West Memphis, Arkansas Demographics
Population trends, housing costs, income, commuting, and health, all on one page.
West Memphis, 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 average
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D
Income Well below average
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F
Education Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Population
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 21,978 | 3,049,066 | 337,468,954 |
| Population density (per sq mi) | 733.4 | 57.3 | 86.4 |
| Population growth (%/yr) | -0.74% | 0.32% | 0.59% |
| Median age | 36.9 | 36.8 | 37.3 |
| Households | 8,768 | 1,205,703 | 130,235,071 |
Population in West Memphis declined by 12.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching 21,978 in 2024.
Population Growth 2009–2024
Race & Ethnicity
Age & Sex
The largest generation in West Memphis is Gen Z, aged 13–28, at 21.9% of residents. That is 0.4 points above Arkansas as a whole.
- Gen Z 13–28 4,803 21.9% +0.4 pts
- Millennials 29–44 4,439 20.2% -0.7 pts
- Gen X 45–60 4,229 19.2% on par
- Boomers 61–79 3,389 15.4% -2.7 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 54.8% of the people living in West Memphis and men 45.2%.
- Women 54.8% Arkansas 50.6%
- Men 45.2% Arkansas 49.4%
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Economy
West Memphis has a the economy index of D, which means it is barely prosperous.
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,137 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Income growth (%/yr) | 4.78% | 4.58% | 4.80% |
| Unemployment rate | 11.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
The median household income in West Memphis is about 23% lower than in Arkansas.
Housing
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $165,547 | $111,957 | $248,835 |
| Median rent | $871 | $947 | $1,407 |
| Homeownership rate | 50.1% | 66.4% | 65.2% |
The median home price in West Memphis is about 15.8 years' worth of rent — buying at the median price costs roughly as much as paying the median rent of $871 per month for that long.
Commute Time & Mobility
Commuters in West Memphis spend about 33 minutes on the road round trip each working day. Over a typical 250-day work year, that adds up to roughly 139 hours, about 5.8 full days, spent commuting.
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-way commute (min) | 16.7 | 18.6 | 22.4 |
| Round-trip commute (min) | 33.4 | 37.2 | 44.8 |
| Yearly time spent (hours) | 139 | 155 | 187 |
| Estimated yearly cost | $4,313 | $4,807 | $5,790 |
| Work from home | 6.0% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Highway traffic (vehicles/day) | 13,398 | 6,306 | 8,813 |
| Local road traffic (vehicles/day) | 1,703 | 912 | 1,355 |
The average commute time in West Memphis 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
West Memphis has a education index of F, which means it scores poorly in education.
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.6% | 22.8% | 31.6% |
| Average household size | 2.45 | 2.46 | 2.53 |
Health
West Memphis has a health index of D, which means it is barely healthy.
| Metric | West Memphis | Arkansas Avg | U.S. Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life expectancy (years) | 72.2 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Self-rated poor health | 28.5% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
| Smokers | 26.3% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about West Memphis, Arkansas.
How big is West Memphis, Arkansas by population?
About 21,978 people live in West Memphis, Arkansas, in 8,768 households of 2.5 people on average. The median age is 36.9, close to the U.S. median of 37.3.
Is West Memphis, Arkansas mostly urban or rural?
Averaged over its land area, West Memphis, Arkansas has 733 people per square mile, a density typical of a mix of suburbs, small towns and farmland. That is about 8.5 times the U.S. average of 86.
Is West Memphis, Arkansas an affordable place to live?
The median home costs 3.5 times the median household income ($165,547 against $47,137), compared with 3.1 times nationally. A ratio of about 3 is traditionally considered affordable. Median rent of $871 a month takes about 22% of the median household's income, below the 30% level at which HUD considers renters cost-burdened.
How strong is the job market in West Memphis, Arkansas?
Unemployment in West Memphis, Arkansas is 11.8%, well above the U.S. rate of 5.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
How educated are people in West Memphis, Arkansas?
13.6% of adults in West Memphis, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher (about 1 in 7), well below the U.S. share of 31.6%.
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