Desha County, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Desha 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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D
Health Well below averageAmong the 3 least healthy counties in Arkansas
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 92% of counties in Arkansas
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F
Education Well below averageLess educated than 81% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 10,741 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 13.2 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.64% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 43.9 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 4,607 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Desha County declined by 21.9% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 10,741 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Desha County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 21.0% of residents. That is 1.8 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 2,131 19.8% -1.7 pts
- Millennials 29–44 1,887 17.6% -3.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 2,250 21.0% +1.8 pts
- Boomers 61–79 2,055 19.1% +1.0 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 52.6% of the people living in Desha County and men 47.4%.
- Women 52.6% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 47.4% Arkansas 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Desha County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Desha County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $38,194 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.66% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.0% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Desha County is about 37% lower than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $1,250,000 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $718 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 56.7% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Desha County is about 145.1 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $718 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Desha County spend about 31 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 130 hours, about 5.4 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 15.6 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 31.2 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 130 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,030 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 3.8% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 40 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 413 | 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 Desha 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
Desha County has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 12.4% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.30 | 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
Desha County has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | Desha County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.1 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 29.7% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 26.6% | 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).
Desha County, AR Compared With Nearby Counties
How Desha County, AR compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Desha County, AR | 10,741 | $38,194 #2/2 | $1,250,000 #1/2 | 15.6 min #1/2 |
| Bolivar County, MS | 29,520 | $39,667 | $343,877 | 15.9 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Desha County, Arkansas.
What is the population of Desha County, Arkansas?
About 10,741 people live in Desha County, Arkansas, in 4,607 households of 2.3 people on average. The median age is 43.9, so residents are older than the U.S. median of 37.3 by about 7 years.
Is Desha County, Arkansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Desha County, Arkansas has 13 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 15% of the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Desha County, Arkansas?
The median home costs 32.7 times the median household income ($1,250,000 against $38,194), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $718 a month takes about 23% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Desha County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Desha County, Arkansas is 8.0%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How educated are people in Desha County, Arkansas?
12.4% of adults in Desha County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 8), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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