City Profile

Hot Springs, Arkansas

USA · Comprehensive city data and intelligence

Overall Score

Hot Springs, Arkansas is a historic and culturally rich destination nestled in the Ouachita Mountains, renowned worldwide for its natural thermal waters and the federal protection of Hot Springs National Park. Originally famous as a premier 19th-century and Gilded Age health resort, the city retains its distinct vintage character, featuring grand bathhouses along Bathhouse Row and unique Spanish-Revival and Classical architecture. Today, it serves as a vibrant regional hub that blends outdoor adventure with a laid-back Southern lifestyle, attracting retirees, remote workers, and families looking for scenic beauty and a slower pace of life.

About Arkansas

Arkansas, known as "The Natural State," offers diverse geography from the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains to the Mississippi River Delta, fostering a relaxed, nature-oriented lifestyle. The economy, historically rooted in agriculture with rice and poultry as leading products, has diversified to include significant contributions from manufacturing (food products, chemicals, wood and paper products, aerospace parts) and a growing service sector, largely influenced by Walmart's presence. Living in Arkansas is generally affordable, with a cost of living consistently below the national average, particularly for housing. The state experiences a humid subtropical climate with mild winters and hot, humid summers, and while property taxes are low, sales taxes can be high.

37,979

Population

$48K

Avg Salary

Cost Index

56.8

Quality Score

How this 57/100 was calculated five components, with every reading behind them

Component	Readings used	Points	Weight	Contributes
Safety	Safety score: 65 / 100	65.0	30%	19.5
Affordability	Cost of living index (100 = national baseline): 92.0	53.8	25%	13.4
Economy & jobs	Median household income: $47,760 Income needed to live here: $42,000 Unemployment rate: 4.4%	56.1	20%	11.2
Growth	Population growth rate: 0.18% Job growth rate: 1.5%	39.8	15%	6.0
Business climate assessment	Business climate assessment: 67 / 100	67.0	10%	6.7
Overall score				56.8

Provenance. These figures were produced by the research pass recorded as Gemini (ungrounded) (q=55, partial — below threshold), last refreshed 11 October 2026. They are researched estimates drawn from public sources, not a licensed data feed.

Each component is scored against fixed published endpoints, so this number is comparable with any other city and does not move as the dataset grows. Scoring framework 2026.10 — full methodology, weights and accepted ranges.

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Performance

Quality Scores

Business

Livability

Affordability

Growth

Expenses

Cost of Living

The cost of living in Hot Springs is notably favorable, tracking roughly 7% to 8% below the national average according to recent market tracking and Census data. Housing costs represent the primary driver of these savings, with average rents and real estate values sitting significantly lower than typical metro areas across the United States. Everyday expenses such as groceries, utilities, and transportation also lean modest, allowing residents to enjoy a comfortable lifestyle without the intense financial pressures found in larger metropolitan regions.

Average Rent

$1,150/mo

Groceries

$380/mo

Transport

$110/mo

Utilities

$175/mo

Healthcare

$230/mo

Gym membership (monthly)

$40.00

Cinema ticket

$12.00

Restaurant meal (mid-range)

$20.00

Monthly groceries

$375.00

Doctor visit (without insurance)

$135.00

Income

Salary Insights

Hot Springs's economy relies heavily on a dynamic mix of tourism, hospitality, healthcare, and retail trade, anchored by its millions of annual visitors and regional medical centers. Major employers in the area include local healthcare systems, school districts, and hospitality venues tied to the national park and Oaklawn Racing Casino Resort. While traditional industries dominate, the area has seen a steady influx of remote workers and small business owners drawn by lower overhead costs and natural amenities.

The average salary in Hot Springs is $48,000 per year. You would need approximately $42,000 to live comfortably.

Employment

Top Industries

Retail Trade +1.10% Healthcare and Social Assistance +2.50% Tourism and Hospitality +2.20% Government and Public Administration +0.80% Entertainment and Gaming +3.00%

Weather

Climate

🌡️

65°F

Avg Temp

☀️

91°F

Summer High

❄️

35°F

Winter Low

🌧️

46.40"

Annual Rain

💧

65.00%

Humidity

🌤️

264

Sunny Days

Mobility

Transport

Getting around Hot Springs relies predominantly on personal vehicles, as the city features a car-dependent layout with manageable traffic patterns outside of peak tourist seasons. Average commute times are remarkably short, hovering well below the national average at approximately 21 minutes. Public transit options are limited, though local services provide basic coverage for key commercial corridors.

21 min

Avg Commute

42.00/10

Transit Score

58.00/10

Walkability

High

Car Dependency

At a Glance

Pros & Cons

Advantages

Median home prices and overall cost of living sit roughly 7-8% below the national average per US Census and Zillow data.

Average commute times are exceptionally short at around 21 minutes, minimizing daily transit friction.

Direct access to Hot Springs National Park and pristine lakes like Lake Hamilton provides unmatched outdoor recreation.

A thriving local healthcare sector anchored by major regional medical facilities ensures robust access to care.

Rich cultural history, vibrant arts community, and unique architecture create a distinct and engaging small-city environment.

Drawbacks

Poverty rates in the city proper are higher than the national average, registering around 20.5% per Census figures.

The local median household income of $47,760 trails well behind national benchmarks.

Heavy tourism seasons introduce periodic traffic congestion and crowding around downtown commercial districts.

Public transportation options are sparse, making reliable personal vehicle ownership an absolute necessity.

Property crime rates reflect the transient nature of a major tourist destination.

Head to Head

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Hot Springs VS Jacksonville Hot Springs VS Binghamton Hot Springs VS Cincinnati Hot Springs VS Elyria

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Community Q&A

Questions about Hot Springs

What people ask about living in and moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas.

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FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Urblytica benchmarks its Cost of Living Index against a United States national average baseline of 100. A score of 115 means a city is approximately 15% more expensive than the national average, while a score of 85 indicates it is 15% more affordable. This composite calculation is weighted across six primary expenditure categories: housing, utilities, grocery items, transportation, healthcare, and miscellaneous goods.

Urblytica aggregates housing data from multiple authoritative sources, including Multiple Listing Service (MLS) feeds, municipal property tax registries, the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS), and verified historical deed transactions. This multi-tier aggregation ensures precision in tracking median home values and rental rates.

A municipality must meet minimum data-density thresholds—including consistent reporting population samples from the U.S. Census and active residential or commercial real estate transaction feeds—to ensure statistical significance before a complete scoring profile is published.

When primary agencies (such as the Bureau of Labor Statistics or U.S. Census Bureau) issue historical data revisions or benchmark corrections, Urblytica's data pipeline automatically re-indexes affected historical archives to maintain longitudinal trend accuracy.

U.S. affordability calculations incorporate federal income tax brackets, state-specific income tax rates, and local municipal tax variations to evaluate the true net tax drag on median household earnings across different states and cities.

Local county and municipal property tax millage rates are factored directly into the housing component of the cost-of-living index to reflect recurring annual tax burdens for homeowners.

The platform aggregates state sales taxes alongside county and city surtaxes to measure consumer basket purchasing power parity accurately across different retail jurisdictions.

Utility calculations apply regional seasonal consumption weightings, incorporating high summer air conditioning loads in southern states and heavy winter heating demands in northern states.

The index tracks average out-of-pocket healthcare expenses, routine outpatient visit costs, and regional health insurance premium benchmarks published by federal health agencies.

Educational metrics aggregate state standardized testing benchmarks, student-to-teacher ratios, high school graduation rates, and per-pupil expenditure data published by state departments of education.

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