Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Magnolia gives you more for your money than most places: a typical home costs about $138K, 2.5 years of the Magnolia area’s $55K median household income. It grades C overall, 63rd of 123 graded towns in Arkansas. The low prices come with trade-offs. It reports more crime per resident than 91% of U.S. towns, including 90 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, and CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 83% of the country. On the plus side, it is more walkable than 82% of U.S. towns. 45% of working residents work locally in Magnolia, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 21% and U.S. towns at 8%. Its National Register listings include Columbia County Jail and Columbia County Courthouse. Only 1 of Arkansas’ 182 towns score higher on civic life.
Where Magnolia beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
Columbia County Courthouse
Census counts: 424 in 1860, a low of 259 in 1870, 11,162 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 2 maps from 1968 on.
15 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Magnolia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Magnolia, 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 Magnolia.
Magnolia is shaped by its college students and fares better on crime within Arkansas than nationally, but it is a long drive from an emergency room.
At 51.2 crimes per 1,000 residents a year, it reports more crime than 74% of Arkansas’s graded towns. Reported crimes rose from 318 to 361 over the last three FBI years, a rise beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
Magnolia’s violent crime rate is 8.4 per 1,000 residents. Magnolia reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 91% report less. Magnolia’s property crime rate is 25.4 per 1,000 residents.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 8.4 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 25.4 per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Magnolia School District. Two of its 5 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Magnolia High School, with 797 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| East Side Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades K–2 | Grades K–2 | 570 | – |
| Magnolia High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 797 | C |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
22.5% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.1% statewide, which pulls the median age down.
The median age in Magnolia is 28.2 years. Magnolia has lost 4.5% of its people since 2020, down to 10,660 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 19% of Magnolia residents are under 18.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 28.2 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Under 18 | 19% | 25% | 22% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 23% | 20% | 29% |
53% women, 47% men
About 90 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.1 points). Across Arkansas, 50.6% of residents are women. Median age: women 30.6, men 25.2.
| Magnolia | AR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 9.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.7% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 25.5% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 14.7% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.6% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 9.5% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6.7% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 7.1% | 7.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 13.4% | 11.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 31.5% | 34.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.6% | 20.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.5% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 15.7% | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 7.2% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The nearest emergency room, Springhill Medical Center, is 22.3 miles away in a straight line. Within Arkansas it is less healthy than 52% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
40% of adults feel lonely in Magnolia. Magnolia beats the Arkansas average on 2 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 22% of adults report frequent mental distress in Magnolia.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 40% | 35% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 19% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 36% |
| What stands out | Magnolia | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.2% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with high cholesterol | 32.9% | 38% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 14.6% | 9.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
At 2.5 years of the Magnolia area’s $55K median household income, the typical home (about $138K) costs less against local pay than in 78% of Arkansas towns; that ratio is one input to its A for cost of living. The typical value, about $138K, is 12% below its February 2022 peak.
Only 4 of the 122 Arkansas towns we compare have a lower median rent than Magnolia. The typical Magnolia home is worth about $138,000, down 1.6% in a year, 39% below the Arkansas typical home.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent | 30% | 45% | 48% |
| Households that own their home | 54% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $633 a month | $880 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Magnolia has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. July afternoons reach 92°, January nights drop to 34° and about 2 inches of snow falls in a winter.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
The top destinations are El Dorado (4%), Little Rock (3%) and Camden (2%). Half commute less than 5 miles.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 23% | 17% | 9.6% |
| Average trip to work | 18 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $56,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 52% of U.S. communities. Since 1990, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Magnolia.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
1.1 miles of trail in 4 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Eastside Park, at 33 acres.
| Magnolia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.1 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. The Mall | 0.7 mi | 4 |
| 2. Eastside Park | — | 33 |
| 3. Hospital Park | — | 2 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
1 within 15 miles of the center of Magnolia
College town 23 of every 100 Magnolia residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
15 places in Magnolia on the National Register of Historic Places.
19 notable people were born in Magnolia.
City in the United States
Magnolia is a city in Columbia County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 11,577. The city is the county seat of Columbia County.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Magnolia grades C overall, better than 25% of U.S. towns and #63 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades C− for health, D for safety and B− for schools. Safety 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 A.
19 notable people were born here, including Larry McCray and Jacob Cornelius.
