The Town FilesGarfield, Arkansas
City in Benton County · population 593 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $225,000
- Household income
- $74,583
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 10 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 28
- Median age
- 50.0
Garfield is a city of 593 people in Benton County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $225,000, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 100% of Arkansas towns, better for families than 96% of Arkansas towns, better for a vacation home than 85% of Arkansas towns.
How Garfield 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 Garfield is worth $225,000, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 3.0 times the median household income of $74,583, which is more affordable than 37% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $888 a month. 74.6% of households own their home.
| Housing | Garfield | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $225,000 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $888 | $792 |
| Median household income | $74,583 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.0× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 74.6% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1993 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.7% | — |
Who lives in Garfield
| People | Garfield | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.0 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.3% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 12.4% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.2% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.9% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 10.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.9% | — |
| Work from home | 12.7% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 28.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.8% | 84.4% |
Weather in Garfield
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 25.8°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 9.5 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 45 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 87 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 9 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 12, 2006 about 7.1 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 32 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on November 4, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 52 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on April 15, 2023.
Severe weather in Benton County since 1996
Benton County has been included in 25 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4788: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Benton County
Benton County had 144,544 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $81,978 a year. Unemployment was 2.4% in 2023; in Garfield itself the ACS puts it at 5.5%.
Public schools in Garfield
1 public school with 84 students, about 10.5 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARFIELD ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-5 | 84 | 10.5 |
Towns near Garfield
- Seligman, MO5.1 mi · 813 people · home $93,800
- Pea Ridge, AR8.1 mi · 6,559 people · home $297,500
- Prairie Creek, AR9.8 mi · 2,217 people · home $423,300
- Little Flock, AR10.3 mi · 3,055 people · home $467,600
- Eureka Springs, AR13.2 mi · 2,166 people · home $245,300
- Holiday Island, AR13.4 mi · 2,533 people · home $227,100
- Rogers, AR13.6 mi · 69,908 people · home $308,200
- Exeter, MO15.0 mi · 733 people · home $101,500
Garfield questions
Is Garfield, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Garfield scores better for retirees than 83% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 79%. 21.3% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.0).
How much does a house cost in Garfield?
The median owner-occupied home in Garfield is valued at $225,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $74,583, so homes cost about 3.0 times income. Median rent is $888 a month.
What is the weather like in Garfield?
July highs average 89.1°F and January lows 25.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 9.5 inches of snow.
Does Garfield get tornadoes?
28 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Garfield since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 12, 2006. 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)