Benton vs Hot Springs
Benton, Arkansas versus Hot Springs, Arkansas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Benton and Hot Springs score about the same overall (42 vs 43 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Benton | Hot Springs |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $47k |
| Cost of Living | $48k | $45k |
| Home Value | $187k | $148k |
| Monthly Rent | $955 | $857 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.68% | 0.54% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 9.45% | 9.45% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.42% | 9.24% |
| Unemployment | 3.8% | 5.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 41°F | 42°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 53.4 in | 58.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.3 in | 1.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 209 days | 209 days |
| Summer Humidity | 71°F | 71°F |
| Comfortable Days | 81 days | 75 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 47.4 | 58.3 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 51 AQI |
| School Quality | 29.6 | 54.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1632/100k | 2271/100k |
| Property Crime | 2811/100k | 5870/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 35,318 | 38,025 |
| Median Age | 37.2 | 44.7 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.29 | 0.44 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | R+42 | R+35 |
| White (%) | 81.0% | 65.9% |
| Black (%) | 9.0% | 17.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.5% | 10.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.5% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.0% | 5.0% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 23 min | 18 min |
| Walkability | 7.9/20 | 10.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 151 mi | 179 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 87.4% | 80.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.48 | 17.62 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Benton or Hot Springs more affordable?
- Hot Springs has the lower cost of living: its index is $45k, compared with Benton's $48k and Hot Springs's $45k. Median rent is $955 in Benton versus $857 in Hot Springs.
- Is Benton or Hot Springs safer?
- Benton has the lower violent crime rate. Benton reports 1632/100k and Hot Springs reports 2271/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Benton or Hot Springs?
- The median home value is $187k in Benton and $148k in Hot Springs, so homes are more affordable in Hot Springs.