Places › Arkansas › Pine Bluff

Living in Pine Bluff, AR

Small city in Arkansas

Pine Bluff is a small city in Arkansas, home to about 40,000 people, with 72,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Pine Bluff a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $111k and rents for $1,220 a month
  • Low taxes: about $902 state income tax per resident, 0.63% property tax

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 72,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer graduates: 21% of adults have a bachelor's degree or higher

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Pine Bluff ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
40,000
72,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
54°F / 91°F
Average daily highs · 3″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$111k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,220/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
87
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$902
State income tax per resident · 0.63% property tax
Safety
4.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
10 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly earthquakes, flooding
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
21%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MEM
129 mi away

Living in Pine Bluff: common questions

What is the cost of living in Pine Bluff?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $111k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,220 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 87, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Pine Bluff?

Arkansas collects about $902 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.63% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Pine Bluff safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (4.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Pine Bluff?

Pine Bluff has mild winters: winter days average around 54°F and summer days around 91°F, with roughly 3″ of snow a year.

Does Pine Bluff get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from earthquakes, flooding and tornadoes: 10 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 1.66 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Pine Bluff?

The nearest major airport is MEM, about 129 mi away.

How Pine Bluff scores

Each bar compares Pine Bluff with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Friendly community AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Poor
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Below average
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Higher crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Average
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Below average

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Is Pine Bluff right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.