Columbia County, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Columbia County, AR Population Density Map and Area Scores
Area Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below average
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 88% of counties in Arkansas
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 70% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 22,349 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 29.2 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.97% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 33.0 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,408 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Columbia County declined by 8.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 22,349 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Columbia County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 27.5% of residents. That is 6.0 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 6,147 27.5% +6.0 pts
- Millennials 29–44 3,846 17.2% -3.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,168 18.7% -0.5 pts
- Boomers 61–79 3,651 16.3% -1.8 pts
Residents by birth cohort, from the 2025 age distribution. The right-hand figure is how far each cohort's share sits above or below Arkansas, in percentage points. Children younger than Gen Z and the generations before the Boomers are counted in the population but not shown here, so these shares do not add up to 100%.
Male and female share
Women are 52.0% of the people living in Columbia County and men 48.0%.
- Women 52.0% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 48.0% Arkansas 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Columbia County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Columbia County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $52,232 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.64% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.2% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Columbia County is about 14% lower than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $27,499 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $648 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 70.7% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Columbia County is about 3.5 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $648 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Columbia County spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 137 hours, about 5.7 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.4 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 32.8 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 137 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,243 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,295 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 324 | 912 | 1,355 |
Fastest commutes among counties in
Arkansas:
Arkansas County (11.9 min), Phillips County (13.2 min), Howard County (13.4 min).
Slowest:
Perry County (32.2 min), Newton County (31.6 min), Madison County (31.1 min).
The average commute time in Columbia County is 16 minutes, shorter than the 19 minutes in Arkansas.
Estimated yearly cost applies a single national wage rule of thumb (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics average hourly earnings), not a measurement of wages in this area. Traffic volume figures come from proprietary Ticon and TrafficZoom data.
Education & Households
Columbia County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 17.0% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.41 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Highest education index among counties in
Arkansas:
Pulaski County (0.3), Benton County (0.3), Washington County (0.3).
Lowest:
Lee County (0.2), Lincoln County (0.2), Scott County (0.2).
Health
Columbia County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Columbia County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 77.1 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 24.3% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 22.8% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
Highest health index among counties in
Arkansas:
Benton County (0.8), Washington County (0.8), Newton County (0.8).
Lowest:
Phillips County (0.7), Chicot County (0.7), Desha County (0.8).
Columbia County, AR Compared With Nearby Counties
How Columbia County, AR compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia County, AR | 22,349 | $52,232 #1/3 | $27,499 #3/3 | 16.4 min #1/3 |
| Webster Parish, LA | 35,820 | $41,659 | $144,012 | 20.3 min |
| Ouachita County, AR | 22,085 | $48,857 | $86,219 | 18.4 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Columbia County, Arkansas.
How big is Columbia County, Arkansas by population?
About 22,349 people live in Columbia County, Arkansas, in 8,408 households of 2.4 people on average. The median age is 33.0, so residents are younger than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 4 years.
How densely populated is Columbia County, Arkansas?
Averaged over its land area, Columbia County, Arkansas has 29 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 34% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Columbia County, Arkansas?
The median home costs 0.5 times the median household income ($27,499 against $52,232), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $648 a month takes about 15% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Columbia County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Columbia County, Arkansas is only 3.2%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
How common is a college degree in Columbia County, Arkansas?
17.0% of adults in Columbia County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 6), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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