Rents are right about where Jonesboro's 10-year trend predicts.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,243 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
January. Asking rents in Jonesboro usually run 0.8% below trend in January and 0.9% above it in July, about $21 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Jonesboro is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in March 2016.
Rent in Jonesboro changed +2.9% over the year to September 2026. Across the 24 Arkansas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.7%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Jonesboro rose 29.2% while median household income rose 20.7% ($45,931 to $55,424). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Jonesboro is 35.7% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 6 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($55,424) is $1,386 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,377); a 4-bedroom is $1,610.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Jonesboro, 72404 ($1,553/mo), costs 1.5 times the cheapest, 72401 ($1,057/mo).
Paragould, 19 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,074/mo), about $2,000 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Jonesboro. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Jonesboro, AR is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 31.8% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Jonesboro, AR has changed in 5 years
Compared with 2021, rent in Jonesboro, AR has climbed by $270 per month, settling near $1,243 after starting the period at $973. On the earnings side, the typical household in Jonesboro, AR now reports about $55,424, up from $48,901 in 2021. Rent outpaced income growth by roughly 14.4 percentage points, which means renters are spending a larger slice of each paycheck on housing than they did in 2021. Headcount in the area went from 77,520 to 80,137 between 2021 and 2024, a 3.4% change. About 45.7% of households rent today, against 47.3% in 2021. For context, the 2021 to 2026 window covers an unusually volatile run for US rents nationally, and Jonesboro, AR reflects that arc in its own way.
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Can you afford rent in Jonesboro on your salary?
At $1,243/mo, how Jonesboro rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Jonesboro rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Jonesboro. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Jonesboro
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Jonesboro is $1,243/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $737/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,027/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $857/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,377/mo.
At 27% of local median household income ($55,424/yr), Jonesboro ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.9% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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At $1,243/mo, rent takes ~27% of Jonesboro's median household income ($55,424/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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