The Town FilesSwifton, Arkansas
City in Jackson County · population 733 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $80,000
- Household income
- $58,000
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 25
- Median age
- 27.7
Swifton is a city of 733 people in Jackson County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $80,000, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks easier by car than 91% of Arkansas towns, better for families than 86% of Arkansas towns, quieter than 76% of Arkansas towns.
How Swifton 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 Swifton is worth $80,000, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.4 times the median household income of $58,000, which is more affordable than 98% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $573 a month. 62.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Swifton | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $80,000 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $573 | $792 |
| Median household income | $58,000 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.4× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 62.3% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Swifton
| People | Swifton | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 27.7 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 13.4% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 33.3% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 7.6% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 29.4% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 10.2% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 29.3 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.6% | 84.4% |
Weather in Swifton
July highs average 87.8°F and January lows 28.1°F. About 47.5 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.5 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 55 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Swifton since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on May 15, 1968 about 6.1 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 62 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 27, 2026.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 20 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on January 22, 2012.
Severe weather in Jackson County since 1996
Jackson County has been included in 35 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 8, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4865: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| December 23, 2021 | Tornado | DR-4633: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
Jobs and pay in Jackson County
Jackson County had 5,130 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,233 a year. Unemployment was 5.1% in 2023; in Swifton itself the ACS puts it at 15.4%.
Public schools in Swifton
1 public school with 187 students, about 14.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWIFTON MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-7 | 187 | 14.4 |
Towns near Swifton
- Tuckerman, AR7.9 mi · 1,707 people · home $102,500
- Diaz, AR14.1 mi · 1,224 people · home $87,200
- Newport, AR15.0 mi · 8,005 people · home $162,600
- Hoxie, AR17.0 mi · 2,598 people · home $87,600
- Weiner, AR18.9 mi · 647 people · home $100,300
- Bono, AR19.4 mi · 2,409 people · home $162,100
- Newark, AR19.4 mi · 1,180 people · home $96,300
- Black Rock, AR19.5 mi · 590 people · home $68,700
Swifton questions
Is Swifton, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Swifton scores better for retirees than 49% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 76%. 13.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 27.7).
How much does a house cost in Swifton?
The median owner-occupied home in Swifton is valued at $80,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $58,000, so homes cost about 1.4 times income. Median rent is $573 a month.
What is the weather like in Swifton?
July highs average 87.8°F and January lows 28.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 47.5 inches of precipitation a year and 3.5 inches of snow.
Does Swifton get tornadoes?
25 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Swifton 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)