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Population and Demography of Arkansas
Arkansas is a state in the South Central region of the United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee, and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma to the west.
Arkansas is the 33rd most populous state in the United States. The total Land area is 52,035 square miles (134,524 square kilometers) and there is an average of 57 people for every square mile. This makes Arkansas the 34th most densely populated state in the US. As per the United States Census Bureau, the population of Arkansas in 2020 is 3,011,524 (3 million)
Estimated Population of Arkansas in 2024 – 3,067,732 (3.1 million)
Arkansas Population (2010-2020)
Arkansas has a population growth rate during 2010-2020 of 3.3%. It has had a population increase of 95,606 since 2010. The median age is 36 in Arkansas. Approximately 51% of the Arkansas population is female, with 49% male population.
| Arkansas | Census 2020 |
| Total Population | 3,011,524 (3 million) |
| Percentage Change | 3.3% |
| Population Rank | 33rd |
| Total Land Area | 52,035 sq mi (134,771 km2) |
| Area Rank | 29th |
| Population Density | 56.4/sq mi (21.8/km2) |
| Capital City | Little Rock |
| Largest City | Little Rock |
Religion and affilations
Christianity is the majority religion in Arkansas followed by 79% of the population. The largest Christian denomination in Arkansas is Protestants (70%); Roman Catholics (8%) and Other Christians (1%).
Next comes the Unaffiliated population, 18% of the population doesn’t follow or adhere to any faith or religion. Other non-Christian-based religions and faiths are followed by 3% of the population and include Islam, Jewish, Hinduism, Buddhism, and other smaller faiths.
For more details read Religion in Arkansas
Race and Ethnicity
In 2020, the White alone (non-Hispanic) population was the largest racial or ethnic group in Arkansas, comprising 68.52% of the total population. It was followed by the Black or African American population whose share was 14.94%. Hispanic or Latino was the third largest group at 8.53%. Two or more races were at 4.89% & Asians at 1.70%
Ancestry in Arkansas
As per Census Studies and estimate American, Irish, German, English, and Scottish have made the five largest ancestry groups in Arkansas.
For more Details read Race and Ethnicity in Arkansas
Arkansas Historical Population
In the year 1900 Population of Arkansas was 1.3 million and in 2020 it reached 3 million, an increase of almost 1.7 million.
Let’s look at decade population & percentage change
| Census Year | Population | % Change |
| 1810 | 1,062 | — |
| 1820 | 14,273 | 1244.00% |
| 1830 | 30,388 | 112.90% |
| 1840 | 97,574 | 221.10% |
| 1850 | 209,897 | 115.10% |
| 1860 | 435,450 | 107.50% |
| 1870 | 484,471 | 11.30% |
| 1880 | 802,525 | 65.60% |
| 1890 | 1,128,211 | 40.60% |
| 1900 | 1,311,564 | 16.30% |
| 1910 | 1,574,449 | 20.00% |
| 1920 | 1,752,204 | 11.30% |
| 1930 | 1,854,482 | 5.80% |
| 1940 | 1,949,387 | 5.10% |
| 1950 | 1,909,511 | −2.0% |
| 1960 | 1,786,272 | −6.5% |
| 1970 | 1,923,295 | 7.70% |
| 1980 | 2,286,435 | 18.90% |
| 1990 | 2,350,725 | 2.80% |
| 2000 | 2,673,400 | 13.70% |
| 2010 | 2,915,918 | 9.10% |
| 2020 | 3,011,524 | 3.30% |
Top Cities and Counties in Arkansas
As of 2022, Arkansas is divided into 75 counties. Pulaski is the most populated county in Arkansas and the largest county by area is Union County (1,055 sq mi). The largest city in Arkansas is Little Rock located in the county of Pulaski. It’s the only city in Arkansas with a population of over 100,000. Other Big cities are Fayetteville (89,576), and Fort Smith (87,764).
read more about counties and cities in Arkansas
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