Is population growing or shrinking?

Updated annually
It grew by 18,900 between 2023 and 2024. That’s more than the population of El Dorado. Changes in population reflect birth and death rates, immigration patterns, regional shifts, and even the overall health of the economy. Arkansas’s 0.62% annual increase was primarily driven by people moving from other states. In the decade between 2014 and 2024, Arkansas’s population grew by 4.3%.

+18.9K

population change (2023 to 2024)

+0.62%

percent change in population (2023 to 2024)
Since 2000, Arkansas's population increased in 24 of 24 years. The largest increase occurred between 2005 and 2006, when it gained 40,700 residents. The state's smallest increase during the 21st century occurred between 2012 and 2013 when it gained 5,800 residents.

Arkansas gained 18,900 residents between 2023 and 2024.

Annual population change

A state’s population is influenced by three factors:
  • Natural population change: If births outnumber deaths in a given year, natural population growth is positive. If deaths exceed births, it is negative. Between 2023 to 2024 natural population change was negative in Arkansas, with deaths exceeding births by 727.
  • Immigration: international migration directly into or out of a state. If more people move in than move out, population change from immigration is positive. If more people move out than move in, it’s negative. Arkansas’s population change from immigration was positive, with about 6,200 more people coming from another country to Arkansas than leaving.
  • Domestic migration, moving between states:  Arkansas’s population change from domestic migration was positive, with about 13,500 more people moving to Arkansas from other states than leaving.

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Between 2023 and 2024, domestic migration was the primary driver of population growth in Arkansas.

Components of population change

Among 75 county equivalents, Benton County had the largest population growth in Arkansas, welcoming 9,318 new residents. Mississippi County lost the most, with a loss of 540 residents.
Benton County led Arkansas in percent population increase between 2023 and 2024 at 3 percent. Chicot County ranked last with a 2.5 percent decline.

Between 2023 and 2024, Benton County gained 3% in population, the largest increase in Arkansas.

Population change

Between 2014 and 2024, Arkansas’s population has increased by 4.3%. During that same period, the US population grew by 6.5%. Arkansas ranks 28th among states in population growth over that decade.

Arkansas ranked 28th in population growth between 2014 and 2024.

Percent change in population

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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.