Arkansas · Census, HUD and BEA figures · Updated

Cost of Living in Hot Spring County, AR

Prices around Hot Spring County, AR run 13.1% below the U.S. average (BEA, Arkansas). The typical household there earns $55,405 a year, and HUD puts a two-bedroom at $880 a month. Keeping that rent under 30% of income takes about $35,200 a year.

Hot Spring County, AR at a glance

Median household income

$55,405$4,617 per month · U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year
2-bedroom rent$880HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent
Price level (U.S. = 100)86.9-13.1% · BEA, Arkansas
Electricity14.1¢per kWh · EIA Residential AR
Population33,180Census ACS 5-year estimate

How much rent can you afford in Hot Spring County, AR?

HUD’s fair market rent for each size, against what a typical household here earns. Change the income to see yours.

Affordable (< 30% of income)
HUD Fair Market Rent$880Monthly market rent
Share of gross income19.1%Recommended max: 30%
Annual income needed$35,200To meet the 30% standard
Max affordable rent$1,385At 30% of $55,405
0%30% (Affordability standard)100%
Compare against:

How much is rent in Hot Spring County, AR? By bedroom, 2026

HUD's fiscal 2026 Fair Market Rents for Hot Spring County, AR, with the income each one takes if rent stays under 30% of it.

HUD Fair Market Rent in Hot Spring County, AR, fiscal 2026
Unit SizeMonthly RentAnnual Rent30% Rule Min. Income% of Median Income
Studio / Efficiency$613$7,356$24,52013.3%
1-Bedroom Apartment$671$8,052$26,84014.5%
2-Bedroom ApartmentBenchmark$880$10,560$35,20019.1%
3-Bedroom Home$1,155$13,860$46,20025%
4-Bedroom Home$1,282$15,384$51,28027.8%

Rent in Hot Spring County, AR, with the wage each unit needs →

What a typical income covers in Hot Spring County, AR

The 50/30/20 rule applied to the local median of $55,405 a year ($4,617 a month before tax).

Needs (50%)$2,309/moRent ($880 2-BR), utilities (~$127/mo), groceries, transit
Wants (30%)$1,385/moEating out, travel, subscriptions and the rest
Savings and debt (20%)$923/moEmergency fund, retirement, paying down loans

What $55,405 leaves after Arkansas taxes

Federal income tax, Social Security, Medicare and Arkansas tax on the local median income. Change the salary to see yours.

$55,405
$20,000$115,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$55,405
Net 81%
Fed 8%
AR 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$45,082After all taxes
Monthly deposit$3,757Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,734Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate18.6%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,469 / yr
Arkansas state income tax$1,616 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,238 / yr

Living in Hot Spring County, AR: common questions

What is the median household income in Hot Spring County, AR?

According to the latest U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year survey, the median household income in Hot Spring County, AR is $55,405 per year (approximately $4,617 per month).

What is the average rent in Hot Spring County, AR?

The closest official figure is HUD's Fair Market Rent for 2026: $613 for a studio, $671 for one bedroom, $880 for two, $1,155 for three and $1,282 for four, utilities included.

It is not an average of listings. HUD sets it at the rent 40% of recent movers paid or less for a standard unit, so a new lease on a nicer place will usually cost more.

Is Hot Spring County, AR expensive to live in?

Prices there run 13.1% below the U.S. average. BEA's regional price parity for Arkansas is 86.9, where the U.S. is 100. Rent moves the number most: housing is where places differ, while goods cost about the same everywhere.

How much do you need to earn to comfortably afford rent in Hot Spring County, AR?

To keep a $880 two-bedroom under 30% of gross income, a household needs about $35,200 a year, or $2,933 a month. That is 64% of what the typical household in Hot Spring County, AR earns.

How much do you need to live comfortably in Hot Spring County, AR?

On the local median income of $55,405 ($4,617 a month before tax), the 50/30/20 rule leaves $2,309 a month for needs like rent, utilities and groceries, $1,385 for everything else and $923 for savings or debt. A two-bedroom at $880 takes 38% of the needs share.

How much is the electric bill in Hot Spring County, AR?

Homes in Arkansas paid 14.1¢ per kWh on average (EIA). At 900 kWh a month, a typical use, that is about $127. Your bill depends mostly on heating and cooling.