Arkansas Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator — Updated 2026

Arkansas (AR) · State tax: 3.9% · Property tax: 0.64% · Median home (ZHVI): $198,000

As of Apr 2026 · Sources: Zillow ZHVI, Tax Foundation, Census ACS, Freddie Mac PMMS

Written by Jere Salmisto·Reviewed by CalcFi Editorial·Methodology
TL;DR

Arkansas cost-of-living index is 86.8 (US = 100). Median home: $198,000, property tax 0.64%, state income tax 3.9% (2026).

Source: Zillow ZHVI / Tax Foundation, 2026-04-19

Your debt-to-income (DTI) ratio in Arkansas is a critical metric for mortgage and loan qualification. Lenders typically require a front-end DTI below 28% (housing costs only) and a back-end DTI below 36–43% (all debts). In Arkansas, the 3.9% state income tax reduces your gross-to-net ratio, but lenders use gross income for DTI calculations. With a median home price of $198,000 and property taxes of 0.64%, housing costs in Arkansas can consume a significant portion of median household income. The cost of living index of 86.8 provides additional context for how much of your income goes to non-housing obligations that factor into back-end DTI.

Arkansas Financial Snapshot (2026) — Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

Median income ÷ PITI determines borrowing headroom for the debt-to-income ratio calculator in Arkansas. Every row cites a primary public dataset. Numbers reflect the most recent vintage available; refresh cadence is documented in the methodology.

MetricArkansasSource
Cost-of-living index (BEA RPP)86.8 (US = 100)[1]
Median home value (ZHVI)$198,000[2]
Median household income$64,840/yr[3]
Avg monthly PITI (est.)$1,355/mo[4]
Top marginal income tax rate3.90%[5]

How the Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator Math Works Under Arkansas Law

The Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator runs a well-known formula (principal × rate, discounted cash flow, amortization, or equivalent) client-side and layers on Arkansas's tax and cost-of-living inputs. State-specific numbers — brackets, exemptions, and averages — come from public federal / state datasets cited in the sources section.

★Reality Score— Bigger picture for Arkansas — score your full money snapshot, free.See my full picture →
3-minute readout across rent, debt, and savings — not a credit pull.

Worked Examples: Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator in Arkansas Cities

Same formula, different inputs. Each city name links to its own pSEO page where the calculator is pre-filled with local medians.

CityMedian homeMedian rentHUD FMR 2BRMedian income
Little Rock, AR$227,428$1,209/mo$1,100/mo$65,309
Fayetteville, AR$366,288$1,606/mo$1,475/mo$77,979

Sources: Zillow ZHVI + ZORI[1], HUD FMR[2], Census ACS[3], Freddie Mac PMMS[4].

How Arkansas Compares to Neighboring States

Moving one state over changes the debt-to-income ratio numbers. Compare median home value (Zillow ZHVI), top marginal income tax rate, effective property tax rate, and the BEA all-items Regional Price Parity across Arkansas and its border states.

StateMedian homeTop inc taxProp tax rateRPP (US=100)
Arkansas (this page)$198,0003.90%0.64%86.8
Louisiana side-by-side$215,0003.00%0.55%88.7
Mississippi equivalent$182,0004.40%0.79%86.8
Missouri$245,0004.70%0.97%91.1
see Tennessee$325,000None0.71%92.1

Sources: Zillow ZHVI[1], state Departments of Revenue / Tax Foundation[2], Tax Foundation property taxes[3], BEA Regional Price Parities[4].

What Changes Your Result in Arkansas

  • Arkansas cost-of-living drag:Line-item costs in Arkansas deviate from the US mean by whatever the BEA all-items RPP deviates from 100. Weight your budget toward the state average rather than the national average.

Related Calculations for Arkansas

These calculators share inputs with the debt-to-income ratio formula, so pair them to pressure-test your answer from multiple angles.

  • Arkansas mortgage affordability numbers for 2026 — DTI is the lender gatekeeper.
State Index · Home affordability

How does Arkansas compare to the other 49?

Sourced from primary government data. All 50 states ranked, click any state for the breakdown.

