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Living in
Hot Springs.
About
Life in Hot Springs
If you're considering Hot Springs, understand that while thermal springs and tourism marketing are part of the city's identity, daily life here is about something different—it's a quieter, aging community in the mountains where you're actually more likely to interact with retirees and established families than tourists. The economy runs on hospitality and arts programming (the city ranks fourth nationally for small arts towns), but job diversity is limited, so your employment situation matters more than the tourism story does. Housing is affordable—median homes around $166k and rent under $900—with a low 4.4% unemployment rate, though the population has declined slightly, suggesting limited growth momentum.
Hot Springs at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
45.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
20.5%
Foreign-Born
6.0%
Broadband Internet
85.0%
of households
Population Growth
+0.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.0% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Hot Springs: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Hot Springs, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (34.5%), and 7.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
17.6%
of residents
65 and Older
24.8%
of residents
Households with Kids
24.5%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
39.5%
of households
Married Couples
31.8%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.00
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent about average for AR
Rent, home values, and income in Hot Springs
In Hot Springs, home values are 12% below the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
43.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.7
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$816
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
57.0%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
16.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $242,674 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AR
Unemployment in Hot Springs
Unemployment in Hot Springs is close to the AR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Hot Springs Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.9 min avg
How Hot Springs residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Hot Springs, most residents drive alone to work (76%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 3 mi
Memorial Field Airport (HOT)
Regional airport · few flights2,783 passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 52% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Hot Springs runs 52% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
500.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,386
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Hot Springs Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 13 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
89.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Garland County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Garland County, which includes Hot Springs, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 13 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2024 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2023 | 20 | Hail | $5.0M |
| 2022 | 16 | Thunderstorm Wind | $60,000 |
| 2021 | 7 | Heavy Snow | None reported |
| 2020 | 11 | Flash Flood | $100,000 |
| 2019 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $80,000 |
| 2018 | 11 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Garland County, county-wide
Air Quality51 median AQI — Moderate
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Garland County, which includes Hot Springs, is typically moderate — acceptable for most people, but can affect those unusually sensitive to air pollution.
Median AQI
51
Garland County, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 34°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Hot Springs has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 34°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
73°/51°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/53°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/34°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
58.0"
Annual Snowfall
1.1"
Hot Days/Year
77
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
59
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
110
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 52°F | 32°F | 3.76" |
| Feb | 56°F | 35°F | 4.64" |
| Mar | 65°F | 42°F | 5.53" |
| Apr | 74°F | 51°F | 5.86" |
| May | 80°F | 60°F | 6.51" |
| Jun | 88°F | 68°F | 4.33" |
| Jul | 93°F | 72°F | 4.52" |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 3.60" |
| Sep | 86°F | 64°F | 4.18" |
| Oct | 75°F | 52°F | 5.10" |
| Nov | 63°F | 42°F | 4.94" |
| Dec | 53°F | 35°F | 4.99" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Hot Springs
Hot Springs has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
11.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
CHI St. Vincent Hospital Hot Springs
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
National Park Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Levi Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education14.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Hot Springs
Hot Springs's student/teacher ratio is 14.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 26.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
11
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
26.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
14.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Hot Springs
Private nonprofit · 4-year · 144 students · in-state tuition $11,750 · 22% graduate
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Hot Springs National Park, 3 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Hot Springs
Hot Springs has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Hot Springs National Park (3 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Hot Springs National Park
National Park
3 mi awayLittle Rock Central High School National Historic Site
National Historic Site
46 mi awayPresident William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
65 mi awayFort Smith National Historic Site
National Historic Site
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Hot Springs
Garland County Library
1427 Malvern Avenue, Hot Springs
Cities Near Hot Springs
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Hot Springs?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Hot Springs FAQ
Is Hot Springs, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Hot Springs's median rent is $914/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $47,760/year. Median home value is $165,500.
Is Hot Springs, Arkansas safe?⌄
Hot Springs's violent crime rate was 500 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3386 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Hot Springs, Arkansas?⌄
Hot Springs has an unemployment rate of 4.4%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Hot Springs, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Hot Springs is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $914/month and median household income is $47,760/year. The median home value is $165,500. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Hot Springs, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Hot Springs is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from