1st Advantage MortgageThe median Hot Spring County household earns $55,405, and 15% of residents live below the poverty line. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Hot Spring County by the numbers
- Household income in Hot Spring County
- How Hot Spring County residents earn a living
- What it costs to live in Hot Spring County
- Regional comparison for Hot Spring County
- Hot Spring County towns compared
- Room for a loan payment in Hot Spring County
- Hot Spring County households compared
- Local borrowing considerations for Hot Spring County
- Lender oversight for Hot Spring County
- Four steps for Hot Spring County borrowers
- More guides for Hot Spring County
- Frequently asked questions
Hot Spring County by the numbers
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Hot Spring County's population at 33,180; only 21 of Arkansas's 75 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 615 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 54 per square mile. No metropolitan area includes Hot Spring County in the 2023 federal delineation, so its numbers stand on their own rather than as part of a metro. The Census Bureau counts 9 places in the county (6 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Malvern, with about 10,953 residents, or 33% of the county.
Household income in Hot Spring County
Hot Spring County households have a median income of $55,405 (ACS 2020 to 2024), which ranks 22nd of 75 in Arkansas.
| Band | Hot Spring County | Compared with Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 30.6% | +1.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 45.3% | +2.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.4% | +0.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 2.6% | -4.1 pts |
Some 31% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 24% have six-figure incomes. Census counts 15.1% of Hot Spring County residents in poverty, against 16.0% across Arkansas. For a borrower in Hot Spring County, the county median is only context: a lender looks at the income you can document, so pay stubs, benefit letters or tax returns matter more than any average.
How Hot Spring County residents earn a living
Education and health care employs 26% of working residents, the largest share; retail trade is next with 15%. Compared with Arkansas, the county leans toward retail trade (15% against 13%). Averaged over the five survey years, 3.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking. 23% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 4% work from home. Households without a car make up 5.3% of the total (5.9% statewide).
| Where residents work | Hot Spring County | Difference from Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.9% | +2.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 15.3% | +2.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 11.5% | -1.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.8% | +1.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.3% | -1.0 pts |
| Construction | 7.1% | -0.2 pts |
Industry shapes paperwork. Salaried and public jobs are easy to verify, while hourly, tipped, commission or contract earners in Hot Spring County should have bank statements and tax returns ready.
What it costs to live in Hot Spring County
A typical Hot Spring County rental runs $768 a month including utilities, which is 19% below Arkansas. 34% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 22% spend half or more. With a median value of $151,100, a typical Hot Spring County house costs 2.7 times what the median household earns in a year. The ownership rate is 76%. Median construction year: 1979.
| Measure | Hot Spring County | Arkansas | Median U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $768/mo | $947/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $151,100 | $188,000 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 76% | 66% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 34% | 45% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 19% | 22% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 22.9% | 11.0% | n/a |
Because most Hot Spring County households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral.
Regional comparison for Hot Spring County
Six nearby counties, 22 to 42 miles away by the straight-line distance between their centers. Income ranges from $42,500 in Dallas County to $79,046 in Saline County; 3 of these neighbors top Hot Spring County's median.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Spring County | - | $55,405 | $768/mo | 76% |
| Garland County, AR | 22 mi | $57,181 | $966/mo | 69% |
| Clark County, AR | 22 mi | $52,034 | $793/mo | 65% |
| Saline County, AR | 28 mi | $79,046 | $1,033/mo | 78% |
| Dallas County, AR | 29 mi | $42,500 | $627/mo | 73% |
| Grant County, AR | 30 mi | $71,549 | $788/mo | 81% |
| Pike County, AR | 42 mi | $49,269 | $686/mo | 75% |
Hot Spring County towns compared
Here are the 9 most populous of the county's 9 Census places, with income and rent from the same 2020 to 2024 survey. About 43% of Hot Spring County residents live in one of the 9. Incomes vary by place: $96,250 at the median in Midway, $46,250 in Malvern. No Hot Spring County place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 9.
| Name | Kind | Pop. | Income | Rent | Miles |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Malvern | city | 10,953 | $46,250 | $764 | 8 mi |
| Magnet Cove | CDP | 889 | n/a | n/a | 11 mi |
| Rockport | city | 800 | $68,750 | $844 | 10 mi |
| Midway | town | 728 | $96,250 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Donaldson | town | 377 | $66,250 | $924 | 6 mi |
| Jones Mills | CDP | 230 | $53,750 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Friendship | town | 168 | $55,625 | $694 | 7 mi |
| Perla | town | 141 | $47,500 | $665 | 10 mi |
| Bismarck | CDP | 41 | n/a | n/a | 13 mi |
Room for a loan payment in Hot Spring County
Lenders compare monthly debt payments with gross monthly income, the debt-to-income ratio. For a Hot Spring County household at the medians it works out like this; treat it as an illustration only.
- Monthly gross at the median, Hot Spring County: $4,617
- Housing at the median rent of $768 uses 17%
- Under a 35% cap, $1,616 total minus rent leaves $848
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,310 left for all other debt payments
If your rent is above $768, the room shrinks dollar for dollar.
Hot Spring County households compared
College graduates make up 18% of the adult population. 7.2% of residents have no health coverage.
| Indicator | Hot Spring County | All of Arkansas | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 43.1 | 38.5 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.5% | 25.7% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 10.2% | 11.3% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 7.2% | 9.0% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.3% | 5.9% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 4.3% | 8.8% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.1% | 16.0% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 3.7% | 4.9% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Hot Spring County workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 24.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 29.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 23.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 10.3% |
| 60+ min | 12.6% |
Local borrowing considerations for Hot Spring County
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Hot Spring County borrowers.
- Vehicle repairs. 23% of Hot Spring County workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Mobile home upkeep. 23% of units fall in this category; roof, skirting and HVAC jobs are common reasons to borrow.
- Fraud. Gift cards, wire transfers or fees to unlock a loan mean walk away (report it).
Lender oversight for Hot Spring County
No county office licenses personal lenders. For Hot Spring County, check the Arkansas State Bank Department. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Arkansas state guide for the statewide picture.
Four steps for Hot Spring County borrowers
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Know the exact dollar figure you need before talking to a lender.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Arkansas.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
More guides for Hot Spring County
The Arkansas guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Hot Spring County earn?
The median is $55,405; 24% earn $100,000 or more and 31% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Hot Spring County?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $768 a month; 34% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Hot Spring County. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 76% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
What are the biggest places in Hot Spring County?
By population: Malvern, Magnet Cove, Rockport, Midway, Donaldson. The county has 9 Census places in all.
Are Hot Spring County applicants treated differently?
No. Everyone answers the same questions and is screened on the same objective points; lending partners set their own criteria under fair-lending laws.