A small, agricultural community south of Walnut Ridge
Lawrence County’s Hoxie has been a farming community since the late 1800s. Soybean and rice fields fill the outskirts, and while the Union Pacific-BNSF Railway junction in the middle of town sees around 50 trains a day, there are no major depots or stations. “There’s not a lot in Hoxie other than row crop farming,” says Pamela Welch, the lead broker/owner of Mossy Oak Properties Selling Arkansas who has nearly a decade of real estate experience. She says the home prices, low compared to the neighboring city of Walnut Ridge, and the land are what draws homebuyers here. “It’s very affordable. Other than that, it’s just a stop-off on your way to other places.”
Competitive prices for single-family homes
These cottages, bungalows and ranch-style homes often have detached, single-car garages or aluminum carports. Oaks and loblolly pines tower over clover lawns, which are sprinkled with buttercups and purple henbit flowers in the summer. Prices start under $100,000 and rise to about $350,000. “The home prices are definitely lower than in Walnut Ridge. Now, the land is not as affordable, because that’s what really draws people,” Welch says. Large farmhouses with dozens of acres of land can sell for around $700,000.
The small Hoxie School District serves local students
Hoxie School District earns a C-plus from Niche, and serves nearly 900 students across two schools: Hoxie Elementary and Hoxie High. Both earn C-plus grades. Hoxie High teaches seventh through 12th grade and offers dual enrollment with Black River Technical College. In July 1955, the small school system garnered national attention for its desegregation efforts and appeared in Life magazine. Williams Baptist University, in Walnut Ridge, is a private Christian university that offers more than 30 degree programs. Arkansas State University, which offers over 160 degree programs, is in Jonesboro less than 30 miles southeast.
Outdoor recreation at Hoxie and Walnut Ridge parks
Hoxie School District sports teams play at Mustang Stadium and Robert W. Hicks Gymnasium, next to the elementary and high schools. Hoxie City Park and Hoxie New Park, in the middle of town just a few blocks away, have outdoor recreational amenities such as picnic areas and play equipment. City Park also has a vintage boxcar. Walnut Ridge City Park, less than 3 miles from most Hoxie homes, has an outdoor pool, an archery range and more.
Limited shopping/dining in Hoxie, more options in Walnut Ridge
Hoxie’s limited shopping and dining options are scattered along State Road 367 and U.S. Route 63 Business. There’s a Dollar General on the east side of town, near Hoxie Auto Parts and around the corner from Hoxie Food Market. Ma & Pa’s Flea Market vendors sell handcrafted and vintage goods. Ole Hickory Bar-B-Que and The Pizza Den are popular locally owned eateries. Big box retailers in Walnut Ridge, including Walmart and Tractor Supply, are just a few miles north.
Quick commuting to Walnut Ridge and Jonesboro
Black River Area Development, or BRAD, provides daily bus service in Hoxie, along with regularly scheduled trips to other towns in Lawrence County. Big regional employers in Jonesboro, like Arkansas State University, are within 30 miles of most homes. Commuting typically takes less than 30 minutes via U.S. Route 63. Lawrence Memorial Hospital, also a top regional employer, is even closer. The under-three-mile drive north to Walnut Ridge usually takes about five minutes on State Road 367. “Hoxie and Walnut Ridge basically spill into each other. You go from one to the other in the span of one block,” Welch says. Little Rock is nearly 130 miles away, about a two-hour drive on Interstate 57.
