The Town FilesHighland, Arkansas
City in Sharp County · population 982 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $104,400
- Household income
- $49,063
- Jan low / Jul high
- 26° / 89°
- Snow a year
- 7 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 19
- Median age
- 41.4
Highland is a city of 982 people in Sharp County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $104,400, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for a vacation home than 90% of Arkansas towns, quieter than 88% of Arkansas towns, better for first-time buyers than 80% of Arkansas towns.
How Highland ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Highland is worth $104,400, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $49,063, which is more affordable than 82% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $817 a month. 89.9% of households own their home.
| Housing | Highland | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $104,400 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $817 | $792 |
| Median household income | $49,063 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 89.9% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1978 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.0% | — |
Who lives in Highland
| People | Highland | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.4 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 20.7% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 26.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 11.1% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 21.3% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 12.8% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.9% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 22.6 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.7% | 84.4% |
Weather in Highland
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 26.3°F. About 51.4 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 6.7 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 44 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 81 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 8 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F4, struck on December 24, 1982 about 4.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 26, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 47 times; the largest was 4.25 inches on April 15, 2022.
Severe weather in Sharp County since 1996
Sharp County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 8, 2025 | Severe Storm | DR-4865: Severe Storms And Tornadoes |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| May 30, 2024 | Severe Storm | DR-4788: Severe Storms, Straight-Line Winds, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
Jobs and pay in Sharp County
Sharp County had 3,954 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $38,491 a year. Unemployment was 3.9% in 2023; in Highland itself the ACS puts it at 6.6%.
Towns near Highland
- Cherokee Village, AR3.1 mi · 4,780 people · home $94,600
- Hardy, AR4.1 mi · 743 people · home $58,600
- Ash Flat, AR5.3 mi · 1,137 people · home $94,000
- Ozark Acres, AR7.7 mi · 692 people · home $73,700
- Horseshoe Bend, AR12.7 mi · 2,440 people · home $128,500
- Mammoth Spring, AR15.5 mi · 929 people · home $103,000
- Thayer, MO17.5 mi · 1,883 people · home $67,500
- Salem, AR18.2 mi · 1,566 people · home $105,900
Highland questions
Is Highland, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Highland scores better for retirees than 57% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 88%. 20.7% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.4).
How much does a house cost in Highland?
The median owner-occupied home in Highland is valued at $104,400 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $49,063, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $817 a month.
What is the weather like in Highland?
July highs average 89.4°F and January lows 26.3°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 51.4 inches of precipitation a year and 6.7 inches of snow.
Does Highland get tornadoes?
19 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Highland since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F4 on December 24, 1982. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)