Lee's Chapel Church and Masonic Hall · Photo: Kennethrorie · CC BY-SA 3.0Measured against area pay, Cave City costs less to live in than 59% of U.S. towns
Up 1.2% in a year, 25% below the Arkansas typical home.
Census 2020–24 home values, rents, tax bills and cost burden, measured against the median household income of Sharp County, AR ($45K). How TownRatings grades cost of living
Only 1 sale in April 2026: in a market this size, monthly medians swing a lot, so the typical value is the steadier guide.
The grade compares costs with what households across Sharp County earn ($45K, Census 2020–24). The typical home costs 2.7 years of area income, and 51% of renters pay 30% or more of income for housing.
In dollars
- $167Ktypical home, 25% below the Arkansas typical homeZillow, September 2026
- $910a month for a two-bedroom, utilities includedHUD Fair Market Rent, 2026
In paychecks the grade
- 2.7 yrsof area income buys the typical home; the typical U.S. town: 3.3$45K, Sharp County income
- 19%of area income goes to the median rent; the typical U.S. town: 18%Census 2020–24
- 51%of renters pay 30%+ of income for housing; across Arkansas: 45%Census 2020–24
- 18%of owners do; the typical U.S. town: 20%Census 2020–24
What stands out about housing in Cave City
What’s behind Cave City’s grade
Measured against what households in the area earn, Cave City is more affordable than 59% of U.S. towns. The share of households paying 30%+ for housing pulls the grade down most; property tax holds it up.
Values have lagged Arkansas: the typical Cave City home is down 4.2% in five years, against 20.2% statewide (Zillow).
Down 4.2% in five years
Slower than Arkansas (20.2%).
Show as a table
| January | Cave City | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | $126,000 | $138,000 |
| 2018 | $123,000 | $143,000 |
| 2019 | $128,000 | $148,000 |
| 2020 | $139,000 | $154,000 |
| 2021 | $165,000 | $170,000 |
| 2022 | $180,000 | $194,000 |
| 2023 | $175,000 | $204,000 |
| 2024 | $172,000 | $209,000 |
| 2025 | $174,000 | $217,000 |
| 2026 | $167,000 | $221,000 |
| September 2026 | $167,000 | $224,000 |
A typical Cave City home worth $125K in October 2016 is worth about $167K today.
Zillow Home Value Index: the typical value of all homes (middle third), smoothed and seasonally adjusted, through September 2026.
A typical home costs 2.7 years of area income
The calculator starts from the area income the grade uses. Switch to Cave City’s own median, or type yours.
That covers a typical Cave City home, with $20K to spare.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910 a month here, $30 less than owning.
An estimate, not a loan offer: payments of up to 28% of income, a 30-year fixed loan, Cave City’s typical property tax (0.44% of value a year, from the Census) and insurance of about 0.35%. Mortgage insurance, HOA fees and other debts aren’t included.
A two-bedroom rents for about $910
Renters already here pay a median of $716, so moving in tends to cost more than staying put.
Fair Market Rent a month, utilities included
U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents by ZIP code (Independence County, AR): the 40th-percentile rent plus utilities for a standard unit. Median rent and renters: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey.
Property tax runs below the Arkansas norm
The median bill is $529 (Arkansas: $1,040), 0.44% of a home’s value a year, against 0.55% statewide.
Census American Community Survey 2020–24: the median real-estate tax bill homeowners report, and that bill ÷ the median home value. Bills include town, school and county taxes. The Census reports bills over $10,000 only as “$10,000+”.
Cave City and its neighbors
One source per column.
Cost next door · one source per column
| Town | Cost | Typical home Zillow, September 2026 | Median value Census 2020–24 | Tax rate bill ÷ value | 2-bed rent HUD 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cave City | B | $167K | $121K | 0.44% | $910 |
Questions about the cost of living in Cave City
Is Cave City expensive to live in?
Measured against what households in the area earn, Cave City costs less than 59% of U.S. towns: a B for cost of living. The typical home costs 2.7 years of the median household income of Sharp County, AR ($45K).
How much does a house cost in Cave City?
About $167K, Zillow’s typical value for September 2026, up 1.1% in a year. The Arkansas typical home is $224K.
What salary do you need to live in Cave City?
To buy the typical home with 20% down at 6.3%, about $40,000 a year, keeping the payment (about $940 a month with tax and insurance) at 28% of income. To rent a two-bedroom at 30% of income, about $36,000.
How much is rent in Cave City?
HUD puts a two-bedroom at about $910 a month with utilities, the going rate for someone moving in. Renters already here pay a median of $716 (Census 2020–24).
What are property taxes in Cave City?
The median bill is $529 a year, 0.44% of the median home value (Arkansas: $1,040, 0.55%), from the Census 2020–24.
Are home prices in Cave City going up?
Yes: up 1.1% in the past year and -4.2% in five years, against 20.2% across Arkansas (Zillow).
Neighbors talk housing
What Cave City buyers, sellers and renters are saying.
Home values: Zillow Home Value Index (ZHVI), Zillow Research, September 2026. Sales, days on market and supply: Redfin Data Center, April 2026. Income, ownership, taxes and rent: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey. Fair Market Rents: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. The calculator is an estimate, not a loan offer. Regional price levels: BEA; electricity: EIA. How TownRatings grades cost of living.