ARMap-doton-Perla, 2005
Perla’s story
128 years in pictures
Census counts: 227 in 1970, a low of 115 in 2000, 257 in 2020. The archive holds 1 old photo or paper going back to 2005 and 3 maps from 1948 on.
- 1898Perla is settled
PerlaAR
A town of 253, settled in 1898.
Population
253
2025 Census estimate · +0.4% since 2020
Median home value
$88K
Census ACS
Household income
$48K
median
Median age
32.5
years
Jobs based here
124
Balanced
Is Perla a good place to live?
35% of residents live below the poverty line in Perla, above both the Arkansas town median (18%) and the median of U.S. towns (9.6%). Among 124 Arkansas towns, just 1 have a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Perla. Perla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Small town
253 people, and everyone knows the way
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
Nearby towns
MalvernPerla
Getting set up
The full setup list →Moving to Perla: who provides what
Who provides power, water and the rest in Perla, and how to reach them.
PowerEntergy Arkansas13.4¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterMalvern WaterworksNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet3 providers99% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & dumpNot on file yetWe don’t have Perla’s trash rules yet
Register to voteIn personArkansas has no online registration; you can register in person until 30 days before Election Day or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.govWho runs elections hereHot Spring County ClerkHot Spring County; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Oct 2015
ZIP code7210472104 100%Census 2020
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
The data
Ordered by what stands out in Perla.
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in Perla
Perla has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. At 92°F, Perla’s July high is close to Arkansas’ towns (92°F) and above U.S. towns (85°F).
1″snow a winter
Typical low → high °F
Winter33–55°
Spring50–74°
Summer69–91°
Fall51–75°
Nov 5
typical first frost
Mar 31
typical last frost
+0.3°
vs. the 20th-century average
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Work & commute
Perla has 1.1 jobs for every working resident, and 122 people commute in
Most working residents leave Perla for work: only 2% work in town. Perla’s average trip to work is 14 minutes. Jobs based in Perla grew to 124 in 2023, 38 more than in 2013.
2%work in town
| Perla | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average trip to work | 14 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 1.8% | 22% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In Perla2%
Malvern27%
Little Rock12%
Hot Springs10%
Bryant4%
22 mi
median commute distance
124
jobs based in Perla
Balanced
jobs vs. working residents
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Health
How healthy Perla is
Perla beats the Arkansas average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 46% of Perla adults sleep under 7 hours.
| Perla | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 39% | 36% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 29% | 20% | 14% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 34% | 25% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 41% | 35% |
32 measures vs. Arkansas
1 better18 too close to call13 worse
| What stands out | Perla | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 6.4% | 8.2% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 17.2% | 10.4% |
Baptist Health Medical Center-Hot Springs County
0.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Natural hazards
Perla faces a moderate natural-hazard risk, led by inland flooding
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 56% of U.S. communities.
56risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves
2
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Nearby attractions
All 21 attractions →Hot Springs National Park and 15 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Perla. Close and well known come first.
18 mi National ParkHot Springs National Park2.5M visitors a year
37 mi National Historic SiteLittle Rock Central High School National Historic Site49K visitors a year
40 mi MuseumClinton Presidential Center17 mi Theme parkMagic Springs and Crystal Falls
40 mi Stadium & arenaSimmons Bank Arena
16 mi GardenGarvan Woodland GardensSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Hot Springs National Park: Unknown, Public domain · Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site: Adam Jones, Ph.D., CC BY-SA 3.0 · Clinton Presidential Center: Archipreneur, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Simmons Bank Arena: Quintin Soloviev, CC BY 4.0 · Garvan Woodland Gardens: Nngowen, CC BY-SA 4.0
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Keep exploring
Everything we know about Perla
16pages on Perla
The big questions
Out and about
The story
Day to day
After high school
Colleges nearby
1 within 15 miles of the center of Perla
About 2 of every 100 Perla residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
About Perla
Town in Arkansas, United States
Perla is a town in Hot Spring County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, Perla had a population of 257. The city's water association filed for Chapter 9 Bankruptcy in the Western District of Arkansas Bankruptcy Court on May 26, 2019.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 0.9 sq mi
- Elevation
- 335 ft
- Area code
- 501
Questions about Perla
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is Perla, AR a good place to live?
Perla has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.