Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2024 population estimates and 2024 Gazetteer. Rankings among the 50 states.
Historical data
Pick an indicator to see its long-run evolution.
Population
1840–2024U.S. Census (decennial), 1836–2020 + estimates.
Population pyramid
Arkansas's civilian population by sex and five-year age group. Choose a year to see how the age structure has changed.
Tap an age group in the pyramid to see its detail.
Under 15
572,846 (18.6%)
15 to 64
1,948,947 (63.2%)
65 and older
562,842 (18.2%)
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, SC-EST2020 and SC-EST2024 age and sex estimates (civilian population, July 1).
Age, sex and longevity
The main indicators describing Arkansas's age structure, sex distribution and life expectancy.
| Median age | 38.4 years | |
| Female | 50.7% | |
| Male | 49.3% | |
| Under 18 | 23.0% | |
| 65 and older | 17.5% | |
| Life expectancy | 74.9 years | One of the lowest in the U.S. |
Population, households and density
How many people and households live in Arkansas, how concentrated they are and how the population is changing.
| Total population | 3.07 M | 34th in the U.S. |
| Density | 22.3 /km² | |
| Households | 1.20 M | |
| Urban population | 58.3% | |
| Largest metro | Little Rock–North Little Rock (≈ 750,000) | |
| Growth | +0.6%/yr | 2020–2024 |
Race, ethnicity and origin
Arkansas is predominantly white with a significant Black population concentrated in the Delta and central regions, plus a growing Hispanic community driven by poultry-industry jobs in the northwest.
| White (non-Hispanic) | 68.6% | |
| Black or African American | 15.1% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 8.4% | ≈ 258,000 |
| Asian | 1.8% | |
| Two or more races | 3.4% | |
| Native American | 0.9% | |
| Marshallese community | ≈ 15,000 | Largest in the U.S. (Springdale) |
| Mexican origin | ≈ 5.9% | Largest Hispanic subgroup |