The Rational Moderate

State profile

Arkansas

20 official measures, each beside the U.S. value, with Arkansas’ rank among the 50 states and DC and its margin of error where the source publishes one. Rank 1 is the highest value; a rank says nothing on its own about better or worse. Select a measure to see every state.

marks a rank that is not statistically different from the next higher state, by the Census Bureau’s test at the 90 percent confidence level. Margins of error are 90 percent.

Each comparison with the U.S. value uses the same test wherever the source publishes a margin of error. A difference is stated only where the test confirms it or no test is possible; untested ones are marked. For life expectancy the U.S. figure comes from a separate NCHS report without a standard error, so that test uses the state’s alone. A state is part of the nation, so the two estimates are not fully independent, which the Census Bureau’s ACS handbook warns about. The test does not adjust for it, and allowing for it changes none of the comparisons shown.

People

  • Population

    July 1, 2025

    3,114,791

    U.S.
    341,784,857; Arkansas is 0.91% of the U.S. total.
    Rank
    33 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Population growth

    July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025

    +0.60%

    U.S.
    +0.52%; Arkansas is 0.08 points higher than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    19 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median age

    July 1, 2025

    39.0 years

    U.S.
    39.4 years; Arkansas is 0.4 years lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    35 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Income and output

  • Median household income

    2024

    $62,106

    plus or minus $831

    U.S.
    $81,604; Arkansas is $19,498 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    48 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Louisiana.
    Price-adjusted
    $71,438, plus or minus $956: income divided by Arkansas’ 2024 regional price parity (86.9, U.S. = 100). Computed by this site, not published by Census or BEA, and not ranked.

  • Per capita personal income

    2025

    $61,697

    U.S.
    $77,028; Arkansas is $15,331 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    47 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Real per capita personal income

    2024

    $55,219

    U.S.
    $59,195; Arkansas is $3,976 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    38 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • GDP per capita

    2025

    $62,922

    U.S.
    $90,294; Arkansas is $27,372 lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    50 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Poverty rate

    2024

    15.54%

    plus or minus 0.62%

    U.S.
    12.15%; Arkansas is 3.39 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    7 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Kentucky, or from the next lower state, Alabama.

Prices and housing

  • Price level (RPP)

    2024

    86.9

    U.S.
    100.0; Arkansas is 13.1 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    51 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Median home value

    2024

    $215,600

    plus or minus $3,253

    U.S.
    $360,600; Arkansas is $145,000 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    49 of 51. Statistically different from the states ranked just above and below.

  • Median gross rent

    2024

    $982

    plus or minus $13

    U.S.
    $1,487; Arkansas is $505 lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    48 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Mississippi, or from the next lower state, Iowa.

  • Rent burden

    2024

    45.52%

    plus or minus 1.85%

    U.S.
    51.77%; Arkansas is 6.25 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    41 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Oklahoma, or from the next lower state, Kentucky.

  • Homeownership rate

    2024

    67.11%

    plus or minus 0.76%

    U.S.
    65.27%; Arkansas is 1.84 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    31 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Virginia, or from the next lower state, North Carolina.

  • Residential electricity price

    January to July 2026

    13.61 cents

    U.S.
    18.19 cents; Arkansas is 4.58 cents lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    44 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.
    July 2026
    14.33 cents in that month alone (U.S. 18.31 cents)

Average residential electricity price, cents per kilowatthour, Arkansas and the United States, 1990 to 2024

Cents per kilowatthour, nominal (not adjusted for inflation), all residential customers. From EIA’s annual survey of utilities.

6 cents8 cents10 cents12 cents14 cents16 cents1990200020102020
Data table
YearArkansasUnited States
19908.077.83
19918.108.04
19928.288.21
19938.278.32
19948.078.38
19957.988.40
19967.778.36
19977.808.43
19987.518.26
19997.438.16
20007.458.24
20017.728.58
20027.258.44
20037.248.72
20047.368.95
20058.009.45
20068.8510.40
20078.7310.65
20089.2711.26
20099.1411.51
20108.8611.54
20119.0211.72
20129.3011.88
20139.5912.13
20149.5112.52
20159.8212.65
20169.9212.55
201710.2812.89
20189.8112.87
20199.8013.01
202010.4113.15
202111.2713.66
202212.0515.04
202312.2516.00
202412.3216.48

Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). HS861 1990-2009.xlsx and HS861 2010-.xlsx, sheet Total Electric Industry, RESIDENTIAL Price · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 35 rows · as of 2024 · annual. The CSV has every state since 1990. Download CSV

Work

  • Unemployment rate

    August 2026

    3.9%

    U.S.
    4.1%; Arkansas is 0.2 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    26 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

  • Labor force participation

    August 2026

    59.1%

    U.S.
    61.6%; Arkansas is 2.5 points lower than the U.S. value (not tested).
    Rank
    39 of 51. No margin of error is published, so the rank carries no test.

