Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Kensett’s best subject grade is a B+ for cost of living; its weakest is a D− for health. 28% of residents live below the poverty line in Kensett, above both the Arkansas town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). On health, just 3 of Arkansas’ 201 towns do worse. The median household income is $31K, and 28% of residents live below the poverty line. Kensett's civic life (library use, community groups, volunteering) trails 94% of U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Mills House and Robertson House. Kensett has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Kensett beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Fred Hall House| Widest gap | Kensett | AR |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 39% | 18.5% |
1,648 counted in 2010 and 1,400 in 2020; an estimated 1,425 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Kensett is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 86 in 1880, 1,400 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 4 maps from 1932 on.
3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Kensett, 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 Kensett.
41% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Kensett, above both Arkansas’ towns (25%) and U.S. towns (19%). 23% of Kensett adults report frequent physical distress. Among 124 Arkansas towns, just 1 have a higher share of adults who report frequent mental distress than Kensett.
| Kensett | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 41% | 25% | 19% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 17% | 14% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 21% | 13% | 12% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Kensett | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11% | 14.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.2% | 76.9% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 39% | 18.5% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its public schools are run by the Riverview School District. Its one school is below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kensett Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 294 | D |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 84% of U.S. communities. One flood insurance claim has been paid in Kensett since 2010.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Only 3 of the 124 Arkansas towns we compare have a lower median household income than Kensett. 2% of working residents work locally in Kensett. Since 2013, Kensett has lost 104 jobs, to 193 in 2023.
| Kensett | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 2% | 22% | 8% |
| Median household income | $31,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The violent crime rate in Kensett is 7.1 per 1,000 residents.
| Kensett | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 7.1 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 14.2 per 1,000 residents | 13.6 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Kensett has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. Kensett’s July high is 92°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Cowen Park | — | 1 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
1 within 15 miles of the center of Kensett
About 7 of every 100 Kensett residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
3 places in Kensett on the National Register of Historic Places.
3 notable people were born in Kensett.
City in Arkansas, United States
Kensett is a city in White County, Arkansas, United States. Located adjacent to the east side of Searcy, the city is the hometown of noted legislator Wilbur D. Mills, who was influential throughout the 1960s and 1970s in the United States House of Representatives. Allen Edge is the current mayor. As of the 2020 census, Kensett had a population of 1,400. Many companies have moved to Kensett to support the natural gas industry. Kensett is a center for landscaping and nursery activity. Double Springs sod farm is located in or near Kensett. There are several restaurants, and Kensett has the lowest sales tax rate in White County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Home to 3 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Not for the area. That is 1.6 years of the area's median household income ($55,249 across the Searcy, AR 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+.
3 notable people were born here, including Georgia Holt and Wilbur Daigh Mills.
