City profile · Arkansas · Census ACS 2023

Hot Springs, AR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Hot Springs - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

38,023
Residents
$46,441
Median income
$156,900
Median home
$1,090
Median rent (state)

Hot Springs - the verdict

Hot Springs ranks in the 14th percentile for household income and the 4th percentile for safety nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
29th
percentile, home value
28th
percentile, median rent
4th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Hot Springs, AR

Hot Springs is a small city in Arkansas, home to 38,023 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Hot Springs brings in $46,441 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.7%. Hot Springs's housing stock carries a median value of $156,900, and the median resident age is 45.1 years. About 27.7% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 52.1% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 111 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), down 5% from five years earlier. Hot Springs's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 4697.2 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Hot Springs's yearly average temperature at 63.1°F with 52.9 inches of precipitation per year.

Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Arkansas scores 86.9 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,090 monthly. Monthly utility costs average around $210 across Arkansas, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 89.3 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

38,023 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arkansas

Median Household Income

$46,441 /yr

Poverty 13.7%

Cost of Living Index (state)

86.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average

How does Hot Springs compare to other US cities?

Where Hot Springs sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 29% pricier than other cities
Median rent 28% pricier than other cities
Safety 4% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

A national percentile can hide a lot of local variation: narrowed to Arkansas alone, Hot Springs ranks #150 of 160 Arkansas cities by lowest crime rate - a different, more locally useful comparison than stacking it against the entire country.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Hot Springs's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arkansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

14thIncome percentile
4thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 4th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Hot Springs's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Hot Springs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 30 Avg. percentile National median
Hot Springs's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Hot Springs's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$156,900 Among the most affordable more affordable than 71% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Hot Springs $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Hot Springs, AR Hot Springs, AR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Hot Springs, AR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Hot Springs, AR median $46,441/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Hot Springs, AR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Hot Springs, AR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 27.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 52.1%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
38,023
Median Income
$46,441
Median Home Value
$156,900
Median Age
45.1
Poverty Rate
13.7%
Labor force participation
52.1%
Bachelor's Degree+
27.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4697.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
534.2
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
4163.0
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
63.1°F
Annual Precipitation
52.9"
Annual Snowfall
N/A

Schools

Total Schools
16
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
37,850 residents37,900 residents37,950 residents38,000 residents38,050 residents 202020212022202320242025 37,930 residents 37,979 residents ▲ +0.1%
Hot Springs's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
111
housing units authorized
Single-Family
87
detached homes
Multifamily
24
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.9
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 117
2020 88
2021 330
2022 99
2023 76
2024 111

Permit volume decreased 5% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
77.7%
Carpool
12.6%
Public Transit
0.5%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
5.6%
Other
1.2%

Based on 15,927 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arkansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$210
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arkansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arkansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Hot Springs sits in

Cost of Living Index
86.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,090/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
89.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arkansas

Benton
35,954 people
Pine Bluff
40,436 people
Sherwood
32,915 people
Bella Vista
30,935 people
Paragould
29,940 people
Texarkana
29,343 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Hot Springs's 38,023 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Sun, AZ
38,018 people
Riviera Beach, FL
38,032 people
Adelanto, CA
38,010 people
Northglenn, CO
37,953 people
Portage, IN
37,951 people
Holyoke, MA
37,949 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Hot Springs's $46,441 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Reynoldsville, PA
$46,433 median income
Atkins, VA
$46,432 median income
Yukon, PA
$46,431 median income
Sawyerville, IL
$46,429 median income
Middleburgh, NY
$46,429 median income
Green Acres, ND
$46,429 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Hot Springs, AR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Hot Springs, AR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 73.2% 16.2% 6.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 11.4% White 73.2% Black or African American 16.2% Asian 1.4% American Indian 0.5% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 1.9% Two or more races 6.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Hot Springs compares to nearby Arkansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Hot Springs (this city) 38,023 $46,441
Benton 35,954 $69,638
Pine Bluff 40,436 $41,250
Sherwood 32,915 $79,157
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Hot Springs, AR?

What is the population of Hot Springs, AR? +

Hot Springs, AR counts 38,023 residents according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Hot Springs, AR? +

The median household income in Hot Springs is $46,441 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Hot Springs? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Hot Springs; the closest available measure is the Arkansas state average, a cost of living index of 86.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arkansas vary by metro area.

Is Hot Springs, AR safe? +

Hot Springs has a total crime rate of 4697.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Hot Springs, AR? +

Homes in Hot Springs carry a median value of $156,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Hot Springs? +

The average annual temperature in Hot Springs runs 63.1°F, 52.9 inches of precipitation. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.