The Town FilesRison, Arkansas
City in Cleveland County · population 967 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $115,500
- Household income
- $35,855
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 8
- Median age
- 37.5
Rison is a city of 967 people in Cleveland County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $115,500, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 98% of Arkansas towns, more of a college town than 92% of Arkansas towns, easier by car than 88% of Arkansas towns.
How Rison 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 Rison is worth $115,500, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 3.2 times the median household income of $35,855, which is more affordable than 29% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $505 a month. 49.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Rison | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $115,500 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $505 | $792 |
| Median household income | $35,855 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 49.3% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 13.0% | — |
Who lives in Rison
| People | Rison | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.5 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.9% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 46.3% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 1.3% | — |
| Work from home | 2.2% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 22.0 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 77.6% | 84.4% |
Weather in Rison
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 30.8°F. About 57.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 65 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 71 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rison since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF2, struck on January 22, 2012 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on March 11, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 31 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on April 3, 2025.
Severe weather in Cleveland County since 1996
Cleveland County has been included in 21 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 |
| April 4, 2023 | Winter Storm | DR-4700: Severe Winter Storm |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| July 10, 2020 | Tornado | DR-4556: Severe Storms And Straight-Line Winds |
Jobs and pay in Cleveland County
Cleveland County had 1,045 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,678 a year. Unemployment was 3.5% in 2023; in Rison itself the ACS puts it at 2.5%.
Public schools in Rison
4 public schools with 1,271 students, about 12.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| RISON HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 345 | 11.1 |
| RISON ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 344 | 11.9 |
| WOODLAWN ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-6 | 313 | 14.9 |
| WOODLAWN HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 269 | 11.7 |
Towns near Rison
- Sulphur Springs, AR15.0 mi · 1,032 people · home $113,900
- Fordyce, AR16.1 mi · 3,396 people · home $92,600
- Pine Bluff, AR20.1 mi · 41,253 people · home $89,400
- Star City, AR20.3 mi · 2,173 people · home $122,300
- White Hall, AR22.4 mi · 5,581 people · home $212,700
- Warren, AR25.1 mi · 5,453 people · home $76,700
- Sheridan, AR28.8 mi · 4,920 people · home $187,700
- Bearden, AR29.2 mi · 776 people · home $74,600
Rison questions
Is Rison, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Rison scores better for retirees than 60% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 61%. 21.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.5).
How much does a house cost in Rison?
The median owner-occupied home in Rison is valued at $115,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $35,855, so homes cost about 3.2 times income. Median rent is $505 a month.
What is the weather like in Rison?
July highs average 91.0°F and January lows 30.8°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 57.6 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Rison get tornadoes?
8 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Rison since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF2 on January 22, 2012. 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)