The Town FilesBono, Arkansas
City in Craighead County · population 2,409 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $162,100
- Household income
- $56,098
- Jan low / Jul high
- 27° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 35
- Median age
- 31.0
Bono is a city of 2,409 people in Craighead County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $162,100, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks easier by car than 90% of Arkansas towns.
How Bono 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 Bono is worth $162,100, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $56,098, which is more affordable than 41% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $917 a month. 55.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Bono | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $162,100 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $917 | $792 |
| Median household income | $56,098 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 55.3% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1999 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Bono
| People | Bono | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 31.0 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 6.5% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 33.2% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 17.1% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 9.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 7.1% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 27.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.4% | 84.4% |
Weather in Bono
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 26.7°F. About 52.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.9 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 60 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 75 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bono 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 8.6 miles from the town center and killed 3. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 40 deaths and 660 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on March 15, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 68 times; the largest was 3.25 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 Bono itself the ACS puts it at 10.8%.
Towns near Bono
- Jonesboro, AR9.3 mi · 78,576 people · home $223,200
- Brookland, AR12.5 mi · 4,064 people · home $169,200
- Hoxie, AR13.0 mi · 2,598 people · home $87,600
- Walnut Ridge, AR14.5 mi · 5,384 people · home $117,900
- Bay, AR18.0 mi · 1,876 people · home $118,400
- Paragould, AR18.9 mi · 29,537 people · home $181,500
- Swifton, AR19.4 mi · 733 people · home $80,000
- Lake City, AR20.4 mi · 2,326 people · home $152,000
Bono questions
Is Bono, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Bono scores better for retirees than 21% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 35%. 6.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 31.0).
How much does a house cost in Bono?
The median owner-occupied home in Bono is valued at $162,100 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $56,098, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $917 a month.
What is the weather like in Bono?
July highs average 89.7°F and January lows 26.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.9 inches of snow.
Does Bono get tornadoes?
35 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Bono 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)