Cost to Own
United StatesArkansasClay CountyRector Population 1,631 Data vintage ACS 2023 5-Year Rates updated 2026-07-30

Total monthly cost of ownership

Cost to Own a Home in Rector, Arkansas

A $83,000 home here costs

$792

per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.

A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $427. The real number is $365 higher every month — 86% more than the payment most buyers budget for.

Rector median: $82,500
Under 20% adds PMI
Freddie Mac PMMS
US average household

Where every dollar goes

Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.

Principal & interest30-year fixed, $66,400 borrowed $427
Property tax0.530% effective rate for Rector itself $37
Homeowners insuranceArkansas averages $1,611/yr (NAIC), or 0.896% of home value $62
Electricity14.36¢/kWh — Arkansas residential average, EIA $129
Water, sewer & trashUS household average $68
Maintenance reserve1% of home value per year $69
Total monthly $792

Rector against Clay County and Arkansas

MeasureRectorClay County
Median home value$82,500$88,100
Median property tax$437$459
Effective tax rate0.530%0.521%
Median gross rent$605$696
Population1,63114,399

The weather behind that power bill

Rector sits in Clay County, which averages a high of 89.7°F in its hottest month and a low of 28.2°F in its coldest, with 49.49" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 1,789 cooling and 3,767 heating degree days, which is what sets the $129 electricity line above.

See the full climate breakdown for Clay County — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.

Other cities in Clay County

Full Clay County cost breakdown · Every county in Arkansas

Common questions

How much does it cost to own a home in Rector?

A $83,000 home in Rector, Arkansas costs approximately $792 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $427 principal and interest, $37 property tax, $62 homeowners insurance, $197 utilities and $69 set aside for maintenance.

What is the property tax rate in Rector?

Rector has an effective property tax rate of 0.530%, based on a median home value of $82,500 and median real estate taxes of $437. That is in line with the Clay County average of 0.521%.

What is the average home price in Rector?

The median owner-occupied home value in Rector, Arkansas is $82,500, against $88,100 across Clay County.

Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Rector?

Median gross rent in Rector is $605 a month, against $792 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.

Sources & methodology

  • Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Rector — 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.

Full methodology