United States › Arkansas › Ashley County COUNTY
Ashley County Arkansas · 17,831 residents (2025 est.) · 925 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO 1990 Census 2000 Census 2009 ACS 2010 ACS 2011 ACS 2012 ACS 2013 ACS 2014 ACS 2015 ACS 2016 ACS 2017 ACS 2018 ACS 2019 ACS 2020 ACS 2021 ACS 2022 ACS 2023 ACS
The short version
With 18,429 people, Ashley County is a county in Arkansas. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 13% of adults. The typical home is worth $91,900, having more than doubled since 2000. 2% of residents were born outside the United States. Density works out to 20 people per square mile. The poverty rate is 22.1%, above the 12.5% national rate.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 42.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
13% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth from 24,209 in 2000
17,831 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 24 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 36.2 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
18K 20K 21K 23K 25K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Ashley County Age distribution, 2024
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy $44,266
−23%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,758 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $15,702 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 17.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 17.5% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.447 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 7.1%
Professional, scientific, technical 6.4%
Public administration 3.4%
Education & health services 2.7%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.3%
Transportation & warehousing 0.4%
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$91,900
+3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $49,200 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$703
−7%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $414 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 76.0% in 2000
29.2% rent
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.30 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 18.9% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 33.1% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 1.8 in 2009
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity 2000
White, non-Hispanic 69%(16,702)
Hispanic / Latino 3.2%(776)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 67.3%(12,394)
Hispanic / Latino 6.4%(1,176)
from 59 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 25 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry Ancestry
+ 10 more ancestry groups with data from 10.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 72.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 3.0% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 13.5 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 83.8% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 1.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.3% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 7.3% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 9.7% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 56.2% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 57.8% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 14.7% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 24.0% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 11.1% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 18.9% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 59.4% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 77.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 91.5% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.2% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.4% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 26.8%(1,909)
Women 15+
Never married 24.4%(1,936)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 16.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 36.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 15.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 25.3% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 33.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.2% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.6% in 2020
US average: 36.7%
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later) 23.7%(163)
Gulf War (1990s) 14.8%(102)
Share of the 688 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
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Drill deeper
Places similar to Ashley County Head to head
Compare Ashley County to nearby counties ASHLEY COUNTY VS
Morehouse Parish
Income $39,454 −11%
Home value $118,800 +29%
Population 23,705 +33%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLEY COUNTY VS
Drew County
Income $42,824 −3%
Home value $140,800 +53%
Population 17,054 −4%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLEY COUNTY VS
Chicot County
Income $39,045 −12%
Home value $89,100 −3%
Population 9,107 −49%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
ASHLEY COUNTY VS
Bradley County
Income $41,476 −6%
Home value $94,800 +3%
Population 9,828 −45%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Ashley County, Arkansas? Ashley County, Arkansas has about 18,429 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Ashley County, Arkansas? The typical household in Ashley County, Arkansas earns about $44,266 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Ashley County, Arkansas expensive? In Ashley County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $91,900, and the typical rent is about $703 a month.
How educated are people in Ashley County, Arkansas? About 12.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ashley County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Ashley County, Arkansas? About 22.1% of people in Ashley County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Ashley County, Arkansas grown since 1990? Yes, Ashley County, Arkansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 5,890 residents, a change of about -24 percent over that period.
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