How many people live in St. Francis County, AR?
Updated Apr. 6, 2026Refreshed annually
In 2024, there were about 21,800 people living in St. Francis County, AR. That makes St. Francis County the 28th-most populous county in Arkansas. It is home to 0.7% of people living in the state.
21.8K
population of St. Francis County, AR (2024)
0.7%
County share of the Arkansas population (2024)
About 21,800 people lived in St. Francis County, AR in 2024.
Population estimates, 2000–2024
What are St. Francis County, AR’s age demographics?
About 4,000 St. Francis County residents are aged 65 and older in 2024. That represents 18.5% of its population. For comparison, the age group represents 18.2% of Arkansas’s population and 18% in the US overall.
Another 4,600 St. Francis County residents, or 20.9% of the population, were children under 18. For comparison, the age group represents 22.8% of Arkansas’s population and 21.6% in the US overall.
A higher share of St. Francis County, AR's population is aged 25–44 than the US as a whole.
Population estimates by age group, (2024)
What are St. Francis County, AR’s racial and ethnic demographics?
Non-Hispanic Black or African American residents make up 53.3% of the St. Francis County, AR population, higher than the national share of 12.6%.
In contrast, St. Francis County’s non-Hispanic white population accounts for 39.4%, below the 57.5% nationwide, and the Hispanic population makes up 4.4% of the county, compared with 20% nationally.
Racial and ethnic make up differ based on location. These figures reflect how people identified their race alone (not in combination with other races), and separate out Hispanic or Latino ethnicity, following Census reporting standards.
St. Francis County, AR has a higher share of a non-Hispanic Black or African American population than Arkansas as a whole.
Population estimates by race and ethnicity, (2024)
The largest city or town in St. Francis County, AR is Forrest City with about 12,300 residents in 2024.
Cities and towns in St. Francis County, AR ranked by population
Population (2024), includes only portions within county
| City or town | Population | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Forrest City | 12,340 |
| 2. | Hughes | 977 |
| 3. | Madison | 717 |
| 4. | Palestine | 473 |
| 5. | Caldwell | 421 |
| 6. | Colt | 282 |
| 7. | Wheatley | 262 |
| 8. | Widener | 200 |
| 9. | Jennette (pt.) | |
| 10. | Balance of St. Francis County | 6,150 |
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Methodology
USAFacts standardizes data, in areas such as time and demographics, to make it easier to understand and compare.
The analysis was generated with the help of AI and reviewed by USAFacts for accuracy.
Page sources
USAFacts endeavors to share the most up-to-date information available. We sourced the data on this page directly from government agencies; however, the intervals at which agencies publish updated data vary.