See Arkansas vs all 50 states→

How Arkansas Compares

MetricArkansasNational AvgLAMSMO
Median Home Price$198,000$420,000$285,000$245,000$295,000
Property Tax Rate0.64%1.07%0.55%0.81%0.97%
State Income Tax3.9%4.6%*4.25%5%5.3%
Avg Insurance Cost$1,320/yr$1,544/yr$1,920/yr$1,680/yr$1,440/yr
Cost of Living Index86.8100918290
Household Income — p25$32,400$41,401$27,664$26,155$40,004
Household Income — p50 (median)$64,553$83,592$60,000$55,500$78,941
Household Income — p75$115,675$153,000$113,423$99,000$137,432

*Average of states that levy an income tax. 2026 estimates. Arkansas offers up to $15,000 in forgivable down payment assistance through ADFA.[3] Income percentiles from DQYDJ/Census CPS 2024[4].

Arkansas Financial Planning Tips

Tip

Track take-home pay: 3.9% state income tax plus federal + FICA reduces gross wages by roughly 29% in Arkansas.

Tip

Anchor savings goals to the Arkansas cost of living index (86.8). A national 20% savings rate needs adjustment up or down depending on local expense floors.

Tip

Use tax-advantaged accounts first: 401(k), HSA, IRA. Contributions to pre-tax accounts save 3.9% at the state level plus your federal marginal rate.

Frequently Asked Questions: Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator in Arkansas

How does the debt-to-income ratio work in Arkansas?
The debt-to-income ratio calculator runs the standard client-side formula and layers on Arkansas's 3.9% state income tax, 0.64% property tax rate, and cost-of-living index of 86.8. All inputs stay in your browser.
What is the cost of living in Arkansas?
Arkansas's cost of living index is 86.8 (100 = national average). Living in Arkansas is 13% less expensive than the U.S. average.
How does Arkansas's cost of living affect my financial planning?
Arkansas's cost of living index of 86.8 directly impacts budgeting, savings targets, and retirement planning. With costs 13% below average, your savings goals are more achievable, and retirement funds stretch further. The median home price of $198,000 and property taxes at 0.64% are major factors in housing affordability.
What tax advantages are available in Arkansas?
Arkansas has a 3.9% state income tax. Tax advantages include maximizing pre-tax retirement contributions (401k, traditional IRA) to reduce state taxable income, utilizing any state-specific deductions or credits, and taking advantage of federal deductions like mortgage interest and property taxes ($1,267/year on the median home).
Is Arkansas affordable for first-time buyers?
Yes. Arkansas has the 5th-lowest median home price ($275,000), low property taxes (0.62%), and the ADFA offers up to $15,000 in down payment assistance.
Does Arkansas tax retirement income?
Arkansas exempts Social Security from state tax. Other retirement income (pensions, 401k) up to $6,000 is also exempt.
What natural disaster risks affect Arkansas insurance?
Tornadoes are the primary risk. Arkansas averages 30+ tornadoes annually. Flood risk is elevated along major rivers. Both affect insurance costs and require careful policy selection.
Is the debt-to-income ratio free to use for Arkansas residents?
Yes — the Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator is 100% free, with no signup required. All Arkansas-specific numbers (median home price $198,000, property tax 0.64%, 3.9% state income tax) are prefilled from public datasets. Calculations run in your browser; no data is sent to our servers.
Where does the Arkansas data on this page come from?
Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau (ACS), the Tax Foundation, BLS OEWS wage tables, Zillow ZHVI for home values, and Freddie Mac PMMS for mortgage rates. Each number is timestamped and refreshed via our hourly ETL.
How often is the Arkansas debt-to-income ratio updated?
Source data is re-pulled on an hourly cadence for live series (mortgage rates) and on each new vintage release for ACS / Tax Foundation tables. Page caches revalidate every 24 hours via Next.js ISR.
Can I export results from the Arkansas debt-to-income ratio?
Yes — every calculator supports CSV / PDF export from the result panel. No account required. Saves stay in your browser; nothing is uploaded.
Does the debt-to-income ratio replace tax or financial advice?
No. The Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator provides educational estimates using public data and standard formulas. It is not personalized tax, legal, or investment advice. For decisions with material consequences, consult a licensed professional.

