Harrison receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Mountain Home
Harrison
Opportunity
56 · Top 50%
vs43 · Bottom 23%
Growth
66 · Top 22%
vs76 · Top 9%
Climate
74 · Top 32%
vs74 · Top 30%
Physical resilience
38 · Bottom 30%
vs47 · Bottom 37%
Housing affordability
71 · Bottom 35%
vs85 · Top 43%
Access
43 · Bottom 2%
vs61 · Bottom 7%
Economic stability
32 · Bottom 9%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Mountain Home | Harrison | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 13,108 | 13,350 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $41,274 | $44,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,579 | $27,205 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,091/sq mi | 1,197/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $169,800 | $169,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $865 | $753 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.9% | 54.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.6% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 3.1% | 0.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 23.1% | 15.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.8% | 14.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 55 | 119 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.2 | 8.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -11.3% | 138.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 28°F | 27°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 41.2" | 44.5" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 84 mi | 66 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 14.8 min | 17.6 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 47.1 | 40.9 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 9 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.35 | 10.47 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 41.9% | 58.5% | 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
Mountain Home
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, earthquake.
Harrison
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Mountain Home
54
Your Score
57
Area Score
Harrison
61
Your Score
60
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Mountain Home, AR · Harrison, AR · How this is calculated: methodology