The Town FilesLonoke, Arkansas
City in Lonoke County · population 4,276 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $106,800
- Household income
- $47,524
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 90°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 40
- Median age
- 43.1
Lonoke is a city of 4,276 people in Lonoke County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $106,800, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks hipper than 92% of Arkansas towns, more walkable than 84% of Arkansas towns.
How Lonoke 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 Lonoke is worth $106,800, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $47,524, which is more affordable than 77% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $757 a month. 75.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lonoke | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $106,800 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $757 | $792 |
| Median household income | $47,524 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 75.8% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1983 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.7% | — |
Who lives in Lonoke
| People | Lonoke | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.2% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 18.2% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 8.0% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 3.3% | — |
| Work from home | 4.4% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 23.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 90.7% | 84.4% |
Weather in Lonoke
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 31.1°F. About 50.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.0 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 53 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 49 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lonoke since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 17 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 21, 1952 about 5.9 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 9 deaths and 53 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 12, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 53 times; the largest was 4.50 inches on April 9, 1991.
Severe weather in Lonoke County since 1996
Lonoke County has been included in 29 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 |
| November 14, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4748: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, And Tornadoes |
| April 2, 2023 | Severe Storm | DR-4698: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Lonoke County
Lonoke County had 15,597 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $43,054 a year. Unemployment was 2.7% in 2023; in Lonoke itself the ACS puts it at 15.8%.
Public schools in Lonoke
4 public schools with 1,603 students, about 11.8 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LONOKE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 493 | 6.9 |
| LONOKE PRIMARY SCHOOL | PK-2 | 402 | 17.5 |
| LONOKE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 359 | 15.0 |
| LONOKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 3-5 | 349 | 19.4 |
Towns near Lonoke
- Jacksonville, AR14.1 mi · 29,477 people · home $163,400
- Cabot, AR14.5 mi · 26,569 people · home $207,300
- Austin, AR15.6 mi · 3,460 people · home $220,500
- Ward, AR15.7 mi · 6,052 people · home $189,100
- Sherwood, AR17.4 mi · 32,731 people · home $199,500
- North Little Rock, AR18.6 mi · 64,591 people · home $178,900
- Beebe, AR19.5 mi · 8,437 people · home $158,200
- Gibson, AR20.4 mi · 4,111 people · home $157,800
Lonoke questions
Is Lonoke, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lonoke scores better for retirees than 15% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 55%. 19.2% of residents are 65 or older (median age 43.1).
How much does a house cost in Lonoke?
The median owner-occupied home in Lonoke is valued at $106,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,524, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $757 a month.
What is the weather like in Lonoke?
July highs average 89.5°F and January lows 31.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 50.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.0 inches of snow.
Does Lonoke get tornadoes?
40 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lonoke since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 21, 1952. 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)