The Town FilesJonesboro, Arkansas
City in Craighead County · population 78,576 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $223,200
- Household income
- $55,424
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 34
- Median age
- 33.9
Jonesboro is a city of 78,576 people in Craighead County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $223,200, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks more vibrant than 95% of Arkansas towns, better for young professionals than 92% of Arkansas towns, better transit than 91% of Arkansas towns.
How Jonesboro 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 Jonesboro is worth $223,200, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 4.0 times the median household income of $55,424, which is more affordable than 9% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $956 a month. 54.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Jonesboro | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $223,200 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $956 | $792 |
| Median household income | $55,424 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 4.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 54.3% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1991 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Jonesboro
| People | Jonesboro | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.9 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 14.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.8% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 22.8% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 5.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 4.6% | — |
| Work from home | 7.7% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 18.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 87.7% | 84.4% |
Weather in Jonesboro
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 30.5°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.9 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 65 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 26, 1973 about 0.6 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 39 deaths and 659 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 92 times; the largest was 3.25 inches on April 15, 2022.
Severe weather in Craighead County since 1996
Craighead County has been included in 28 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 |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| December 23, 2021 | Tornado | DR-4633: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
Jobs and pay in Craighead County
Craighead County had 55,053 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $51,690 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Jonesboro itself the ACS puts it at 6.3%.
Public schools in Jonesboro
26 public schools with 15,463 students, about 15.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| THE ACADEMIES AT JONESBORO HIGH SCHOOL | 10-12 | 1,423 | 14.7 |
| NETTLETON HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,041 | 14.1 |
| VALLEY VIEW INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 3-6 | 904 | 15.3 |
| WESTSIDE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 785 | 18.7 |
| DOUGLAS MACARTHUR JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-9 | 775 | 15.2 |
| ANNIE CAMP JR. HIGH SCHOOL | 7-9 | 741 | 14.3 |
| VALLEY VIEW ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-2 | 729 | 15.8 |
| VISUAL & PERFORMING ART MAGNET | 1-6 | 716 | 17.5 |
| WESTSIDE HIGH SCHOOL | 8-12 | 694 | 12.4 |
| VALLEY VIEW JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-9 | 689 | 12.8 |
| VALLEY VIEW HIGH SCHOOL | 10-12 | 673 | 14.6 |
| HEALTH/WELLNESS ENVI MAGNET | 1-6 | 651 | 16.3 |
Towns near Jonesboro
- Brookland, AR7.9 mi · 4,064 people · home $169,200
- Trumann, AR13.1 mi · 7,399 people · home $112,300
- Paragould, AR18.6 mi · 29,537 people · home $181,500
- Hoxie, AR22.2 mi · 2,598 people · home $87,600
- Walnut Ridge, AR23.7 mi · 5,384 people · home $117,900
- Manila, AR29.1 mi · 3,682 people · home $172,000
Jonesboro questions
Is Jonesboro, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Jonesboro scores better for retirees than 24% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 6%. 14.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.9).
How much does a house cost in Jonesboro?
The median owner-occupied home in Jonesboro is valued at $223,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,424, so homes cost about 4.0 times income. Median rent is $956 a month.
What is the weather like in Jonesboro?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 30.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.9 inches of snow.
Does Jonesboro get tornadoes?
34 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Jonesboro since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 26, 1973. 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)