United States › Arkansas › Desha County COUNTY
Desha County Arkansas · 9,984 residents (2025 est.) · 741 sq mi
Time machine
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The short version
Desha County is a county of 10,786 people in Arkansas. 13% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. The poverty rate is 28.3%, above the 12.5% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $90,900. Households here earn about 38% less than in Arkansas as a whole. There are 15 people per square mile.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Older
median age 41.6
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 15,341 in 2000
9,984 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
from 19 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
from 35.5 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Population, 1990 – 2024
10K 12K 14K 16K 17K 1990 2000 2010 2020 2024 Desha County Age distribution, 2024
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Section 02
Income & economy $37,662
−14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $24,121 in 2000
US average: $82,259
from $13,446 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
from 13.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
from 28.9% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
from 0.470 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Agriculture, forestry, fishing 14.5%
Public administration 2.6%
Professional, scientific, technical 2.4%
Transportation & warehousing 1.6%
Arts, entertainment, food 1.5%
Education & health services 1.1%
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$90,900
+18%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $42,400 in 2000
US average: $376,019
$718
+11%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $354 in 2000
US average: $1,442
from 63.5% in 2000
43.2% rent
from 16.5% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
from 2.38 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
from 22.8% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
from 37.6% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
from 2.0 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 49.6%(7,611)
Hispanic / Latino 3.2%(485)
2024
White, non-Hispanic 42.5%(4,581)
Hispanic / Latino 7.2%(781)
from 69 in 2009
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
from 29 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
+ 3 more ancestry groups with data from 11.1% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
from 65.0% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
from 2.6% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06
Commute & transportation from 14.0 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
from 73.6% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
from 11.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
from 0.7% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
from 4.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
from 2.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
from 0.5% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
from 12.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07
Work & employment from 12.6% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
from 61.0% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
from 58.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
from 20.0% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
from 29.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08
People & community from 2.4% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
from 8.8% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
from 20.6% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 46.1% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
from 81.8% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
from 85.4% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
from 95.1% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
from 4.5% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married 35.7%(1,405)
Women 15+
Never married 36.2%(1,694)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage from 19.8% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
from 37.8% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
from 12.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
from 22.8% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
from 35.4% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
from 2.6% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
from 50.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
from 53.1% 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) 32.4%(117)
Share of the 361 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 Desha County Head to head
Compare Desha County to nearby counties DESHA COUNTY VS
Bolivar County
Income $39,585 +5%
Home value $130,000 +43%
Population 28,262 +183%
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DESHA COUNTY VS
Lincoln County
Income $51,778 +37%
Home value $108,000 +19%
Population 12,764 +28%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
DESHA COUNTY VS
Drew County
Income $42,824 +14%
Home value $140,800 +55%
Population 17,054 +71%
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DESHA COUNTY VS
Arkansas County
Income $53,164 +41%
Home value $138,100 +52%
Population 15,836 +59%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Desha County, Arkansas? Desha County, Arkansas has about 10,786 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Desha County, Arkansas? The typical household in Desha County, Arkansas earns about $37,662 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Desha County, Arkansas expensive? In Desha County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $90,900, and the typical rent is about $718 a month.
How educated are people in Desha County, Arkansas? About 12.6% of adults age 25 and over in Desha County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Desha County, Arkansas? About 28.3% of people in Desha County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.
Has Desha County, Arkansas grown since 1990? Yes, Desha County, Arkansas has shrunk since 1990. The population has lost about 6,012 residents, a change of about -36 percent over that period.
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