The Town FilesTumbling Shoals, Arkansas
Community in Cleburne County · population 902 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $120,200
- Household income
- $53,512
- Jan low / Jul high
- 28° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 3 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 13
- Median age
- 64.4
Tumbling Shoals is a community of 902 people in Cleburne County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $120,200, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks quieter than 100% of Arkansas towns, better for a vacation home than 96% of Arkansas towns.
How Tumbling Shoals 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 Tumbling Shoals is worth $120,200, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.2 times the median household income of $53,512, which is more affordable than 77% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $828 a month. 93.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Tumbling Shoals | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $120,200 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $828 | $792 |
| Median household income | $53,512 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.2× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 93.9% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1985 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 21.7% | — |
Who lives in Tumbling Shoals
| People | Tumbling Shoals | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 64.4 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 47.9% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 2.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.5% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 4.1% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 14.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 25.5 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.2% | 84.4% |
Weather in Tumbling Shoals
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 27.7°F. About 53.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.6 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 54 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 74 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tumbling Shoals since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on March 15, 1984 about 4.5 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 4 deaths and 34 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on September 1, 2020.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 28 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on November 5, 1963.
Severe weather in Cleburne County since 1996
Cleburne County has been included in 23 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 |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
| March 13, 2020 | Biological | EM-3461: Covid-19 |
Jobs and pay in Cleburne County
Cleburne County had 6,524 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $41,874 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Tumbling Shoals itself the ACS puts it at 4.3%.
Towns near Tumbling Shoals
- Heber Springs, AR4.8 mi · 6,969 people · home $176,300
- Pangburn, AR11.0 mi · 500 people · home $112,500
- Greers Ferry, AR11.3 mi · 821 people · home $207,000
- Fairfield Bay, AR17.2 mi · 2,108 people · home $164,800
- Quitman, AR18.0 mi · 694 people · home $110,600
- Desha, AR20.3 mi · 715 people · home $117,600
- Southside, AR22.4 mi · 4,279 people · home $151,300
- Mountain View, AR23.1 mi · 2,877 people · home $203,900
Tumbling Shoals questions
Is Tumbling Shoals, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Tumbling Shoals scores better for retirees than 61% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 100%. 47.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 64.4).
How much does a house cost in Tumbling Shoals?
The median owner-occupied home in Tumbling Shoals is valued at $120,200 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,512, so homes cost about 2.2 times income. Median rent is $828 a month.
What is the weather like in Tumbling Shoals?
July highs average 90.9°F and January lows 27.7°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 53.4 inches of precipitation a year and 2.6 inches of snow.
Does Tumbling Shoals get tornadoes?
13 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Tumbling Shoals since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on March 15, 1984. 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)