Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Lamar, Arkansas
A $140,000 home here costs
$1,278per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $55,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $763. The real number is $514 higher every month, 67% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Johnson County with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Lamar from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 1,826 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Johnson County figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Lamar against Johnson County and Arkansas
| Measure | Lamar | Johnson County |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $139,500 | $124,800 |
| Median property tax | $890 | $706 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.638% | 0.566% |
| Median gross rent | $575 | $714 |
| Population | 1,826 | 25,932 |
The weather behind that power bill
Lamar sits in Johnson County, which averages a high of 89.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 29.0°F in its coldest, with 52.79" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,753 cooling and 3,577 heating degree days, which is what sets the $151 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Johnson County , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Johnson County
Full Johnson County cost breakdown · Every county in Arkansas
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Lamar averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Lamar every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Lamar?
A $140,000 home in Lamar, Arkansas costs approximately $1,278 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $763 principal and interest, $74 property tax, $105 homeowners insurance, $219 utilities and $117 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Lamar?
Lamar has an effective property tax rate of 0.638%, based on a median home value of $139,500 and median real estate taxes of $890. That is higher than the Johnson County average of 0.566%.
What is the average home price in Lamar?
The median owner-occupied home value in Lamar, Arkansas is $139,500, against $124,800 across Johnson County.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Lamar?
Median gross rent in Lamar is $575 a month, against $1,278 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Lamar?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Lamar, Arkansas at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $55,000 a year. That covers the full $1,278 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Lamar, US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance, NAIC average premium for Arkansas.
- Electricity price, EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate, Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.