Jefferson County, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Jefferson 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 averageLess healthy than 85% of counties in Arkansas
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D
Income Well below averageLess wealthy than 91% of counties in Arkansas
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D
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population: density and quick facts
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 64,799 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 70.8 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -1.39% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 38.4 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 24,016 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Jefferson County declined by 18.8% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 64,799 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Jefferson County is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.7% of residents. That is 0.2 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 14,091 21.7% +0.2 pts
- Millennials 29–44 12,634 19.5% -1.4 pts
- Gen X 45–60 13,551 20.9% +1.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 11,751 18.1% on par
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 50.4% of the people living in Jefferson County and men 49.6%.
- Women 50.4% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 49.6% Arkansas 49.4%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Jefferson County
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Jefferson County has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $50,870 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.34% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 8.1% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Jefferson County is about 17% lower than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $19,534 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $887 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 61.8% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Jefferson County is about 1.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $887 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Jefferson County spend about 36 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 151 hours, about 6.3 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.1 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 36.1 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 151 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,668 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 5.0% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 4,432 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 549 | 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 Jefferson County is 18 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
Jefferson County has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 18.3% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.46 | 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
Jefferson County has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Jefferson County | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 73.2 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 25.5% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 23.9% | 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).
Jefferson County, AR Compared With Nearby Counties
How Jefferson County, AR compares with the 1 counties closest to it.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson County, AR | 64,799 | $50,870 #2/2 | $19,534 #2/2 | 18.1 min #1/2 |
| Lonoke County, AR | 75,267 | $72,662 | $195,587 | 28.5 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Jefferson County, Arkansas.
What is the population of Jefferson County, Arkansas?
About 64,799 people live in Jefferson County, Arkansas, in 24,016 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 38.4, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
How densely populated is Jefferson County, Arkansas?
Averaged over its land area, Jefferson County, Arkansas has 71 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is close to the U.S. average of 86.
Can a typical household afford a home in Jefferson County, Arkansas?
The median home costs 0.4 times the median household income ($19,534 against $50,870), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $887 a month takes about 21% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
Is it hard to find a job in Jefferson County, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Jefferson County, Arkansas is 8.1%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What share of adults in Jefferson County, Arkansas have a college degree?
18.3% of adults in Jefferson County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 5), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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