Jobs, pay and daily life in Hot Springs, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Hot Springs is a city in Arkansas with 37,920 residents. The median household earns $47,760 a year and the median rent is $914 a month, which is 23.0% of the median household income. It is part of the Hot Springs, AR metropolitan area, where BLS counts 38,600 jobs.
How Hot Springs compares. Among the 60 largest places in Arkansas, Hot Springs is #11 by population, #43 for household income (#1 = highest), #24 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #26 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Garland County, is #33 of 75 counties for average pay ($46,226).
Hot Springs has 37,920 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 1.2% of the population of Arkansas. It covers 38 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,010 people per square mile. The median age is 45.3, 18% older than the state median (45.3 against 38.5).
The median gross rent is $914 a month (rent plus utilities), 3% below the state median ($914 against $947). Over a year that is 23.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $165,500, which is 3.5 times the median household income ($47,760); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 57.0% of households own their home, 14% below the state average (57.0% against 66.4%).
The Hot Springs, AR metropolitan area has 38,600 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $36,540 a year, 28% below the national median ($36,540 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,220 jobs, median $26,800); sales and related (4,280 jobs, median $30,000); office and administrative support (4,230 jobs, median $36,270). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.5 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are food preparation and serving related ($26,800). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Garland County was 3.7%. 55.4% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Garland County; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 76.1% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 2.8% walk, 6.8% work from home. 7.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 38% below the state average (7.0% against 11.4%).
26.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, about the same as the state share (26.1% against 25.7%). 6.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 10% above the state share (6.0% against 5.4%). The poverty rate is 20.6%, 29% above the state rate (20.6% against 16.0%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.8°C), and the coolest is Jan at 39°F (4.0°C). About 1,407 mm (55 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; May is the wettest month (156 mm) and Jan the driest (87 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Hot Springs Village (13 miles, rent 32% higher); Malvern (15 miles, rent 16% lower); Arkadelphia (25 miles, rent 11% lower); Benton (28 miles, rent 17% higher). Rent differences are against Hot Springs; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Arkansas (245) →State guide: ArkansasCountry guideGarland CountyArkansas rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 245 federal postings open in Arkansas (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Arkansas →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 1,620 | 1.67 | $27,890 | $22,900 | $39,550 | -21% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,260 | 1.32 | $23,350 | $22,880 | $30,620 | -25% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,160 | 1.38 | $78,590 | $59,760 | $122,360 | -19% |
| Cashiers | 1,120 | 1.47 | $27,840 | $22,880 | $33,630 | -15% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,080 | 1.24 | $62,810 | $31,160 | $153,070 | -41% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,030 | 1.83 | $23,550 | $22,880 | $37,440 | -33% |
| Office Clerks, General | 930 | 1.52 | $34,990 | $24,710 | $49,180 | -22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 860 | 1.23 | $32,130 | $28,330 | $37,500 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 810 | 2.25 | $29,940 | $29,550 | $37,800 | -29% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 760 | 0.71 | $25,740 | $23,790 | $31,840 | -28% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 690 | 1.96 | $29,260 | $23,610 | $35,810 | -22% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 660 | 1.21 | $27,510 | $24,110 | $35,150 | -25% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.70 | $33,540 | $27,150 | $50,310 | -24% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 480 | 1.72 | $35,390 | $26,950 | $65,930 | -27% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 470 | 0.73 | $34,150 | $29,590 | $47,630 | -24% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 430 | 0.59 | $32,190 | $26,240 | $42,820 | -20% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 410 | 1.08 | $34,190 | $25,580 | $53,670 | -31% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 410 | 2.53 | $56,120 | $46,930 | $64,120 | -13% |
| Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 400 | 1.86 | $27,810 | $23,100 | $31,140 | -22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 400 | 1.11 | $52,790 | $35,190 | $80,350 | -24% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Registered Nurses | 1,160 | 1.38 | $78,590 | $59,760 | $122,360 | -19% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,080 | 1.24 | $62,810 | $31,160 | $153,070 | -41% |
