To take home four times the typical rent, a full-time job in Arkansas needs to pay from $18.90 an hour in Conway County to $29.82 in Pulaski County, before taxes. The middle county is Cleveland County at $20.37.
| County | Pay needed | Studio rent |
|---|---|---|
| Arkansas County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Ashley County | $20.69/hr | $690/mo |
| Baxter County | $22.65/hr | $750/mo |
| Benton County | $28.36/hr | $925/mo |
| Boone County | $19.06/hr | $640/mo |
| Bradley County | $20.20/hr | $675/mo |
| Calhoun County | $23.33/hr | $771/mo |
| Carroll County | $22.32/hr | $740/mo |
| Chicot County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Clark County | $21.34/hr | $710/mo |
| Clay County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Cleburne County | $20.53/hr | $685/mo |
| Cleveland County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Columbia County | $19.55/hr | $655/mo |
| Conway County | $18.90/hr | $635/mo |
| Craighead County | $25.58/hr | $840/mo |
| Crawford County | $22.00/hr | $730/mo |
| Crittenden County | $25.58/hr | $840/mo |
| Cross County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Dallas County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Desha County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Drew County | $19.26/hr | $646/mo |
| Faulkner County | $28.36/hr | $925/mo |
| Franklin County | $20.69/hr | $690/mo |
| Fulton County | $20.20/hr | $675/mo |
| Garland County | $27.54/hr | $900/mo |
| Grant County | $24.28/hr | $800/mo |
| Greene County | $20.04/hr | $670/mo |
| Hempstead County | $21.02/hr | $700/mo |
| Hot Spring County | $22.32/hr | $740/mo |
| Howard County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Independence County | $20.04/hr | $670/mo |
| Izard County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Jackson County | $19.71/hr | $660/mo |
| Jefferson County | $23.95/hr | $790/mo |
| Johnson County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Lafayette County | $23.63/hr | $780/mo |
| Lawrence County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Lee County | $20.69/hr | $690/mo |
| Lincoln County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Little River County | $20.85/hr | $695/mo |
| Logan County | $19.55/hr | $655/mo |
| Lonoke County | $27.54/hr | $900/mo |
| Madison County | $27.87/hr | $910/mo |
| Marion County | $20.04/hr | $670/mo |
| Miller County | $25.09/hr | $825/mo |
| Mississippi County | $19.55/hr | $655/mo |
| Monroe County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Montgomery County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Nevada County | $20.53/hr | $685/mo |
| Newton County | $20.04/hr | $670/mo |
| Ouachita County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Perry County | $27.21/hr | $890/mo |
| Phillips County | $19.88/hr | $665/mo |
| Pike County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Poinsett County | $22.65/hr | $750/mo |
| Polk County | $19.71/hr | $660/mo |
| Pope County | $21.02/hr | $700/mo |
| Prairie County | $19.55/hr | $655/mo |
| Pulaski County | $29.82/hr | $970/mo |
| Randolph County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Saline County | $28.85/hr | $940/mo |
| Scott County | $20.69/hr | $690/mo |
| Searcy County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Sebastian County | $22.00/hr | $730/mo |
| Sevier County | $21.02/hr | $700/mo |
| Sharp County | $20.04/hr | $670/mo |
| St. Francis County | $20.37/hr | $680/mo |
| Stone County | $19.71/hr | $660/mo |
| Union County | $20.69/hr | $690/mo |
| Van Buren County | $19.55/hr | $655/mo |
| Washington County | $27.87/hr | $910/mo |
| White County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Woodruff County | $19.39/hr | $650/mo |
| Yell County | $22.16/hr | $735/mo |
The Four Times Rent standard: a month of full-time work (160 hours) should take home at least four times the typical rent on a studio apartment in the county where the work is done. Rents: HUD FY2027 Fair Market Rents. Taxes: 2026 federal, state and local income taxes plus Social Security and Medicare, for a single filer. Why four times rent?