Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Fordyce grades D− overall, 106th of 123 graded towns in Arkansas, mostly because of incomes and safety. The median household income is $38K, and 17% of residents live below the poverty line. Its police reported 33 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 96% of U.S. towns. One bright spot: homes are within reach, about $115K for a typical one, or 2.7 years of the county’s $42K median household income. 44% of working residents work locally in Fordyce, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Fordyce Home Accident Ins. Co. and Waters House. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 90% of the country.
Where Fordyce beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Fordyce Home Accident Ins. Co.
Census counts: 980 in 1890, a peak of 5,175 in 1980, 3,396 in 2020. The archive holds 18 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1966 on.
22 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Fordyce is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Fordyce, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Fordyce.
Fordyce draws workers from Camden and beyond, is healthier than towns with similar incomes and has home values still below their peak.
The violent crime rate in Fordyce is 10.6 per 1,000 residents. Fordyce reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 96% report less. The property crime rate in Fordyce is 21.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Fordyce | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 10.6 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 21.4 per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Fordyce School District. Its two schools are below. The largest public high school is Fordyce High School, with 321 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordyce Elementary SchoolsLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 338 | C |
| Fordyce High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 321 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
1,891 jobs are based in Fordyce, 1.8 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
Fordyce’s average trip to work is 25 minutes. The top destinations are Little Rock (4%), Sheridan (3%) and Camden (2%). Half commute less than 16 miles.
| Fordyce | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 25 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Against the 1,898 U.S. towns with household incomes like Fordyce’s, it is healthier than 54%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income. Within Arkansas it is less healthy than 61% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
49% of Fordyce adults have high blood pressure. Fordyce beats the Arkansas average on 3 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 11. 46% of Fordyce adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Fordyce | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 49% | 41% | 35% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 39% | 36% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 15% | 16% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 34% | 25% |
| What stands out | Fordyce | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.8% | 14.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.4% | 76.9% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.1% | 10.4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical value, about $115K, is 17% below its September 2022 peak. At about $115K, home values are down 12% in five years, against a rise of 20% across Arkansas.
Typical home values rose 6.5% in the year to September 2026. Among 122 Arkansas towns, just 6 have a lower median rent than Fordyce.
| Fordyce | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $639 a month | $880 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 66% | 60% | 73% |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Fordyce has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 33° and about 1 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 67% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Fordyce since 2003.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
0.4 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Among 111 Arkansas towns, just 10 have a lower trail density than Fordyce. The biggest park or preserve is Fordyce Park & Recreation, at 46 acres.
| Fordyce | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.3% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Fordyce Park & Recreation | — | 46 |
| 2. Fordyce City Park | — | 23 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Fordyce; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Fordyce residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
4,300 counted in 2010 and 3,396 in 2020; an estimated 3,141 in 2025.
The decline has continued: down 7.4% since 2020, after 21% in the decade before.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
22 places in Fordyce on the National Register of Historic Places.
6 notable people were born in Fordyce.
City in Arkansas, United States
Fordyce is a city in southeast Dallas County, Arkansas, United States. Its population has been decreasing since the 1980s when the town reached an all-time high of 5,175. The population in 2020 was 3,396, down from 4,300 at the 2010 census, and from 4,799 in 2000. The city is the county seat, home to the 1911 Dallas County Courthouse. Within Fordyce, there are 19 sites listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including the Fordyce Home Accident Insurance Company. The town was named for Samuel W. Fordyce.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Fordyce grades D− overall, better than 4% of U.S. towns and #106 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades D for health, D− for safety and C for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D−.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B+.
6 notable people were born here, including James H. Cone and Cory Carr.
