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Compare towns

Rector vs Gurdon

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

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Rector, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,750 people
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Gurdon, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,625 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.

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 →
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 →
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.

Rector$800/mo
Typical home $142K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.47% · or rent about $667/mo · Housing →
Gurdon$630/mo
Typical home $112K (Census) · tax rate 0.44% · or rent about $698/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
–RectorNot graded C+GurdonSafer than 35% of U.S. towns
Schools
C+RectorBetter than 36% of districts in the state C−GurdonBetter than 19% of districts in the state
Health
DRectorHealthier than 6% of U.S. towns DGurdonHealthier than 9% 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
RectorGurdon
Snow a year3″3″
January low28°F30°F
July high90°F92°F
Growing season (days)227d224d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th60th
Outdoors & history
RectorGurdon
Trails0 mi2 mi
Conserved land0%0%
Settled1881—
National Register places35
Archive photos613
Famous people born here45
Community
RectorGurdon
Library hours a week45 hrs25 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.

RectorARGurdonAR
Rector ↔ Gurdon229 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.

RectorGurdon
People
Population 1,750Highest 1,625Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -5.8%Highest AR: +3.3% -16.8%Lowest AR: +3.3%
Median age 37.7±3.7Highest about the AR average 37.6±4.9Lowest 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 19.1%±4.8Lowest AR: 23.1% 26.9%±5Highest 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+ 17.6%±3.8Highest AR: 17.6% 17.3%±4.8Lowest 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+ 16.5%Lowest AR: 25.7% 16.9%Highest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 3.9%±2.9Highest AR: 5.1% 1%±1.7Lowest 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 $47,760±$10kHighest 21% below AR $47,587±$19kLowest 22% 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 $91,300±$24kLowest 51% below AR $111,600±$55kHighest 41% 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 $667±$183Lowest 30% below AR $698±$163Highest 26% 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 $427Lowest 59% below AR $490Highest 53% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 57%±22.5Highest AR: 44.8% 37.5%±21.1Lowest 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 20.2%Highest AR: 16% 17.2%Lowest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 66.5%Highest AR: 66.4% 62.5%Lowest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1969Lowest 18 yrs older than AR 1976Highest 11 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 25 minHighest 13% above AR 18 minLowest 18% below AR
Work from home 12.3%±9.9Highest AR: 8.8% 4.1%±5.1Lowest 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 14.6%Highest 7.7%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 18.3 miLowest 29.3 miHighest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.45Highest 0.33Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Paragould (19%)Arkadelphia (15%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in GurdonFew work in Rector
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.4 miLowest 1.6 miHighest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.3 miLowest 0.6 miHighest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 1Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 146Highest 81.4Lowest
Schools
School district RECTOR SCHOOL DISTRICTGURDON SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Rector High SchoolGurdon High School
Students per teacherat that high school 8.8Lowest 9.7Highest
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.

Rector neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Rector’s Town Square.

Gurdon neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Gurdon’s Town Square.

Add a town

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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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