$30,000 in Arkansas
Household income percentile, occupation comparison, and lifestyle context for Arkansas.
Occupations near $30,000 (single earner)
BLS national median wages within ±15% of $30,000 — gives texture for which careers and seniorities land at this income level.
| Occupation | Stage | National wage |
|---|---|---|
| Customer service rep | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Office clerk | entry-level | $30,000 |
| Cashier | mid-career | $29,720 |
| Firefighter | entry-level | $31,000 |
| Construction laborer | entry-level | $32,000 |
| Retail salesperson | mid-career | $33,990 |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2024. National medians; metro/state variance can be ±30%. Career stage estimates: entry ≈ 25th pct, senior ≈ 75th pct of the same SOC code.
Single earner vs two-earner household
One earner pulling $30,000 typically means a customer service rep or comparable role. Above-median earner status in Arkansas.
Two earners at $15,000 each combined = $30,000. Each individual is below median individually, but the household lands at the same percentile as a single $30,000 earner.
Lifestyle context — rent burden in Arkansas
At $30,000 gross, statewide median rent eats 38% of income — HUD-defined cost-burdened. Metro areas (LA, SF, NYC, Boston, Seattle) typically run 30-50% above the statewide median.
Home affordability at $30,000
Using the 28% rule on a 30-year mortgage, $30,000 gross supports a home purchase up to about $80,944. Arkansas median home value is $178,100 — you can afford 45% of the median home, so buying requires lower-priced markets, a larger down payment, or co-buying.
How $30,000 ranks in neighboring states
State-adjusted percentile shows the same income placed in Arkansas's contiguous neighbors. Relevant for relocation, remote-work geography, or border-town decisions.
| State | Median HH | % vs median | Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas (current) | $58,773 | -49% | 28th |
| Mississippi | $54,915 | -45% | 30th |
| Louisiana | $60,417 | -50% | 27th |
| Oklahoma | $63,603 | -53% | 25th |
| Tennessee | $67,631 | -56% | 24th |
| Missouri | $68,545 | -56% | 24th |
| Texas | $76,292 | -61% | 21th |
$30,000 ranks similarly in
Other incomes in Arkansas
Common questions
- Is $30,000 a good household income in Arkansas?
- It's at roughly the 28th percentile for Arkansas after adjusting for the state's median income ($58,773). Nationally that's about the 20th percentile. Whether "good" depends on household size, debt, and metro cost of living — Census medians smooth over big within-state variation.
- How does $30,000 compare to the Arkansas median?
- It's 49% below the Arkansas median household income of $58,773 (Census ACS 2023, table B19013). Half of Arkansas households earn less than $58,773, half earn more.
- Why does this number differ from other percentile calculators?
- Two sources of variation: (1) some calculators use individual income, not household — household income is typically higher because it combines earners. (2) Some use single-year ACS, others use 5-year averages. We use ACS 2023 1-year B19080 for the national distribution and adjust by state median ratio.
Full data sources and formulas: /sources.