Hot Springs and Searcy receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Hot Springs
Searcy
Opportunity
57 · Top 49%
vs63 · Top 35%
Growth
77 · Top 8%
vs58 · Top 36%
Climate
66 · Bottom 36%
vs64 · Bottom 32%
Physical resilience
28 · Bottom 22%
vs30 · Bottom 24%
Housing affordability
83 · Top 45%
vs87 · Top 39%
Access
69 · Bottom 12%
vs72 · Bottom 14%
Economic stability
28 · Bottom 6%
vs32 · Bottom 8%
Measured values
| Metric | Hot Springs | Searcy | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 37,920 | 23,340 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $47,760 | $52,170 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,704 | $28,824 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,010/sq mi | 1,274/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $165,500 | $188,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $914 | $905 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.0% | 53.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 26.1% | 29.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 20.5% | 18.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 315 | 78 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 8.3 | 3.3 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 228.1% | -17.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 93°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 33°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 52.9" | 51.8" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 50 mi | 45 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.5 min | 18.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 45.3 | 32.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 17 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.94 | 12.65 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.1% | 53.6% | 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
Hot Springs
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail, earthquake.
Searcy
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, inland flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Hot Springs
58
Your Score
59
Area Score
Searcy
58
Your Score
59
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Hot Springs, AR · Searcy, AR · How this is calculated: methodology