The Town FilesLake City, Arkansas
City in Craighead County · population 2,326 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $152,000
- Household income
- $60,273
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 31
- Median age
- 32.1
Lake City is a city of 2,326 people in Craighead County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $152,000, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks easier by car than 73% of Arkansas towns.
How Lake City 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 Lake City is worth $152,000, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $60,273, which is more affordable than 62% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $854 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake City | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,000 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $854 | $792 |
| Median household income | $60,273 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.4% | — |
Who lives in Lake City
| People | Lake City | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 32.1 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.5% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.5% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 12.3% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 10.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.3% | — |
| Work from home | 0.6% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 21.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 91.9% | 84.4% |
Weather in Lake City
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 30.5°F. About 48.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.2 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 66 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 65 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake City since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 13 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 15, 1968 about 1.6 miles from the town center and killed 34. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 37 deaths and 509 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 16, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 39 times; the largest was 4.00 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 Lake City itself the ACS puts it at 7%.
Public schools in Lake City
2 public schools with 612 students, about 11.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIVERSIDE HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 353 | 10.4 |
| RIVERSIDE WEST ELEM. SCHOOL | K-6 | 259 | 12.3 |
Towns near Lake City
- Bay, AR7.5 mi · 1,876 people · home $118,400
- Monette, AR8.0 mi · 1,506 people · home $114,200
- Caraway, AR8.4 mi · 1,133 people · home $85,900
- Brookland, AR8.9 mi · 4,064 people · home $169,200
- Trumann, AR10.6 mi · 7,399 people · home $112,300
- Jonesboro, AR12.6 mi · 78,576 people · home $223,200
- Leachville, AR12.8 mi · 2,039 people · home $111,800
- Lepanto, AR16.1 mi · 1,732 people · home $76,300
Lake City questions
Is Lake City, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake City scores better for retirees than 55% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 43%. 16.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 32.1).
How much does a house cost in Lake City?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake City is valued at $152,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $60,273, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $854 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake City?
July highs average 91.2°F and January lows 30.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 48.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.2 inches of snow.
Does Lake City get tornadoes?
31 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake City since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on May 15, 1968. 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)