How many immigrants are in Arkansas?
About 148K in 2021. This represents around 4.9% of the population, or approximately 1 in 20 residents. Immigrants include foreign-born residents, encompassing those who have become US citizens, those authorized to enter the US, and undocumented residents.
Showing data for
In 2021
148K
Arkansas residents were foreign-born
In 2021
1 in 20
Arkansas residents were foreign-born
The number of foreign-born residents in Arkansas increased from 127K in 2011 to 148K in 2021. This growth occurred alongside changes in the native-born population due to births, deaths, and migration. The foreign-born share of the total population in Arkansas was 4.9% in 2021, lower than the national average of 13.6%, and up from 4.4% in 2011.
Foreign-born share of the population in Arkansas
Variations in immigrant populations reflect changes in both local and national demographics. The largest immigrant populations are found in major metro areas. Metro areas in California, Texas, Florida, and parts of the Northeast generally have a higher share of foreign-born residents.
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In 2021, the metro areas in the US with the highest and lowest shares of foreign-born populations were Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Pompano Beach, FL at 41.2% (highest) and Beckley, WV at 0.8% (lowest). In Arkansas, the highest and lowest were Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers at 11.1% and Pine Bluff at 1.5%, respectively.
On average, 8.2% of the population in metro areas was foreign-born in 2021
Foreign-born share of the population (2021)
| 1. | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR Metro Area | 11.1% |
| 2. | Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area | 6% |
| 3. | Memphis, TN-MS-AR Metro Area | 5.5% |
| 4. | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metro Area | 4.2% |
| 5. | Hot Springs, AR Metro Area | 3.7% |
| 6. | Jonesboro, AR Metro Area | 3.3% |
| 7. | Texarkana, TX-AR Metro Area | 3.2% |
| 8. | Pine Bluff, AR Metro Area | 1.5% |
