The Town FilesWickes, Arkansas
Town in Polk County · population 637 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $45,000
- Household income
- $27,411
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 4 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 11
- Median age
- 29.5
Wickes is a town of 637 people in Polk County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $45,000, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for families than 87% of Arkansas towns, more of a college town than 80% of Arkansas towns, better transit than 79% of Arkansas towns.
How Wickes 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 Wickes is worth $45,000, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $27,411, which is more affordable than 97% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $625 a month. 67.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Wickes | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $45,000 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $625 | $792 |
| Median household income | $27,411 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 67.5% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1977 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 0.0% | — |
Who lives in Wickes
| People | Wickes | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 29.5 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.4% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 32.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.9% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 41.4% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 7.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 19.7% | — |
| Work from home | 0.9% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 20.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 66.3% | 84.4% |
Weather in Wickes
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 30.1°F. About 55.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 3.6 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 68 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wickes since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 4 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on January 13, 1950 about 7.3 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 18 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on November 4, 2022.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 34 times; the largest was 5.00 inches on June 19, 2019.
Severe weather in Polk County since 1996
Polk County has been included in 24 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 Polk County
Polk County had 5,837 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $42,869 a year. Unemployment was 3.6% in 2023; in Wickes itself the ACS puts it at 11%.
Public schools in Wickes
1 public school with 221 students, about 18.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| COSSATOT RIVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | 3-6 | 221 | 18.4 |
Towns near Wickes
- De Queen, AR17.8 mi · 6,105 people · home $109,600
- Mena, AR20.2 mi · 5,589 people · home $132,900
- Dierks, AR21.6 mi · 916 people · home $100,200
- Lockesburg, AR24.1 mi · 594 people · home $119,400
- Horatio, AR24.7 mi · 920 people · home $122,700
Wickes questions
Is Wickes, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Wickes scores better for retirees than 7% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 44%. 16.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 29.5).
How much does a house cost in Wickes?
The median owner-occupied home in Wickes is valued at $45,000 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $27,411, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $625 a month.
What is the weather like in Wickes?
July highs average 91.9°F and January lows 30.1°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.0 inches of precipitation a year and 3.6 inches of snow.
Does Wickes get tornadoes?
11 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Wickes since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on January 13, 1950. 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)