The Town FilesHope, Arkansas
City in Hempstead County · population 8,952 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $91,900
- Household income
- $37,500
- Jan low / Jul high
- 32° / 92°
- Snow a year
- 2 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 27
- Median age
- 41.3
Hope is a city of 8,952 people in Hempstead County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $91,900, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better transit than 88% of Arkansas towns, more vibrant than 83% of Arkansas towns, more walkable than 76% of Arkansas towns.
How Hope ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Hope is worth $91,900, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.5 times the median household income of $37,500, which is more affordable than 62% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $823 a month. 60.4% of households own their home.
| Housing | Hope | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $91,900 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $823 | $792 |
| Median household income | $37,500 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.5× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 60.4% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1976 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 2.8% | — |
Who lives in Hope
| People | Hope | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 41.3 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 19.4% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 25.7% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 14.2% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.4% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 3.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 10.0% | — |
| Work from home | 2.3% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 19.4 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 78.8% | 84.4% |
Weather in Hope
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 31.5°F. About 55.7 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 2.1 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 71 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 65 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hope since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 11 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on March 1, 1997 about 9.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 5 deaths and 12 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on April 5, 2025.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 58 times; the largest was 3.00 inches on May 18, 2001.
Severe weather in Hempstead County since 1996
Hempstead County has been included in 26 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for flood, tornado, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| May 21, 2025 | Flood | DR-4873: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Hempstead County
Hempstead County had 7,628 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $45,282 a year. Unemployment was 3.4% in 2023; in Hope itself the ACS puts it at 6%.
Public schools in Hope
9 public schools with 2,858 students, about 11.4 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| WM. JEFFERSON CLINTON PRIMARY SCHOOL | PK-4 | 930 | 18.2 |
| HOPE HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 606 | 7.1 |
| SPRING HILL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | PK-6 | 354 | 16.9 |
| SPRING HILL HIGH SCHOOL | 7-12 | 286 | 6.7 |
| HOPE ACADEMY OF PUBLIC SERVICE | 5-8 | 226 | 14.1 |
| BERYL HENRY UPPER ELEM. SCHOOL | 5-6 | 209 | 14.9 |
| YERGER JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL | 7-8 | 191 | 11.2 |
| CREATIVE ACTION TEAM SCHOOL | K-12 | 56 | 14.0 |
| UA HOPE TEXARKANA TECHNICAL CENTER | 9-12 | — | — |
Towns near Hope
- Prescott, AR14.7 mi · 3,101 people · home $82,400
- Nashville, AR24.2 mi · 4,153 people · home $167,600
- Texarkana, AR28.0 mi · 29,387 people · home $170,200
Hope questions
Is Hope, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Hope scores better for retirees than 26% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 16%. 19.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 41.3).
How much does a house cost in Hope?
The median owner-occupied home in Hope is valued at $91,900 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $37,500, so homes cost about 2.5 times income. Median rent is $823 a month.
What is the weather like in Hope?
July highs average 92.1°F and January lows 31.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 55.7 inches of precipitation a year and 2.1 inches of snow.
Does Hope get tornadoes?
27 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Hope since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on March 1, 1997. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)