Many artists have sung songs about a "Mountain Home," among them Dolly Parton, Owen Temple, the Original Carter Family and Owen Campbell. Most of the songs speak wistfully about going home to place well-remembered and deeply missed.
It's that way with Mountain Home, AR, a small city nestled in the Southern Ozark Mountains and surrounded by two lakes, three rivers, numerous streams, a national fish hatchery and "the good life
Many artists have sung songs about a "Mountain Home," among them Dolly Parton, Owen Temple, the Original Carter Family and Owen Campbell. Most of the songs speak wistfully about going home to place well-remembered and deeply missed.
It's that way with Mountain Home, AR, a small city nestled in the Southern Ozark Mountains and surrounded by two lakes, three rivers, numerous streams, a national fish hatchery and "the good life." It feels like a good place to call home! With a population of 12,449 at the 2010 census, this city has a proud history dating back to 1888, and it is a world-class fishing destination as well as the center of a major recreational area.
Thinking of Moving Here?
Termed an "undiscovered haven" by U.S. Retirement Magazine, Mountain Home also is one of the top 10 destinations for sportsmen and is rated number two for fishing by Field and Stream. It is the center of a major tourism area that includes rustic and unspoiled wilderness areas as well as proximity to the entertainment center of Branson, MO. The quiet life and unspoiled surroundings appeal to locals as well as visitors, but there is plenty of shopping and opportunities for fun.
Other good news -- the cost of living is low, the employment rate is stable and there is a variety of housing available, from furnished apartments to short-term vacation rentals without a lease. Or, if you decide you want to stay and build a custom home, there are scenic building sites as well.
Come to Mountain Home with cash resources for a deposit and your first month's rent. You should also have references and an acceptable credit rating. Because this is a popular vacation area, you might want to begin your apartment search well in advance of your planned move, and try to spend a few days getting familiar with the town before you contact the movers.
You should like the outdoors, but you'll be able to buy your hiking boots and fishing gear after you get home from work; Mountain Home residents report that their average commute time is 11.23 minutes.
Neighborhoods of Mountain Home
So, where should you look for apartment homes and house rentals? Well, that depends on what you like. There are several defined neighborhoods in Mountain Home.
City Center: The original central area is quaint and charming, dotted with some individual homes, a few townhouses and condos, duplexes and some smaller apartment buildings. Here you'll also find local craft shops, gift shops, bookstores and fly-fishing outfitters. Da Backyard Restaurant and Old Tyme Restaurant on the Square will also be close to studio apartments for rent in this area.
Route 201 / County Road 25: This area to the west of Highway 62 is a popular residential area with a mix of owners and renters and a variety of housing options. Small apartment buildings join houses, townhomes and a few newer apartment complexes in Mountain Home, and it's still a quite walkable area. You might find a duplex for rent on one of the curving streets that wander through this stream-filled neighborhood.
Route 5 / Kentwood Drive: This area of some relatively newer homes and apartment buildings boasts Big Creek Golf and Country Club, as well as a large medical center, but it is still a quiet, sparsely populated, walkable area. If you're looking for two-bedroom apartments or one-bedroom apartments for rent in a complex with a pool and fitness room, this is where you should look.
Fitting In, Being Active
When you're in Mountain Home, you won't have to look far to find friends. Folks here love to talk to their neighbors and share fishing tales, among other good times. You can quickly be at Bull Shoals Lake, or fishing with a guide on the White River. Flippen is a great place to launch your boat, or just to meet a group of friends for some fresh-caught trout. If you go the other direction on Highway 62, you'll come to Fred's Fish House at Norfolk Lake -- feast on some of the best catfish you'll find anywhere.
For shopping, there are local shops and outlet malls, antique stores, and consignment villages. But it's kind of like the words to those songs -- the best part of living in Mountain Home may be: "On a distant hilltop an eagle spreads its wings, and a songbird on a fencepost sings a melody." So get outside!