Yell County, Arkansas Population 2026

Updated April 2026 · US Census ACS 2023 5-Year Estimates · 33rd-largest in Arkansas

The population of Yell County, Arkansas is 20,195 as of the 2023 American Community Survey, making it the 33rd-largest county in Arkansas. The median household income is $58,870, the median home value is $131,300, and the median age is 39.9.

The population of Yell County has declined 9.1% since 2010 (22,148 → 20,134), a -0.68% annualized rate.

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

20,195

Population

-0.68%

Annual growth

People / sq mi

$58,870

Median Income

$131,300

Median Home Value

Yell County covers 930 sq mi of land at 21.7 people per square mile.

About Yell County, AR

Yell County is a county in Arkansas with a population of 20,195. It ranks #33 among counties in Arkansas by population. The median age is 39.9, in line with the national median. The population is 50.7% male and 49.3% female.

The median household income in Yell County is $58,870, below the US median of $74,580. 8.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level. Home values sit at a median of $131,300, with monthly rent averaging $653. The homeownership rate of 67.5% is higher than the national rate of 64.8%.

Educational attainment in Yell County reflects 14.3% of adults 25 and older holding a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national average of 34.3%. Roughly 7.7% of workers primarily work from home, below the national work-from-home rate of 14.2%. The average commute is 22.3 minutes each way.

Yell County Population History (2010-2024)

The county of Yell County had a population of 22,148 in 2010 and 20,134 in 2024, a -9.1% growth over 14 years. The peak was 22,148 in 2010. Average annual growth rate: -0.67%.

20,134

Population (2024)

22,148

Population (2010)

22,148

Peak (2010)

-0.67%

Avg Annual Growth

Year	Population	Change	Annual %	Source
2010	22,148	-	-	estimate
2011	21,965	-183	-0.83%	estimate
2012	21,827	-138	-0.63%	estimate
2013	21,823	-4	-0.02%	estimate
2014	21,771	-52	-0.24%	estimate
2015	21,505	-266	-1.22%	estimate
2016	21,520	+15	+0.07%	estimate
2017	21,544	+24	+0.11%	estimate
2018	21,506	-38	-0.18%	estimate
2019	21,376	-130	-0.60%	estimate
2020	20,217	-1,159	-5.42%	estimate
2021	20,135	-82	-0.41%	estimate
2022	20,121	-14	-0.07%	estimate
2023	20,063	-58	-0.29%	estimate
2024	20,134	+71	+0.35%	estimate

Race & Ethnicity

White	79.1%
Black or African American	1.7%
Asian	0.0%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	1.9%
Two or More Races	0.0%

Age & Sex

39.9

Median Age

49.3%

Female

50.7%

Male

17.6%

Age 65+

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.2%

5–9

7.6%

10–14

6.0%

15–19

6.1%

20–24

6.0%

25–34

11.9%

35–44

11.8%

45–54

12.2%

55–59

8.0%

60–64

6.7%

65–74

10.3%

75–84

4.9%

85+

2.4%

Children (under 15): 19.8% · Seniors (65+): 17.6%

Income & Poverty

Median household income	$58,870+$97 vs state
Mean household income	$66,744
Per-capita income	$26,871
Poverty rate	8.5%-3.0% vs state
Unemployment rate	2.0%
Employment-to-population	55.0%

Top Industries by Employment

Manufacturing

27.6%

Professional & business services

18.4%

Retail trade

7.5%

Education & health care

7.2%

Agriculture

6.7%

Construction

6.5%

Finance & real estate

5.4%

Public administration

4.0%

The largest employment sector in Yell County is manufacturing, accounting for 27.6% of workers.

How residents commute

0.0%

Drive alone

0.8%

Carpool

77.5%

Public transit

7.7%

Work from home

22.3 min

Avg commute

Housing

$131,300$-44,000 vs state

Median home value

$653

Median rent

67.5%

Homeownership rate

9,300

Total housing units

86.6%

Occupied

13.4%

Vacant

32.5%

Renter-occupied

Social & access

91.7%

With health insurance

87.2%

With broadband internet

28.0%

Foreign-born

5.6%

Veterans (18+)

17.9%

With a disability

80.7%

Speak language other than English at home

Education

81.5%

High School+

14.3%

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

Yell County, Arkansas has a population of 20,195 according to the US Census Bureau's 2023 American Community Survey 5-year estimates, making it the 33rd-largest county in Arkansas. Population density is 22 people per square mile.

The population of Yell County has declined 9.1% since 2010 (22,148 → 20,134), a -0.68% annualized rate.

The median household income in Yell County, Arkansas is $58,870, with mean (average) household income of $66,744 and per-capita income of $26,871. 8.5% of residents live below the federal poverty level.

In Yell County, the largest racial and ethnic groups are White (79.1%), Hispanic or Latino (1.9%), Black or African American (1.7%). Figures are from the US Census Bureau's 2023 ACS 5-year estimates and reflect self-reported responses.

The median age in Yell County, Arkansas is 39.9 years. Residents are 49.3% female and 50.7% male.

The median home value in Yell County is $131,300 and median monthly rent is $653. 67.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. The county has 9,300 total housing units, 13.4% of which are vacant.

The largest employment sector in Yell County, Arkansas is manufacturing, employing 27.6% of workers. The unemployment rate is 2.0%.

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