The Town FilesBearden, Arkansas
City in Ouachita County · population 776 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $74,600
- Household income
- $29,750
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 16
- Median age
- 32.6
Bearden is a city of 776 people in Ouachita County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $74,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks quieter than 94% of Arkansas towns, better for a vacation home than 93% of Arkansas towns, easier by car than 84% of Arkansas towns.
How Bearden 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 Bearden is worth $74,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $29,750, which is more affordable than 62% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $567 a month. 62.7% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bearden | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $74,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $567 | $792 |
| Median household income | $29,750 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.7% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 24.2% | — |
Who lives in Bearden
| People | Bearden | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.6 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 8.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 39.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 48.4% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 3.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.6% | — |
| Work from home | 3.6% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 15.7 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 95.7% | 84.4% |
Weather in Bearden
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.4 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bearden since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on December 3, 1982 about 5.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on December 27, 2015.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 18 times; the largest was 1.75 inches on October 18, 2025.
Severe weather in Ouachita County since 1996
Ouachita County has been included in 29 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| September 15, 2026 | Fire | FM-5676: Bunker Fire |
| 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 |
| April 4, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4700: Severe Winter Storm |
Jobs and pay in Ouachita County
Ouachita County had 7,057 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $48,303 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Bearden itself the ACS puts it at 0%.
Public schools in Bearden
2 public schools with 458 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| BEARDEN HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 231 | 8.3 |
| BEARDEN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 227 | 13.4 |
Towns near Bearden
- East Camden, AR11.0 mi · 798 people · home $110,400
- Fordyce, AR13.2 mi · 3,396 people · home $92,600
- Hampton, AR15.9 mi · 1,181 people · home $91,300
- Camden, AR17.3 mi · 10,612 people · home $107,400
- Smackover, AR26.0 mi · 1,630 people · home $118,600
- Norphlet, AR28.3 mi · 766 people · home $120,800
- Rison, AR29.2 mi · 967 people · home $115,500
Bearden questions
Is Bearden, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bearden scores better for retirees than 52% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 94%. 8.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.6).
How much does a house cost in Bearden?
The median owner-occupied home in Bearden is valued at $74,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $29,750, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $567 a month.
What is the weather like in Bearden?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.4 inches of snow.
Does Bearden get tornadoes?
16 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bearden since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on December 3, 1982. 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)