The Town FilesGillett, Arkansas
City in Arkansas County · population 564 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $88,300
- Household income
- $67,321
- Jan low / Jul high
- 35° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 50.5
Gillett is a city of 564 people in Arkansas County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $88,300, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 100% of Arkansas towns, better for retirees than 98% of Arkansas towns, quieter than 94% of Arkansas towns.
- #1 in The 25 Best Quiet, Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Arkansas
- #1 in The 25 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in Arkansas With Mild Winters
- #5 in The 25 Most Affordable Small Towns in Arkansas
- #5 in 25 Small Towns in Arkansas With the Mildest Winters
- #7 in The 25 Best Small Towns to Retire in Arkansas
- #11 in The 50 Best Affordable Small Towns to Retire in America With Mild Winters
How Gillett 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 Gillett is worth $88,300, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.3 times the median household income of $67,321, which is more affordable than 99% of Arkansas towns. 85.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Gillett | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $88,300 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | — | $792 |
| Median household income | $67,321 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.3× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 85.5% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.2% | — |
Who lives in Gillett
| People | Gillett | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 50.5 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 18.0% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 18.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 1.9% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 3.6% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 3.7% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 23.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 82.4% | 84.4% |
Weather in Gillett
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 34.9°F. About 53.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.5 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 40 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gillett since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on February 24, 2007 about 8.0 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 7, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on April 2, 2006.
Severe weather in Arkansas County since 1996
Arkansas County has been included in 20 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 |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| November 14, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4748: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| July 10, 2020 | Tornado | DR-4556: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Arkansas County
Arkansas County had 9,514 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $52,542 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Gillett itself the ACS puts it at 3.4%.
Towns near Gillett
- DeWitt, AR11.9 mi · 3,056 people · home $75,700
- Gould, AR14.0 mi · 663 people · home $56,900
- Dumas, AR17.4 mi · 4,001 people · home $84,400
- Rosedale, MS26.3 mi · 1,584 people · home $103,600
- Stuttgart, AR27.7 mi · 8,264 people · home $152,600
- Star City, AR29.1 mi · 2,173 people · home $122,300
Gillett questions
Is Gillett, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Gillett scores better for retirees than 98% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 94%. 18.0% of residents are 65 or older (median age 50.5).
How much does a house cost in Gillett?
The median owner-occupied home in Gillett is valued at $88,300 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $67,321, so homes cost about 1.3 times income. Median rent is — a month.
What is the weather like in Gillett?
July highs average 90.0°F and January lows 34.9°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.5 inches of precipitation a year and 1.5 inches of snow.
Does Gillett get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Gillett since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on February 24, 2007. 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)