| Office Clerks, General | 930 | 1.52 | $34,990 | $24,710 | $49,180 | -22% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | 510 | 1.70 | $33,540 | $27,150 | $50,310 | -24% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 860 | 1.23 | $32,130 | $28,330 | $37,500 | -14% |
| Nursing Assistants | 810 | 2.25 | $29,940 | $29,550 | $37,800 | -29% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 690 | 1.96 | $29,260 | $23,610 | $35,810 | -22% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,620 | 1.67 | $27,890 | $22,900 | $39,550 | -21% |
| Cashiers | 1,120 | 1.47 | $27,840 | $22,880 | $33,630 | -15% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 660 | 1.21 | $27,510 | $24,110 | $35,150 | -25% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 760 | 0.71 | $25,740 | $23,790 | $31,840 | -28% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,030 | 1.83 | $23,550 | $22,880 | $37,440 | -33% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,260 | 1.32 | $23,350 | $22,880 | $30,620 | -25% |
These figures are for the whole Hot Springs, AR metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $36,540 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.7% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 21.2% |
| Retail trade | 17.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 16.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 8.7% |
| Other services | 8.2% |
| Manufacturing | 8.0% |
| Construction | 5.0% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.2% |
| Public administration | 3.0% |
| Information | 2.1% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.9% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Hot Springs lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garland County | 100,035 | $4,738 million | $47,364 | 38,005 | 3,256 | $46,226 | +0.1% | 3.7% | 44,401 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,892 | 23.3% | $57,737 | 1.45 |
| Accommodation and food services | 6,153 | 18.2% | $23,976 | 1.78 |
| Retail trade | 6,026 | 17.8% | $35,984 | 1.59 |
| Manufacturing | 2,151 | 6.4% | $55,461 | 0.69 |
| Construction | 2,008 | 5.9% | $51,159 | 1.01 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,734 | 5.1% | $37,399 | 0.78 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 1,714 | 5.1% | $32,933 | 2.68 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,055 | 3.1% | $34,768 | 0.92 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,007 | 3.0% | $63,199 | 0.38 |
| Finance and insurance | 881 | 2.6% | $74,749 | 0.57 |
| Wholesale trade | 879 | 2.6% | $65,015 | 0.59 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 710 | 2.1% | $59,269 | 0.44 |
| Information | 449 | 1.3% | $41,433 | 0.63 |
| Real estate and rental | 447 | 1.3% | $44,624 | 0.76 |
| Management of companies | 245 | 0.7% | $90,128 | 0.38 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 157 | 0.5% | $59,480 | 1.09 |
| Educational services | 130 | 0.4% | $30,261 | 0.17 |
| Utilities | 120 | 0.4% | $95,443 | 0.83 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 75 | 0.2% | $47,130 | 0.24 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 76.1% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 2.8% |
| Work from home | 6.8% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,760 |
| Income per person | $31,704 |
| Median gross rent per month | $914 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.0% |
| Median home value | $165,500 |
| Homeowners | 57.0% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.7 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $36,540 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set; graduated states show 0 until you enter your own estimate. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Graduated, top rate 3.90%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 45.3 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.6% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 26.1% |
| Born abroad | 6.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 55.4% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 4.0 | 39 | 87 |
| Feb | 6.0 | 43 | 117 |
| Mar | 11.1 | 52 | 137 |
| Apr | 16.1 | 61 | 146 |
| May | 20.8 | 69 | 156 |
| Jun | 25.7 | 78 | 99 |
| Jul | 27.8 | 82 | 105 |
| Aug | 27.6 | 82 | 105 |
| Sep | 23.5 | 74 | 97 |
| Oct | 16.8 | 62 | 121 |
| Nov | 10.4 | 51 | 107 |
| Dec | 5.5 | 42 | 130 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hot Springs Village | AR | 13 mi | 16,327 | $75,370 | $1,209 |
| Malvern | AR | 15 mi | 10,953 | $46,250 | $764 |
| Arkadelphia | AR | 25 mi | 10,099 | $48,657 | $814 |
| Benton | AR | 28 mi | 36,595 | $72,876 | $1,072 |
| Bryant | AR | 33 mi | 21,504 | $83,024 | $993 |
| East End | AR | 41 mi | 6,912 | $87,936 | $1,071 |
| Little Rock | AR | 43 mi | 203,436 | $63,003 | $1,106 |
| Maumelle | AR | 45 mi | 19,373 | $103,333 | $1,047 |
| Morrilton | AR | 49 mi | 7,080 | $47,572 | $717 |
| North Little Rock | AR | 51 mi | 64,538 | $52,707 | $1,069 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
37,920 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$914 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.0% of the median household income.
$47,760 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.7% (BLS county, Garland County (latest month 2026M09)).
Arkansas. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.