The Town FilesDes Arc, Arkansas
City in Prairie County · population 1,905 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $90,700
- Household income
- $30,921
- Jan low / Jul high
- 33° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 48.8
Des Arc is a city of 1,905 people in Prairie County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $90,700, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for retirees than 88% of Arkansas towns, easier by car than 88% of Arkansas towns, quieter than 79% of Arkansas towns.
How Des Arc 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 Des Arc is worth $90,700, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.9 times the median household income of $30,921, which is more affordable than 41% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $424 a month. 62.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Des Arc | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $90,700 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $424 | $792 |
| Median household income | $30,921 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.9× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.2% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Des Arc
| People | Des Arc | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 48.8 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 25.9% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 12.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 10.1% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.0% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 6.5% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.5% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 21.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 65.1% | 84.4% |
Weather in Des Arc
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 32.6°F. About 50.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.3 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 70 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 50 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Arc since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 26, 1976 about 9.2 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 31, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 13 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 9, 1991.
Severe weather in Prairie County since 1996
Prairie County has been included in 22 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 |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Prairie County
Prairie County had 1,562 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,818 a year. Unemployment was 3.1% in 2023; in Des Arc itself the ACS puts it at 4.2%.
Public schools in Des Arc
2 public schools with 645 students, about 15.0 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| DES ARC ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 381 | 15.9 |
| DES ARC HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 264 | 13.9 |
Towns near Des Arc
- De Valls Bluff, AR13.6 mi · 520 people · home —
- Hazen, AR13.9 mi · 1,481 people · home $134,400
- Cotton Plant, AR14.5 mi · 529 people · home $41,100
- Carlisle, AR18.3 mi · 2,033 people · home $164,400
- Brinkley, AR19.0 mi · 2,700 people · home $94,000
- Higginson, AR19.1 mi · 705 people · home $132,000
- Kensett, AR20.0 mi · 1,400 people · home $90,400
- McRae, AR20.3 mi · 616 people · home $99,400
Des Arc questions
Is Des Arc, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Des Arc scores better for retirees than 88% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 79%. 25.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 48.8).
How much does a house cost in Des Arc?
The median owner-occupied home in Des Arc is valued at $90,700 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $30,921, so homes cost about 2.9 times income. Median rent is $424 a month.
What is the weather like in Des Arc?
July highs average 92.0°F and January lows 32.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.0 inches of precipitation a year and 2.3 inches of snow.
Does Des Arc get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Des Arc since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 26, 1976. 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)