The Town FilesWaldo, Arkansas
City in Columbia County · population 1,151 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $61,800
- Household income
- $40,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 31° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 21
- Median age
- 44.6
Waldo is a city of 1,151 people in Columbia County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $61,800, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks quieter than 89% of Arkansas towns, better for retirees than 86% of Arkansas towns, hipper than 84% of Arkansas towns.
How Waldo 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 Waldo is worth $61,800, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.5 times the median household income of $40,500, which is more affordable than 97% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $539 a month. 80.2% of households own their home.
| Housing | Waldo | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $61,800 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $539 | $792 |
| Median household income | $40,500 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 80.2% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1975 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 12.4% | — |
Who lives in Waldo
| People | Waldo | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.6 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.9% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 16.1% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 4.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.7% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 2.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.1% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 40.1 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 57.6% | 84.4% |
Weather in Waldo
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 31.1°F. About 56.3 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.7 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 76 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 58 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waldo since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 6 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on December 19, 1957 about 2.6 miles from the town center and killed 2. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 17 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on January 18, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 50 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on April 15, 2023.
Severe weather in Columbia County since 1996
Columbia County has been included in 22 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 |
| 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 Columbia County
Columbia County had 8,106 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $49,212 a year. Unemployment was 4.3% in 2023; in Waldo itself the ACS puts it at 3.7%.
Towns near Waldo
- Magnolia, AR6.6 mi · 11,162 people · home $169,300
- Stamps, AR11.7 mi · 1,258 people · home $67,100
- Stephens, AR13.9 mi · 770 people · home $70,700
- Lewisville, AR16.7 mi · 915 people · home $92,100
- Taylor, AR19.9 mi · 579 people · home $106,700
- Springhill, LA26.0 mi · 4,801 people · home $97,500
- Hope, AR27.6 mi · 8,952 people · home $91,900
- Cullen, LA27.9 mi · 716 people · home $69,400
Waldo questions
Is Waldo, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Waldo scores better for retirees than 86% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 89%. 24.9% of residents are 65 or older (median age 44.6).
How much does a house cost in Waldo?
The median owner-occupied home in Waldo is valued at $61,800 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $40,500, so homes cost about 1.5 times income. Median rent is $539 a month.
What is the weather like in Waldo?
July highs average 92.2°F and January lows 31.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 56.3 inches of precipitation a year and 1.7 inches of snow.
Does Waldo get tornadoes?
21 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Waldo since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on December 19, 1957. 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)