Frost Line Depth in Craighead County, AR: Arkansas Codes Range 12

No official local value

No official frost line depth is published for Craighead County.

No verified code nearby; verified Arkansas codes range 12–18 in.

Source and how we checked

We searched this place’s own code and website and found no published frost line depth.

Climate: 65 nights a year at or below 32 °F (NOAA 1991–2020, Jonesboro Municipal Airport, 0.9 mi).

Checked Oct 2026. Report a correction

Footings Deck Water line Fence post

12–18 inrange of verified Arkansas codes
65nights a year at or below 32 °F
100%of nearby soil rated “none” for frost action (USDA)

Does Craighead County have an official frost line depth?

No adopted frost line depth found for Craighead County in its official documents (checked Oct 2026). No verified code lies near Craighead County; the Arkansas codes we verified range from 12 to 18 in. Ask the building department for Craighead County’s own number before you dig.

What frost line depth does Craighead County use for footings under Table R301.2(1)?

Call 811 at least a few working days before you dig, so buried lines are marked.
Confirm the frost line depth with the Craighead County building department.
Ask whether your project needs a permit (decks, larger sheds and footings usually do).
Dig below 18 in (the deepest verified state value) unless the building department tells you otherwise.
Book the footing inspection before you pour concrete.

How deep do footings, decks and water lines need to be in Craighead County?

Drawn with the deepest Arkansas official value (18 in). Confirm Craighead County’s own depth before you dig.

House or garage footing Deck footing Water service line Fence post

House or garage footing in Craighead County: dig at least 18 in (46 cm). Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4).

Using the nearby official value of 18 in until Craighead County confirms its own
Project	Depth	Rule
House or garage footing	18 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R403.1.4)
Deck footing (attached)	18 in	Below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC R507.3)
Water service line	24 in	6 in below the frost line and at least 12 in deep (IRC P2603.5)
Fence post bottom	18 in	No code rule; common practice is below the frost line

Work out posts, concrete and footing sizes with the fence post depth calculator or the deck footing calculator.

How cold does it get in Craighead County?

Average lows are at or below freezing from Jan. 65 nights a year reach 32 °F or colder; Jan is coldest, with an average low of 30.5 °F.

NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Jonesboro Municipal Airport station, 0.9 mi away, elevation 262 ft.

Monthly temperatures as a table

°F	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec
Low	30.5	33.6	41.2	50.1	60	68.3	72.3	70	62.3	50.6	40.1	33.4
High	46.8	51.6	60.9	71.3	80.7	89.6	91.2	90	84.2	73.7	59.9	49.6

Craighead County has fewer freezing nights than 13 of the 25 other Arkansas places we track. The Arkansas median is 66. Coldest: Benton County; mildest: Miller County.

How likely is the soil in Craighead County to heave?

None 100%

USDA rates the sampled soil around Craighead County as 100% none for frost action (main soils: Falaya, Loring, Foley).

USDA NRCS soil survey, 9 sample points within 2 mi. Higher frost action means more risk of heave; see frost heave.

Craighead County at a glance

Frost line depth: No official local value
Population (2023 est.): 113,993
Mean annual temperature: 60.9 °F
ZIP codes (17): 72401 · 72404 · 72405 · 72411 · 72414 · 72416 · 72417 · 72419 · 72421 · 72427 · 72437 · 72438 · 72447 · 72450 · 72467 · 72476 · 72479