7 |
| CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 436 | 8.1 |
| KIPP:DELTA COLLEGIATE HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 9-12 | 201 | 3.7 |
| KIPP:DELTA COLLEGE PREP SCHOOL (charter) | 6-8 | 198 | 14.1 |
Towns near Helena-West Helena
- Marianna, AR18.7 mi · 3,575 people · home $81,700
- Clarksdale, MS23.5 mi · 14,903 people · home $83,900
Helena-West Helena questions
Is Helena-West Helena, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Helena-West Helena scores better for retirees than 21% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 20%. 18.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.3).
How much does a house cost in Helena-West Helena?
The median owner-occupied home in Helena-West Helena is valued at $73,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $36,019, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $771 a month.
What is the weather like in Helena-West Helena?
July highs average 90.4°F and January lows 32.2°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 49.7 inches of precipitation a year and 0.3 inches of snow.
Does Helena-West Helena get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Helena-West Helena since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on April 29, 1963. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)