The Town FilesBay, Arkansas
City in Craighead County · population 1,876 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,400
- Household income
- $59,769
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 31.6
Bay is a city of 1,876 people in Craighead County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $118,400, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks easier by car than 72% of Arkansas towns.
How Bay 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 Bay is worth $118,400, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.0 times the median household income of $59,769, which is more affordable than 86% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $1,028 a month. 47.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bay | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,400 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $1,028 | $792 |
| Median household income | $59,769 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 47.8% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bay
| People | Bay | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.6 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 11.7% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 33.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 14.8% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 10.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 16.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 88.9% | 84.4% |
Weather in Bay
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
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 16 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 26, 1973 about 9.2 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 42 deaths and 803 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 4.00 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 Bay itself the ACS puts it at 2.1%.
Public schools in Bay
2 public schools with 552 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BAY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 323 | 14.0 |
| BAY HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 229 | 7.4 |
Towns near Bay
- Trumann, AR5.0 mi · 7,399 people · home $112,300
- Lake City, AR7.5 mi · 2,326 people · home $152,000
- Jonesboro, AR8.7 mi · 78,576 people · home $223,200
- Brookland, AR10.8 mi · 4,064 people · home $169,200
- Caraway, AR12.9 mi · 1,133 people · home $85,900
- Monette, AR15.5 mi · 1,506 people · home $114,200
- Lepanto, AR15.5 mi · 1,732 people · home $76,300
- Harrisburg, AR15.8 mi · 2,212 people · home $128,100
Bay questions
Is Bay, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bay scores better for retirees than 56% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 43%. 11.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.6).
How much does a house cost in Bay?
The median owner-occupied home in Bay is valued at $118,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $59,769, so homes cost about 2.0 times income. Median rent is $1,028 a month.
What is the weather like in Bay?
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 Bay get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bay 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)