ZIP Code 71831

With a per-capita income of $34,123, ZIP code 71831 sits in working-class to lower-middle-income territory. The county-level property tax rate of 0.41% is quite gentle compared with many parts of the country, so homeowners here keep more of what they earn on housing costs. That advantage is partly offset by an 8.50% combined sales tax, which adds noticeably to everyday purchases. The area around Hope, in southwestern Arkansas, pairs restrained housing levies with a higher consumption tax, a mix that shapes the local cost of living in distinct ways.