Pine Bluff, AR vs Van Buren, AR

Pine Bluff is moderately more affordable than Van Buren, with a 8.2% lower cost of living index. Pine Bluff scores 64 compared to 69 for Van Buren, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Van Buren can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Pine Bluff is $831/month compared to $820/month in Van Buren — a 1% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Van Buren has cheaper rent, Pine Bluff actually has lower median home values ($86,400 vs $178,000).

Median household income in Pine Bluff is $41,250 compared to $59,420 in Van Buren (-30.6%). While Van Buren is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Pine Bluff spend roughly 24.2% of their income on rent, more than the 16.6% in Van Buren.