Ouachita County, Arkansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 29th-largest in Arkansas

The population of Ouachita County, Arkansas is 22,317 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 29th-largest county in Arkansas. The median household income is $49,838, the median home value is $99,600, and the median age is 44.0.

The population of Ouachita County has declined 16.8% since 2010 (26,048 → 21,684), a -1.30% annualized rate.

Ouachita County within Arkansas · Source: US Census TIGER/Line via us-atlas

22,317

Population

-1.30%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$49,838

Median Income

$99,600

Median Home Value

Ouachita County covers 733 sq mi of land at 30.5 people per square mile.

About Ouachita County, AR

Ouachita County is a county in Arkansas with a population of 22,317. It ranks #29 among counties in Arkansas by population. The median age is 44.0, older than the national median. The population is 48.2% male and 51.8% female.

The median household income in Ouachita County is $49,838, below the US median of $74,580. 12.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $99,600, with monthly rent averaging $714. The homeownership rate of 71.2% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Ouachita County reflects 15.1% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 3.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 21.2 minutes each way.

Ouachita County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Ouachita County had a population of 26,048 in 2010 and 21,684 in 2024, a -16.8% growth over 14 years. The peak was 26,048 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -1.30%.

21,684

Population (2024)

26,048

Population (2010)

26,048

Peak (2010)

-1.30%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	26,048	-	-	estimate
2011	25,738	-310	-1.19%	estimate
2012	25,405	-333	-1.29%	estimate
2013	24,957	-448	-1.76%	estimate
2014	24,767	-190	-0.76%	estimate
2015	24,324	-443	-1.79%	estimate
2016	24,021	-303	-1.25%	estimate
2017	23,820	-201	-0.84%	estimate
2018	23,605	-215	-0.90%	estimate
2019	23,372	-233	-0.99%	estimate
2020	22,617	-755	-3.23%	estimate
2021	22,319	-298	-1.32%	estimate
2022	22,010	-309	-1.38%	estimate
2023	21,793	-217	-0.99%	estimate
2024	21,684	-109	-0.50%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	55.2%
Black or African American	41.0%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.5%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

44.0

Median Age

51.8%

Female

48.2%

Male

21.0%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

5.5%

5–9

5.1%

10–14

7.6%

15–19

6.5%

20–24

5.2%

25–34

10.5%

35–44

11.9%

45–54

11.7%

55–59

7.4%

60–64

7.5%

65–74

12.8%

75–84

5.5%

85+

2.7%

Children (under 15): 18.2% · Seniors (65+): 21.0%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$49,838$-8,935 vs state
Mean household income	$63,323
Per-capita income	$26,339
Poverty rate	12.2%+0.7% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.3%
Employment-to-population	47.6%

Top Industries by Employment

Manufacturing

26.9%

Professional & business services

21.4%

Public administration

9.0%

Retail trade

7.3%

Finance & real estate

6.6%

Education & health care

5.8%

Construction

3.7%

Arts, entertainment & food

3.7%

The largest employment sector in Ouachita County is manufacturing, accounting for 26.9% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

1.4%

Carpool

86.8%

Public transit

3.7%

Work from home

21.2 min

Avg commute

Housing

$99,600$-75,700 vs state

Median home value

$714

Median rent

71.2%

Homeownership rate

11,870

Total housing units

72.4%

Occupied

27.6%

Vacant

28.8%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

94.2%

With health insurance

87.0%

With broadband internet

27.0%

Foreign-born

8.3%

Veterans (18+)

26.0%

With a disability

98.9%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

88.9%

High School+

15.1%

Bachelor's+

Largest cities in Arkansas

Little Rock (202,739)Fayetteville (97,227)Fort Smith (89,496)Springdale (87,388)Jonesboro (79,187)Rogers (71,411)Conway (66,288)North Little Rock (64,504)Bentonville (56,326)Pine Bluff (40,436)All Arkansas cities →

Other counties in Arkansas

Pulaski County (398,949)Benton County (294,541)Washington County (251,863)Sebastian County (128,448)Faulkner County (126,001)Saline County (125,724)Craighead County (112,097)Garland County (100,062)White County (77,395)Lonoke County (74,747)All Arkansas counties →

Part of Arkansas

Arkansas demographic profile All Arkansas data →

Metro areas in Arkansas

Memphis (1,341,606)Little Rock (753,605)Fayetteville (563,436)Fort Smith (228,916)Texarkana (146,868)Jonesboro (134,837)Hot Springs (100,062)All US metros →

County rankings

US Counties by Population Richest US Counties by Median Household Income Expensive US Counties by Home Value Educated US Counties Counties With Highest Poverty Rates Youngest US Counties by Median Age Oldest US Counties by Median Age Cheapest US Counties by Median Home Value Racially Diverse US Counties Counties With Largest Hispanic Population All rankings →

Frequently Asked Questions

Ouachita County, Arkansas has a population of 22,317 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 29th-largest county in Arkansas. Population density is 30 people per square mile.

The population of Ouachita County has declined 16.8% since 2010 (26,048 → 21,684), a -1.30% annualized rate.

The median household income in Ouachita County, Arkansas is $49,838, with mean (average) household income of $63,323 and per-capita income of $26,339. 12.2% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Ouachita County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (55.2%), Black or African American (41.0%), Hispanic or Latino (1.5%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Ouachita County, Arkansas is 44.0 years. Residents are 51.8% female and 48.2% male.

The median home value in Ouachita County is $99,600 and median monthly rent is $714. 71.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 11,870 total housing units, 27.6% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Ouachita County, Arkansas is manufacturing, employing 26.9% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.3%.

Little Rock is among the largest cities associated with Ouachita County, Arkansas, with a population of 202,739.