Demographics of Arkansas

Arkansas is the 32nd largest U.S. state, with a population of 3,011,524 as of the 2020 United States census^[update].

Map of the state of Arkansas, showing county boundaries

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1810	1,062		—
1820	14,273		1,244.0%
1830	30,388		112.9%
1840	97,574		221.1%
1850	209,897		115.1%
1860	435,450		107.5%
1870	484,471		11.3%
1880	802,525		65.6%
1890	1,128,211		40.6%
1900	1,311,564		16.3%
1910	1,574,449		20.0%
1920	1,752,204		11.3%
1930	1,854,482		5.8%
1940	1,949,387		5.1%
1950	1,909,511		−2.0%
1960	1,786,272		−6.5%
1970	1,923,295		7.7%
1980	2,286,435		18.9%
1990	2,350,725		2.8%
2000	2,673,400		13.7%
2010	2,915,918		9.1%
2020	3,011,524		3.3%
Source: 1910–2020[1]

The United States Census Bureau estimates that the population of Arkansas was 3,045,637 on July 1, 2022, a 1.13% increase since the 2020 United States Census^[2]

As of 2022, Arkansas had an estimated population of 3,045,637,^[3] which is an increase of 11,835, or 0.2%, from the prior year and an increase of 62,286, or 2.14%, since the year 2010. This includes a natural increase since the last census of 52,214 people (that is 198,800 births minus 146,586 deaths) and an increase due to net migration of 57,611 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States resulted in a net increase of 21,947 people, and migration within the country produced a net increase of 35,664 people. It is estimated that about 48.8% is male, and 51.2% is female. From 2000 through 2006 Arkansas has had a population growth of 5.1% or 137,472.^[4] The population density of the state is 51.3 people per square mile.

According to the 2020 United States Census, Arkansas had a population of 3,011,524. The racial composition of the population was:

• 70.2% White American
• 15.1% Black or African American
• 0.9% Native Americans and Alaska Natives
• 1.7% Asian American
• 0.5% Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander
• 4.5% from Some Other Race
• 7.1% from Two or More Races.

8.5% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, the ten largest ancestry groups in the state African American (15.5%), Irish (13.6%), German (12.5%), American (11.1%), English (10.3%), French (2.4%), Scotch-Irish (2.1%), Dutch (1.9%), Scottish (1.9%) and Italian (1.7%).

European Americans have a strong presence in the northwestern Ozarks and the central part of the state. African Americans live mainly in the southern and eastern parts of the state. Arkansans of Irish, English and German ancestry are mostly found in the far northwestern Ozarks near the Missouri border. Ancestors of the Irish in the Ozarks were chiefly Scotch-Irish, Protestants from Northern Ireland, the Scottish lowlands and northern England: part of the largest group of settlers from Great Britain and Ireland before the American Revolution. English and Scotch-Irish immigrants settled throughout the backcountry of the South and in the more mountainous areas. Americans of English ancestry are found throughout the state.^[5] Greeks settled in Little Rock, Greek communities also grew up in Fort Smith, Pine Bluff, Hot Springs, and other parts of Arkansas.^[6] There is also an Italian community in Arkansas.^[7] There is small community of Roma in Arkansas. Romanichal are present in state.^[8] Arkansas also has a growing Hispanic population. Many of the Hispanics in Arkansas are of Mexican descent.^[9] Asians are present in the state. There is a Chinese, Hindu and Hmong presence in Arkansas.^[10]

Ancestry

^[11]

Birth data

Ethnic origins in Arkansas

Note: Births in table don't add up, because Hispanics are counted both by their ethnicity and by their race, giving a higher overall number.

Live Births by Single Race/Ethnicity of Mother

Race	2013[12]	2014[13]	2015[14]	2016[15]	2017[16]	2018[17]	2019[18]	2020[19]	2021[20]	2022[21]
White:	29,093 (76.9%)	29,632 (76.9%)	29,532 (75.9%)	...	...	...	...	...	...	...
> Non-Hispanic White	25,287 (66.8%)	25,940 (67.4%)	25,714 (66.1%)	24,953 (65.2%)	24,089 (64.2%)	23,609 (63.8%)	23,065 (63.1%)	22,106 (62.7%)	22,862 (63.6%)	22,539 (63.5%)
Black	7,354 (19.4%)	7,376 (19.1%)	7,767 (20.0%)	7,098 (18.5%)	7,082 (18.9%)	6,966 (18.8%)	6,998 (19.1%)	6,834 (19.4%)	6,661 (18.5%)	6,301 (17.8%)
Asian	1,094 (2.9%)	1,202 (3.1%)	1,234 (3.2%)	805 (2.1%)	783 (2.1%)	775 (2.1%)	772 (2.0%)	825 (2.3%)	815 (2.3%)	777 (2.2%)
Pacific Islander	...	...	...	420 (1.1%)	470 (1.3%)	498 (1.3%)	539 (1.5%)	449 (1.3%)	522 (1.4%)	545 (1.5%)
American Indian	291 (0.8%)	301 (0.8%)	353 (0.9%)	233 (0.6%)	239 (0.6%)	220 (0.6%)	191 (0.5%)	183 (0.5%)	217 (0.6%)	194 (0.5%)
Hispanic (of any race)	3,834 (10.1%)	3,837 (10.0%)	4,008 (10.3%)	4,064 (10.6%)	4,048 (10.8%)	4,099 (11.1%)	4,088 (11.2%)	3,939 (11.2%)	4,069 (11.3%)	4,227 (11.9%)
Total Arkansas	37,832 (100%)	38,511 (100%)	38,886 (100%)	38,274 (100%)	37,520 (100%)	37,018 (100%)	36,564 (100%)	35,251 (100%)	35,965 (100%)	35,471 (100%)

