Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
Arkansas Population Density Map and Area Scores
State Score
Health, income and education, each graded from F to A+. Explore interactive maps for deeper analysis.
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C
Health Below averageAmong the 5 least healthy states in the US
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D
Income Well below averageAmong the 5 least wealthy states in the US
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D
Education Well below averageAmong the 5 least educated states in the US
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in Arkansas grew by 7.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 3,049,066 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in Arkansas is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.5% of residents. That is about the same share as the US.
- Gen Z 13–28 655,727 21.5% on par
- Millennials 29–44 637,925 20.9% -1.3 pts
- Gen X 45–60 585,295 19.2% -0.7 pts
- Boomers 61–79 551,959 18.1% +1.2 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 the US, 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 50.6% of the people living in Arkansas and men 49.4%.
- Women 50.6% the US 50.5%
- Men 49.4% the US 49.5%
How many residents match a customer profile?
Residents matching this profile
100% of everyone living in Arkansas
Pick an age range and a women/men split and the figure above answers with how many residents that profile reaches.
Economy
Arkansas has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in Arkansas is about 24% lower than in US.
Housing
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in Arkansas is about 9.9 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $947 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in Arkansas spend about 37 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 155 hours, about 6.5 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 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 Arkansas is 19 minutes, shorter than the 22 minutes in US.
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
Arkansas has a education index of D, which means it is barely educated.
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 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
Arkansas has a health index of C, which means it is somewhat healthy.
| Metric | Arkansas | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 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).
Arkansas Compared With Nearby States
Arkansas is the 5th largest of the 6 states compared here, 3,049,066 residents against a local median of 4,610,276. Where Arkansas breaks from the states next to it is median home price, sitting 23% below the local median of $145,462 at $111,957.
The states themselves spread $40,377 on median home price, so Arkansas sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Arkansas has the 6th highest median home price of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Median home price | Commute |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkansas | 3,049,066 | $60,940 #4/6 | $111,957 #6/6 | 18.6 min #1/6 |
| Missouri | 6,186,340 | $70,801 | $145,462 | 21.0 min |
| Mississippi | 2,946,497 | $56,669 | $130,069 | 21.5 min |
| Louisiana | 4,610,276 | $60,934 | $170,446 | 21.3 min |
| Oklahoma | 4,028,385 | $65,606 | $133,462 | 19.0 min |
| Alabama | 5,083,438 | $64,544 | $160,474 | 22.1 min |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Arkansas.
How many people live in Arkansas?
About 3,049,066 people live in Arkansas, in 1,205,703 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.8, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is Arkansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, Arkansas has 57 people per square mile, a density typical of rural areas. That is about 66% of the U.S. average of 86.
Is Arkansas an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 1.8 times the median household income ($111,957 against $60,940), compared with 3.1 times nationally. That is within the traditional rule of thumb of about 3 times income. Median rent of $947 a month takes about 19% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
What share of adults in Arkansas have a college degree?
22.8% of adults in Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 4), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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