More Calculators

← Back to Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator

Related Calculators for Arkansas

Arkansas Debt Payoff CalculatorArkansas Debt Consolidation CalculatorArkansas Student Loan Payoff CalculatorArkansas Budget Planner

Calculate for Neighboring States

Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator for LouisianaDebt-to-Income Ratio Calculator for MississippiDebt-to-Income Ratio Calculator for MissouriDebt-to-Income Ratio Calculator for Tennessee

Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator by State

ALAKAZARCACOCTDEFLGAHIIDILINIAKSKYLAMEMDMAMIMNMSMOMTNENVNHNJNMNYNCNDOHOKORPARISCSDTNTXUTVTVAWAWVWIWYDC

Arkansas Financial Data (2026)

State Income Tax
3.9%
Property Tax Rate
0.64%
Median Home Price
$198,000
Annual Property Tax (median home)
$1,267
Avg Homeowners Insurance
$1,320/year
Cost of Living Index
86.8 (100 = avg)
State Estate Tax
No
State Abbreviation
AR

Compare Arkansas with other states

Every number on this page reads from the same CalcFi data repository used by the Live Data pages below — the figures stay consistent.

Home Prices by State

Zillow ZHVI across all 50 states

Property Tax by State

Effective rate × ZHVI = annual bill

Household Income by State

FRED real median + percentile bands

Cost of Living by State

BEA RPP all-items + housing

No-Income-Tax States

Full list + trade-offs

Current Interest Rates

Treasury curve + PMMS + FDIC

How we compute this — methodology

CalcFi pSEO pages combine three inputs: (1) the calculator formula itself, which runs client-side so no inputs leave your browser; (2) state-level financial constants from primary public datasets; and (3) national benchmarks for comparison. The Arkansas page uses the property tax rate (0.64%), median home price ($198,000), and 3.9% state income tax from the sources listed below.

Refresh cadence:state tax brackets and minimum wage rates are reviewed annually after each state's legislative session. Property tax, median home price, insurance, and cost-of-living figures are reviewed annually against the primary sources. Income percentiles are refreshed when the Census CPS/IPUMS releases update (typically September). Page-level dateModified matches the last editorial review date, shown above.

Known limits: statewide averages mask large intra-state variance — county-level property tax and metro-level home prices differ significantly from the figures shown. For the most precise calculations, cross-check the output against your actual county assessor and the latest federal/state tax tables at filing time.

More Cities in Arkansas

Use Debt-to-Income Ratio Calculator for any city in Arkansas.

Little Rock750K metroFayetteville570K metro

Sources

Every number on this page cites a primary public dataset. Last reviewed 2026-04-19 (auto-bumped by the next ISR refresh after an ETL run).

  1. U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division — State Minimum Wage Laws. dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  2. Tax Foundation — State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates-2025. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  3. Composite state financial context (median home price, property tax effective rate, cost of living index) cross-referenced against the primary sources below.
  4. Census Current Population Survey / IPUMS CPS (income year 2024) via DQYDJ state tools. dqydj.com. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  5. Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) — weekly national mortgage rates — www.freddiemac.com/pmms. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  6. FDIC — National Deposit Rates (savings, checking, CD) — www.fdic.gov/resources/bankers/national-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  7. Internal Revenue Service — federal individual income tax brackets and standard deductions — www.irs.gov/forms-pubs/about-publication-17. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  8. FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data) — real median household income, unemployment, HPI, LFPR per state — fred.stlouisfed.org. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  9. U.S. Census Bureau — American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates — www.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  10. Zillow Research — ZHVI (Zillow Home Value Index) + ZORI (Zillow Observed Rent Index) — www.zillow.com/research/data. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  11. Tax Foundation — Property Taxes Paid as % of Owner-Occupied Housing Value; State Tax Rates and Brackets; Estate/Inheritance; Social Security Taxation — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  12. NAIC Dwelling Fire, Homeowners Owners, and Homeowners Tenants Insurance Report — content.naic.org/article/homeowners-insurance-report. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  13. State Departments of Revenue — official bracket + deduction publications (one primary URL per state; linked in the brackets table below) — taxfoundation.org/data/all/state/state-income-tax-rates. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  14. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities by State — www.bea.gov/data/prices-inflation/regional-price-parities-state-and-metro-area. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  15. U.S. Department of Labor — State Minimum Wage Laws — www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/minimum-wage/state. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  16. HUD Fair Market Rents — 50th-percentile 2-bedroom FY — www.huduser.gov/portal/datasets/fmr.html. Retrieved 2026-04-19.
  17. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) — state-level occupational wages — www.bls.gov/oes. Retrieved 2026-04-19.

CalcFi does not sell data. If you spot an error, email hello@calcfi.app with the URL and the correct figure.