• Since 2016, data for births of White Hispanic origin are not collected, but included in one Hispanic group; persons of Hispanic origin may be of any race.

According to the 2006–2008 American Community Survey, 93.8% of Arkansas' population (over the age of five) spoke only English at home. About 4.5% of the state's population spoke Spanish at home. About 0.7% of the state's population spoke any other Indo-European language. About 0.8% of the state's population spoke an Asian language, and 0.2% spoke other languages.

In 2006, Arkansas has a larger percentage of tobacco smokers than the national average, with 24.0% of adults smoking.^[22]

Religion

Arkansas, like most other Southern states, is part of the Bible Belt and is predominantly Protestant. The religious affiliations of the people as of 2001 are as follows:^[23]

Arkansas Population Density Map

• Christian: 86.0%
  • Protestant: 78.0%
    • Baptist: 39.0%
    • Methodist: 9.0%
    • Pentecostal: 6.0%
    • Church of Christ: 6.0%
    • Assemblies of God: 3.0%
    • Other Protestant: 15.0%
  • Roman Catholic: 7.0%
  • Eastern Orthodox: <1.0%
  • Other Christian: <1.0%
• Non-religious: 14.0%
• Other religions: <1.0%
• Jewish: <1.0%
• Muslim: <1.0%

The largest denominations by number of adherents in 2000 were the Southern Baptist Convention with 665,307; the United Methodist Church with 179,383; the Roman Catholic Church with 115,967; and the American Baptist Association with 115,916.^[24]

References

1. "Historical Population Change Data (1910–2020)". Census.gov. United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2021.
2. "Table 1. Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". 2015 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. December 26, 2015. Archived from the original (CSV) on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
3. "Annual Estimates of the Population for the United States, Regions, States, and Puerto Rico: April 1, 2010 to July 1, 2015". 2015 Population Estimates. United States Census Bureau, Population Division. December 26, 2015. Archived from the original (CSV) on December 23, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
4. "Arkansas QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau". Archived from the original on 2011-01-04. Retrieved 2011-11-09.
5. David Hackett Fischer, Albion's Seed: Four British Folkways in America, New York: Oxford University Press, 1989, pp.633–639
6. "Arkansas immigrant history". Roberts Library. 1 July 2022. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
7. "Italians". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
8. "Romani". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
9. Arkansas' Hispanic population shows steady growth, census finds, as families put down roots
10. "Race and Ethnicity: Asian American".
11. "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
12. Joyce A. Martin; et al. (January 15, 2015). "Births: Final Data for 2013" (PDF). cdc.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
13. Brady E. Hamilton; et al. (December 23, 2015). "Births: Final Data for 2014" (PDF). cdc.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
14. Joyce A. Martin; et al. (January 5, 2017). "Births: Final Data for 2015" (PDF). cdc.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
15. Joyce A. Martin; et al. (January 31, 2018). "Births: Final Data for 2016" (PDF). cdc.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
16. Joyce A. Martin; et al. (November 7, 2018). "Births: Final Data for 2017" (PDF). cdc.gov. Retrieved 24 September 2023.
17. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
18. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2019-12-02.
19. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-20.
20. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2022-02-02.
21. "Data" (PDF). www.cdc.gov. Retrieved 2024-04-04.
22. CDC's State System – State Comparison Report Cigarette Use (Adults) – BRFSS for 2006, lists the state as having 23.7% smokers. The national average is 20.8% according to Cigarette Smoking Among Adults --- United States, 2006 article in the CDC's Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.
23. "American Religious Identification Survey, 2001". Gc.cuny.edu. Archived from the original on 2011-07-09. Retrieved 2010-07-30.
24. "The Association of Religion Data Archives | Maps & Reports". Thearda.com. Archived from the original on 2008-05-10. Retrieved 2010-07-30.

External links