The Town FilesHuntsville, Arkansas
City in Madison County · population 2,879 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $163,600
- Household income
- $57,813
- Jan low / Jul high
- 30° / 88°
- Snow a year
- 6 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 10
- Median age
- 33.8
Huntsville is a city of 2,879 people in Madison County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $163,600, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 97% of Arkansas towns, better for cycling than 93% of Arkansas towns, more of a college town than 85% of Arkansas towns.
How Huntsville 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 Huntsville is worth $163,600, above the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.8 times the median household income of $57,813, which is more affordable than 45% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $620 a month. 64.5% of households own their home.
| Housing | Huntsville | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $163,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $620 | $792 |
| Median household income | $57,813 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.8× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 64.5% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1979 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.1% | — |
Who lives in Huntsville
| People | Huntsville | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 33.8 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 16.1% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 34.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.3% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 19.8% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 10.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 5.3% | — |
| Work from home | 9.0% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 25.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.5% | 84.4% |
Weather in Huntsville
July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 29.5°F. About 45.6 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 5.6 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 34 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 67 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntsville since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 3 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 20, 1962 about 1.7 miles from the town center. The most recent was on May 19, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 38 times; the largest was 2.75 inches on May 1, 2009.
Severe weather in Madison County since 1996
Madison County has been included in 30 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 |
| 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 |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Madison County
Madison County had 3,680 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,603 a year. Unemployment was 2.6% in 2023; in Huntsville itself the ACS puts it at 3.3%.
Public schools in Huntsville
4 public schools with 2,047 students, about 12.7 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| HUNTSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 604 | 9.7 |
| HUNTSVILLE MIDDLE SCHOOL | 6-8 | 513 | 12.8 |
| WATSON PRIMARY SCHOOL | K-2 | 483 | 15.1 |
| HUNTSVILLE INTERMEDIATE SCH | 3-5 | 447 | 16.6 |
Towns near Huntsville
- Elkins, AR17.2 mi · 3,602 people · home $212,500
- Berryville, AR20.9 mi · 5,682 people · home $165,400
- Green Forest, AR23.5 mi · 2,972 people · home $143,200
- Fayetteville, AR24.3 mi · 93,949 people · home $349,600
- Springdale, AR24.4 mi · 84,161 people · home $261,800
- Johnson, AR24.7 mi · 3,609 people · home $312,900
- Lowell, AR25.8 mi · 9,839 people · home $284,200
- Holiday Island, AR26.6 mi · 2,533 people · home $227,100
Huntsville questions
Is Huntsville, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Huntsville scores better for retirees than 6% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 8%. 16.1% of residents are 65 or older (median age 33.8).
How much does a house cost in Huntsville?
The median owner-occupied home in Huntsville is valued at $163,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $57,813, so homes cost about 2.8 times income. Median rent is $620 a month.
What is the weather like in Huntsville?
July highs average 88.2°F and January lows 29.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 45.6 inches of precipitation a year and 5.6 inches of snow.
Does Huntsville get tornadoes?
10 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Huntsville since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 20, 1962. 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)