How many immigrants are in Arkansas?
Data updated September 19, 2024
About 162K in 2023. This translates to approximately 5.3% of the population, or roughly 1 in 19 residents in Arkansas. Immigrants are defined as foreign-born residents, which includes people who became US citizens, those authorized to reside in the US (e.g., for work), or undocumented residents.
Showing data for
In 2023
162K
Arkansas residents were foreign-born
In 2023
1 in 19
Arkansas residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in Arkansas grew from 134K in 2013 to 162K in 2023. This increase occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and people moving. Analyzing the foreign-born share of the total population provides a better view of these demographics. In Arkansas, the foreign-born share of the population was 5.3% in 2023, lower than the US overall at 14.3%, and up from 4.5% in the state since 2013.
In Arkansas, 5.3% of the population was foreign-born in 2023.
Variations in immigrant populations illustrate a changing population landscape in both local areas and the nation as a whole. The largest immigration populations are concentrated in big metro areas. Metro areas in California, Texas, Florida, and parts of the Northeast typically have a higher share of residents that are foreign-born.
Subscribe to get unbiased, data-driven insights sent to your inbox weekly.
From 2018 to 2022, the metro areas (with data) in the US with the highest and lowest foreign-born population share were: Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL at 41.5% foreign-born (highest) and Beckley, WV at 0.9% foreign-born (lowest). The highest and lowest among the metro areas in or connected to Arkansas were: Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR at 11.4% foreign-born (highest) and Pine Bluff, AR at 1.7% foreign-born (lowest).
On average, 8.3% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born from 2018 to 2022
Foreign-born share of the population
Average foreign-born share of the population from 2018 to 2022
| 1. | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area | 11.4% |
| 2. | Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area | 6% |
| 3. | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area | 4.1% |
| 4. | Hot Springs, AR Metro Area | 3.9% |
| 5. | Jonesboro, AR Metro Area | 3.1% |
| 6. | Pine Bluff, AR Metro Area | 1.7% |
