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Compare towns

Des Arc vs Mount Ida

124 miles apart. The biggest differences: growth since 2010 (+18.3 pts in Des Arc) and property tax bill (+68% in Mount Ida).

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Des Arc, ARKnown for its schoolsArkansas · 1,591 people
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Mount Ida, AROne of the healthiest townsArkansas · 1,376 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

Des ArcKnown for its schools
SchoolsBetter than 99%of AR districts Health93% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates History21 archive photos & papers8 places on the National Register All about Des Arc →
Mount IdaOne of the healthiest towns
Health90% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 71%of AR districts HistorySettled in 18902 places on the National Register All about Mount Ida →
The biggest differences

Where they differ most

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Growth since 2010+18.3 pts
Des Arc has grown faster since 2010
Des Arc +10.9%Mount Ida -7.4%
Property tax bill+68%
Tax bills are bigger in Mount Ida
Mount Ida $768Des Arc $456
Jobs per worker+55%
Mount Ida is more of a job hub
Mount Ida 1.41Des Arc 0.91
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $880 more a month in Mount Ida

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Des Arc$510/mo
Typical home $91K (Census) · tax rate 0.50% · or rent about $424/mo · Housing →
Mount Ida$1,390/mo
Typical home $244K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.55% · or rent about $576/mo · Housing →

The difference: $880 a month, about $10,500 a year, between Mount Ida and Des Arc.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Arkansas ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Safety
C+Des ArcSafer than 44% of U.S. towns –Mount IdaNot graded
Schools
A+Des ArcBetter than 99% of districts in the state B+Mount IdaBetter than 71% of districts in the state
Health
DDes ArcHealthier than 7% of U.S. towns DMount IdaHealthier than 10% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
Des ArcMount Ida
Snow a year2″3″
January low33°F—
July high92°F—
Growing season (days)247d—
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)85th67th
Outdoors & history
Des ArcMount Ida
Trails2 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled—1890
National Register places82
Archive photos2113
Famous people born here4—
Community
Des ArcMount Ida
Library hours a week23 hrs34 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

124 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

Des ArcARMount IdaAR
Des Arc ↔ Mount Ida124 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

Des ArcMount Ida
People
Population 1,591Highest 1,376Lowest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census +10.9%Highest AR: +3.3% -7.4%Lowest AR: +3.3%
Median age 48.8±5.9Highest 27% above AR 47.8±11.8Lowest 24% above AR
Des Arc and Mount Ida are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 12.6%±5.2Lowest AR: 23.1% 20.4%±5.9Highest AR: 23.1%
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 25.9%±6.5Lowest AR: 17.6% 31.4%±6.6Highest AR: 17.6%
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 10.1%Lowest AR: 25.7% 12.5%Highest AR: 25.7%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 1.7%±1.8Lowest AR: 5.1% 5.2%±3.7Highest AR: 5.1%
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $30,921±$4kLowest 49% below AR $37,045±$11kHighest 39% below AR
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $90,700±$20kLowest 52% below AR $140,900±$62kHighest 25% below AR
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $424±$202Lowest 55% below AR $576±$148Highest 39% below AR
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $456Lowest 56% below AR $768Highest 26% below AR
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 49.1%±12.9Lowest AR: 44.8% 66.8%±10.6Highest AR: 44.8%
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 20%Lowest AR: 16% 32.6%Highest AR: 16%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 62.2%Highest AR: 66.4% 56%Lowest AR: 66.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1976Lowest 11 yrs older than AR 1979Highest 8 yrs older than AR
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 21 minLowest 5% below AR 22 minHighest about the AR average
Work from home 2.5%±3.4Lowest AR: 8.8% 6.9%±8.9Highest AR: 8.8%
Mount Ida and Des Arc are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 15.4%Lowest 20.4%Highest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 35.3 miHighest 24.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 0.91Lowest 1.41Highest
Top workplaceoutside town Little Rock (12%)Hot Springs (14%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in Mount IdaFew work in Des Arc
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0%Lowest 1.1%Highest
Trailsmapped miles 2.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 1.0 miHighest 0.0 miLowest
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 0 0
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 78.5Lowest 79.0Highest
Schools
School district DES ARC SCHOOL DISTRICTMOUNT IDA SCHOOL DISTRICT
High school in town Des Arc High SchoolMount Ida High School
Students per teacherat that high school 12.2Highest 5.0Lowest
Arkansas average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Des Arc neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Des Arc’s Town Square.

Mount Ida neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Mount Ida’s Town Square.

Add a town

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Towns like Des Arc

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Eudora1,868 people · $58K homes
Not sure which town to add? Find your place ranks Arkansas towns on what matters to you.Find your place →

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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