72501 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
72501
71901
Opportunity
66 · Top 27%
vs57 · Top 44%
Growth
77 · Top 7%
vs78 · Top 7%
Climate
72 · Top 44%
vs66 · Bottom 38%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 25%
vs27 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
96 · Top 18%
vs93 · Top 26%
Access
50 · Bottom 4%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
29 · Bottom 8%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 72501 | 71901 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 26,218 | 28,937 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $52,829 | $53,514 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $30,545 | $32,857 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 86/sq mi | 284/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $147,900 | $190,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $862 | $825 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 65.1% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.1% | 0.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 20.9% | 26.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 22.2% | 20.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 37 | 315 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.2 | 8.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 117.6% | 228.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 26°F | 33°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 48.9" | 52.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 80 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.3 min | 22.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.0 | 43.0 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 10 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.78 | 13.48 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 59.1% | 50.7% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
72501
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave.
71901
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, inland flooding.
Full profiles: 72501 — Batesville, AR · 71901 — Hot Springs, AR · How this is calculated: methodology