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COUNTY

Independence County

Arkansas · 38,785 residents (2025 est.) · 764 sq mi
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The short version

With 38,175 people, Independence County is a county in Arkansas. Four-year degrees are less common here than nationally, at 18% of adults. The typical home is worth $142,600, having more than doubled since 2000. The foreign-born share is 4%. 20.4% of locals live below the federal poverty line. Median rent is $845 a month.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.7
US median: 38.9
Less educated
18% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 36%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
38,175
+12%since 2000
from 34,233 in 2000
38,785 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
50 / sq mi
+11%since 2009
from 45 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
38.7
+3%since 2000
from 37.7 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
764 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
30K33K35K37K39K19902000201020202024Independence County
202438K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 55.9%(2,245)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.2%(2,365)
US avg: 6%
10 to 148.1%(3,111)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 197.3%(2,783)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 246.4%(2,435)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3411.2%(4,273)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.6%(4,822)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5412%(4,577)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.7%(4,856)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 7410.2%(3,908)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 845.2%(1,998)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(802)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$56,609
−3%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $31,920 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$30,847
+91%since 2000
from $16,163 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
36.8%
+20.0 ptssince 2009
from 16.8% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
20.4%
+7.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.0% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.485
+6%since 2010
from 0.459 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade17.5%
US avg: 9.9%
Information11.4%
US avg: 10.8%
Wholesale trade8.2%
US avg: 6.9%
Finance & insurance7%
US avg: 5.9%
Professional, scientific, technical4.5%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.4%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.6%
US avg: 4.8%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing2.8%
US avg: 1.6%
Education & health services2.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Construction1.9%
US avg: 1.2%
Transportation & warehousing1.5%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
US avg: 1.9%
Manufacturing0.9%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$142,600
+36%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $57,700 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$845
+10%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $423 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
69.2%
−5.2 ptssince 2000
from 74.4% in 2000
30.8% rent
Vacancy rate
12.8%
+5.4 ptssince 2009
from 7.4% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Persons per household
2.54 people
+9%since 2009
from 2.33 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
Owner cost-burdened
16.1%
−2.0 ptssince 2009
from 18.1% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
37.2%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 39.0% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
2.5
+9%since 2009
from 2.3 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
52
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic94.2%(32,253)
Black2%(685)
Hispanic / Latino1.5%(523)
Asian0.6%(216)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic82.1%(31,345)
Black1.8%(700)
Hispanic / Latino8.9%(3,382)
Asian0.8%(308)
Other6.4%(2,440)
Diversity Score
39
+102%since 2009
from 19 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Segregation Score
37
−3%since 2020
from 38 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

Hispanic origin
Mexican4%(1,510)
Central American3.6%(1,392)
Guatemalan2.3%(865)
Salvadoran1.3%(500)
Spaniard0.3%(123)
Honduran0.1%(27)
Peruvian0.1%(24)
Cuban0%(6)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(132)
Chinese0.3%(98)
Asian Indian0.1%(51)
Filipino0.1%(36)
Cambodian0%(15)
Pacific Islander origin
Marshallese0.3%(109)
Ancestry
English18.3%(7,000)
German11.4%(4,338)
Irish10.1%(3,850)
American8.5%(3,242)
Scottish2.4%(906)
French1.5%(555)
Italian1.2%(475)
Norwegian0.6%(241)
Dutch0.5%(201)
Polish0.3%(123)
Welsh0.2%(85)
+ 18 more ancestry groups with data
Romanian0.2%(70)
Swedish0.2%(68)
Danish0.2%(63)
Russian0.1%(45)
Swiss0.1%(41)
British0.1%(37)
Czech0.1%(30)
Portuguese0.1%(30)
Austrian0.1%(23)
Greek0%(17)
Hungarian0%(15)
Arab0%(9)
Belgian0%(7)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
18.1%
+4.4 ptssince 2000
from 13.7% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
88.2%
+12.7 ptssince 2000
from 75.5% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
6.1%
+1.0 ptssince 2000
from 5.1% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
19.5 min
+43%since 2000
from 13.7 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
80.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2009
from 80.0% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
10.4%
−4.0 ptssince 2009
from 14.4% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.2% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
5.8%
+2.5 ptssince 2009
from 3.3% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
2.0%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 1.4% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.1% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
6.5%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 4.9% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
3.9%
−3.2 ptssince 2011
from 7.1% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
58.0%
−0.6 ptssince 2011
from 58.6% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
66.3%
−1.6 ptssince 2020
from 67.9% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
13.0%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 12.8% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
30.0%
+3.4 ptssince 2009
from 26.6% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.6%
+0.4 ptssince 2009
from 49.1% in 2009
Female
50.4%
−0.4 ptssince 2009
from 50.9% in 2009
Foreign born
4.0%
+1.8 ptssince 2009
from 2.2% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.2%
−6.4 ptssince 2009
from 12.6% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
19.5%
+2.4 ptssince 2012
from 17.1% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
10.0%
−8.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
81.4%
+18.2 ptssince 2017
from 63.2% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
91.6%
+7.9 ptssince 2020
from 83.7% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
90.4%
+2.6 ptssince 2020
from 87.8% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
English only at home
94.1%
−1.5 ptssince 2016
from 95.5% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
5.1%
+1.4 ptssince 2016
from 3.7% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married28.6%(4,256)
Married57.2%(8,530)
Widowed2.5%(376)
Divorced11.7%(1,742)
Women 15+
Never married21%(3,268)
Married54.8%(8,527)
Widowed10.6%(1,642)
Divorced13.6%(2,113)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
10.0%
−8.2 ptssince 2013
from 18.2% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
45.3%
−0.3 ptssince 2020
from 45.6% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
11.3%
−1.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.4% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.1%
−0.5 ptssince 2020
from 21.6% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
29.9%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 29.0% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
2.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 2.2% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.6%
−0.7 ptssince 2020
from 56.3% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
47.2%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 46.3% 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)19.9%(355)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)11.8%(211)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era38.1%(679)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5%(89)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 1,784 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.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Drill deeper

Places similar to Independence County

Franklin County
Pop 36,916
Boone County
Pop 38,628
Union County
Pop 36,926
DeSoto County
Pop 37,078
Places similar to Independence County
Head to head

Compare Independence County to nearby counties

INDEPENDENCE COUNTY VS
Jackson County
Income$44,218−22%
Home value$98,300−31%
Population16,741−57%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY VS
Cleburne County
Income$55,798−1%
Home value$179,800+26%
Population25,672−34%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY VS
Sharp County
Income$44,637−21%
Home value$105,100−26%
Population18,122−53%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
INDEPENDENCE COUNTY VS
Izard County
Income$49,405−13%
Home value$129,100−9%
Population14,405−63%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Independence County, Arkansas?

Independence County, Arkansas has about 38,175 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Independence County, Arkansas?

The typical household in Independence County, Arkansas earns about $56,609 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Independence County, Arkansas expensive?

In Independence County, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $142,600, and the typical rent is about $845 a month.

How educated are people in Independence County, Arkansas?

About 18.1% of adults age 25 and over in Independence County, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Independence County, Arkansas?

About 20.4% of people in Independence County, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Independence County, Arkansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Independence County, Arkansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 6,983 residents, a change of about 22 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →