Independence County, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Independence 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 averageHealthier than 85% of counties in Arkansas
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D
Income Well below average
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D
Education Well below averageBetter educated than 76% of counties in Arkansas
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 38,178 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 49.5 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.38% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.4 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 14,638 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Independence County grew by 10.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 38,178 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Independence County is Gen X, aged 45–60, at 20.8% of residents. That is 1.6 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 7,885 20.7% -0.9 pts
- Millennials 29–44 7,516 19.7% -1.2 pts
- Gen X 45–60 7,942 20.8% +1.6 pts
- Boomers 61–79 6,776 17.7% -0.4 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 50.2% of the people living in Independence County and men 49.8%.
- Women 50.2% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 49.8% Arkansas 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Independence County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Independence County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $56,758 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 5.06% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 3.9% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Independence County is about 7% lower than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $18,924 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $845 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 69.2% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Independence County is about 1.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $845 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Independence County spend about 34 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 141 hours, about 5.9 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 17.0 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.9 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 141 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,384 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.8% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 2,832 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 631 | 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 Independence County is 17 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
Independence County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 16.0% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.54 | 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
Independence County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Independence County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 76.6 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 20.4% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 21.7% | 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).
Independence County, AR Compared With Nearby Counties
How Independence County, AR compares with the 2 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Independence County, AR | 38,178 | $56,758 #1/3 | $18,924 #3/3 | 17.0 min #1/3 |
| Cleburne County, AR | 25,225 | $56,072 | $65,891 | 17.8 min |
| White County, AR | 77,839 | $55,913 | $82,210 | 17.2 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Independence County, Arkansas.
How big is Independence County, Arkansas by population?
About 38,178 people live in Independence County, Arkansas, in 14,638 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Independence County, Arkansas?
Averaged over its land area, Independence County, Arkansas has 50 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 57% of the U.S. average of 86.
How affordable is housing in Independence County, Arkansas?
The median home costs 0.3 times the median household income ($18,924 against $56,758), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $845 a month takes about 18% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is unemployment high in Independence County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Independence County, Arkansas is only 3.9%, well below the U.S. rate of 5.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What share of adults in Independence County, Arkansas have a college degree?
16.0% of adults in Independence 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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