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Gurdon vs Rector

229 miles apart. The biggest differences: trails (4× in Gurdon) and growth since 2010 (+11 pts in Rector).

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Gurdon, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,625 people
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Rector, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,750 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

GurdonOne of the healthiest towns
Health91% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 19%of AR districts History13 archive photos & papers5 places on the National Register All about Gurdon →
RectorOne of the healthiest towns
Health94% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Housing$142K typical home37% below the AR typical home HistorySettled in 18813 places on the National Register All about Rector →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Trails4×
Gurdon has more miles of trail
Gurdon 1.6 miRector 0.4 mi
Growth since 2010+11 pts
Rector has grown faster since 2010
Rector -5.8%Gurdon -16.8%
Street grid+80%
Rector has the more walkable street grid
Rector 146Gurdon 81.4
Average commute7 min
Gurdon has the shorter commute
Rector 25 minGurdon 18 min
Seasonal homes+10 pts
Gurdon has more second homes
Gurdon 10%Rector 0%
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $180 more a month in Rector

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Gurdon$630/mo
Typical home $112K (Census) · tax rate 0.44% · or rent about $698/mo · Housing →
Rector$800/mo
Typical home $142K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $667/mo · Housing →

The difference: $180 a month, about $2,100 a year, between Rector and Gurdon.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arkansas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+GurdonSafer than 35% of U.S. towns –RectorNot graded
Schools
C−GurdonBetter than 19% of districts in the state C+RectorBetter than 36% of districts in the state
Health
DGurdonHealthier than 9% of U.S. towns DRectorHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
GurdonRector
Snow a year3″3″
January low30°F28°F
July high92°F90°F
Growing season (days)224d227d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)60th85th
Outdoors & history
GurdonRector
Trails2 mi0 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled—1881
National Register places53
Archive photos136
Famous people born here54
Community
GurdonRector
Library hours a week25 hrs45 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

229 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

GurdonARRectorAR
Gurdon ↔ Rector229 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

GurdonRector
People
Population 1,625Lowest 1,750Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -16.8%Lowest AR: +3.3% -5.8%Highest AR: +3.3%
Median age 37.6±4.9Lowest about the AR average 37.7±3.7Highest about the AR average
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.9%±5Highest AR: 23.1% 19.1%±4.8Lowest AR: 23.1%
Gurdon and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 17.3%±4.8Lowest AR: 17.6% 17.6%±3.8Highest AR: 17.6%
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 16.9%Highest AR: 25.7% 16.5%Lowest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1%±1.7Lowest AR: 5.1% 3.9%±2.9Highest AR: 5.1%
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $47,587±$19kLowest 22% below AR $47,760±$10kHighest 21% below AR
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $111,600±$55kHighest 41% below AR $91,300±$24kLowest 51% below AR
Gurdon and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $698±$163Highest 26% below AR $667±$183Lowest 30% below AR
Gurdon and Rector are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $490Highest 53% below AR $427Lowest 59% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 37.5%±21.1Lowest AR: 44.8% 57%±22.5Highest AR: 44.8%
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 17.2%Lowest AR: 16% 20.2%Highest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.5%Lowest AR: 66.4% 66.5%Highest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Highest 11 yrs older than AR 1969Lowest 18 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 18 minLowest 18% below AR 25 minHighest 13% above AR
Work from home 4.1%±5.1Lowest AR: 8.8% 12.3%±9.9Highest AR: 8.8%
Rector and Gurdon are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 7.7%Lowest 14.6%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 29.3 miHighest 18.3 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.33Lowest 0.45Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Arkadelphia (15%)Paragould (19%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in RectorFew work in Gurdon
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 1.6 miHighest 0.4 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.6 miHighest 0.3 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0Lowest 1Highest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 81.4Lowest 146Highest
Schools
School district GURDON SCHOOL DISTRICTRECTOR SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Gurdon High SchoolRector High School
Students per teacherat that high school 9.7Highest 8.8Lowest
Arkansas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Gurdon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gurdon’s Town Square.

Rector neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rector’s Town Square.

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Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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