The Town FilesHot Springs, Arkansas
City in Garland County · population 37,930 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $165,500
- Household income
- $47,760
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 93°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 23
- Median age
- 45.3
Hot Springs is a city of 37,930 people in Garland County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $165,500, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks more walkable than 98% of Arkansas towns, more vibrant than 95% of Arkansas towns, hipper than 94% of Arkansas towns.
How Hot Springs 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 Hot Springs is worth $165,500, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 3.5 times the median household income of $47,760, which is more affordable than 21% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $914 a month. 57.0% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hot Springs | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $165,500 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $914 | $792 |
| Median household income | $47,760 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 3.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 57.0% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1973 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 6.7% | — |
Who lives in Hot Springs
| People | Hot Springs | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 24.8% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.6% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.5% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 8.4% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 6.0% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 16.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 85.0% | 84.4% |
Weather in Hot Springs
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 32.0°F. About 58.0 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.1 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 77 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 59 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hot Springs since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 10 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an EF3, struck on April 25, 2011 about 7.0 miles from the town center and killed 1. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 1 deaths and 47 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on May 7, 2024.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 120 times; the largest was 3.50 inches on January 21, 1999.
Severe weather in Garland County since 1996
Garland County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, drought, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Garland County
Garland County had 38,005 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $46,226 a year. Unemployment was 3.7% in 2023; in Hot Springs itself the ACS puts it at 4.8%.
Public schools in Hot Springs
17 public schools with 8,880 students, about 13.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| LAKESIDE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 1,114 | 10.8 |
| HOT SPRINGS JUNIOR ACADEMY (charter) | 7-9 | 795 | 13.7 |
| HOT SPRINGS WORLD CLASS HIGH SCHOOL (charter) | 10-12 | 767 | 12.2 |
| LAKESIDE INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL | 2-4 | 705 | 16.4 |
| MAIN STREET VISUAL & PERFORMING ARTS MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-6 | 648 | 14.4 |
| LAKESIDE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 556 | 14.3 |
| LAKESIDE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 5-6 | 546 | 16.5 |
| LANGSTON ELEMENTARY LEADERSHIP ACADEMY MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-6 | 520 | 17.3 |
| OAKLAWN STEM MAGNET SCHOOL | PK-6 | 476 | 17.0 |
| FOUNTAIN LAKE ELEMENTARY | K-4 | 448 | 13.2 |
| LAKESIDE PRIMARY SCHOOL | K-1 | 443 | 13.8 |
| PARK MAGNET AN IB PYP WORLD CLASS SCHOOL | PK-6 | 437 | 19.0 |
Towns near Hot Springs
- Rockwell, AR5.1 mi · 4,548 people · home $289,800
- Piney, AR5.4 mi · 5,238 people · home $134,400
- Hot Springs Village, AR12.5 mi · 15,861 people · home $272,000
- Malvern, AR15.3 mi · 10,867 people · home $104,500
- Haskell, AR23.3 mi · 3,956 people · home $160,600
- Arkadelphia, AR25.0 mi · 10,380 people · home $179,300
- Benton, AR27.9 mi · 35,014 people · home $212,700
- Salem, AR29.5 mi · 2,544 people · home $202,100
Hot Springs questions
Is Hot Springs, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hot Springs scores better for retirees than 46% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 25%. 24.8% of residents are 65 or older (median age 45.3).
How much does a house cost in Hot Springs?
The median owner-occupied home in Hot Springs is valued at $165,500 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $47,760, so homes cost about 3.5 times income. Median rent is $914 a month.
What is the weather like in Hot Springs?
July highs average 93.1°F and January lows 32.0°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 58.0 inches of precipitation a year and 1.1 inches of snow.
Does Hot Springs get tornadoes?
23 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hot Springs since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was an EF3 on April 25, 2011. 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)