Unemployment rate, Arkansas and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Arkansas: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

0%5%10%15%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthArkansasUnited States
Sept. 20163.95.0
Oct. 20163.94.9
Nov. 20163.94.7
Dec. 20163.84.7
Jan. 20173.84.7
Feb. 20173.74.6
March 20173.74.4
April 20173.74.4
May 20173.74.4
June 20173.74.3
July 20173.74.3
Aug. 20173.74.4
Sept. 20173.84.3
Oct. 20173.84.2
Nov. 20173.84.2
Dec. 20173.84.1
Jan. 20183.84.0
Feb. 20183.84.1
March 20183.74.0
April 20183.74.0
May 20183.63.8
June 20183.64.0
July 20183.53.8
Aug. 20183.53.8
Sept. 20183.63.7
Oct. 20183.63.8
Nov. 20183.73.8
Dec. 20183.73.9
Jan. 20193.74.0
Feb. 20193.63.8
March 20193.53.8
April 20193.43.7
May 20193.43.6
June 20193.43.6
July 20193.43.7
Aug. 20193.53.6
Sept. 20193.53.5
Oct. 20193.53.6
Nov. 20193.53.6
Dec. 20193.53.6
Jan. 20203.53.6
Feb. 20203.63.5
March 20204.84.4
April 202010.114.8
May 20208.913.2
June 20207.911.0
July 20207.310.2
Aug. 20206.48.4
Sept. 20205.97.8
Oct. 20205.46.9
Nov. 20205.16.7
Dec. 20205.06.7
Jan. 20214.96.4
Feb. 20214.86.2
March 20214.76.1
April 20214.66.1
May 20214.45.8
June 20214.25.9
July 20214.05.4
Aug. 20213.75.1
Sept. 20213.54.7
Oct. 20213.34.5
Nov. 20213.24.1
Dec. 20213.23.9
Jan. 20223.24.0
Feb. 20223.23.9
March 20223.23.7
April 20223.23.7
May 20223.23.6
June 20223.23.6
July 20223.23.5
Aug. 20223.23.6
Sept. 20223.23.5
Oct. 20223.23.6
Nov. 20223.13.6
Dec. 20223.03.5
Jan. 20232.93.5
Feb. 20232.93.6
March 20232.93.5
April 20232.93.4
May 20233.03.6
June 20233.03.6
July 20233.23.5
Aug. 20233.33.7
Sept. 20233.43.7
Oct. 20233.43.9
Nov. 20233.53.7
Dec. 20233.53.8
Jan. 20243.43.7
Feb. 20243.43.9
March 20243.43.9
April 20243.43.9
May 20243.43.9
June 20243.44.1
July 20243.54.2
Aug. 20243.54.2
Sept. 20243.54.1
Oct. 20243.64.1
Nov. 20243.74.2
Dec. 20243.74.1
Jan. 20253.84.0
Feb. 20253.84.2
March 20253.94.2
April 20253.94.2
May 20254.04.3
June 20254.04.1
July 20254.14.3
Aug. 20254.24.3
Sept. 20254.24.4
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 20254.34.5
Dec. 20254.34.4
Jan. 20264.44.3
Feb. 20264.44.4
March 20264.34.3
April 20264.34.3
May 20264.24.3
June 20264.14.2
July 20264.04.1
Aug. 20263.94.1

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000003 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED UNRATE · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Labor force participation rate, Arkansas and the United States, Sept. 2016 to Aug. 2026

Percent, seasonally adjusted. Arkansas: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (model-based). United States: the national rate from BLS’s Current Population Survey. BLS published no figure for Oct. 2025 (the 2025 lapse in appropriations); that month is shaded, the line joins the months on either side, and the table shows the gap.

56%58%60%62%64%20182020202220242026
  • Months with no BLS figure
Data table
MonthArkansasUnited States
Sept. 201658.062.9
Oct. 201657.962.8
Nov. 201657.962.7
Dec. 201657.962.7
Jan. 201757.962.8
Feb. 201757.962.9
March 201758.062.9
April 201758.163.0
May 201758.162.8
June 201758.262.8
July 201758.262.9
Aug. 201758.262.9
Sept. 201758.163.1
Oct. 201758.062.7
Nov. 201758.062.7
Dec. 201757.962.7
Jan. 201857.962.7
Feb. 201857.963.0
March 201857.962.9
April 201857.962.9
May 201857.962.9
June 201857.863.0
July 201857.863.0
Aug. 201857.862.6
Sept. 201857.862.8
Oct. 201857.962.9
Nov. 201858.062.9
Dec. 201858.163.0
Jan. 201958.263.1
Feb. 201958.263.1
March 201958.263.0
April 201958.162.8
May 201958.162.9
June 201958.063.0
July 201958.063.1
Aug. 201958.163.1
Sept. 201958.163.2
Oct. 201958.263.3
Nov. 201958.263.3
Dec. 201958.163.3
Jan. 202058.063.3
Feb. 202057.963.3
March 202058.662.6
April 202057.760.1
May 202057.560.8
June 202057.261.5
July 202057.361.5
Aug. 202057.061.7
Sept. 202057.161.4
Oct. 202056.861.7
Nov. 202056.761.5
Dec. 202056.761.5
Jan. 202156.661.4
Feb. 202156.561.4
March 202156.661.5
April 202156.661.6
May 202156.561.6
June 202156.561.7
July 202156.461.8
Aug. 202156.461.7
Sept. 202156.461.7
Oct. 202156.561.8
Nov. 202156.761.9
Dec. 202156.962.0
Jan. 202257.162.2
Feb. 202257.362.3
March 202257.462.4
April 202257.462.2
May 202257.462.3
June 202257.462.2
July 202257.462.1
Aug. 202257.462.3
Sept. 202257.462.2
Oct. 202257.462.2
Nov. 202257.462.1
Dec. 202257.462.3
Jan. 202357.562.4
Feb. 202357.662.5
March 202357.662.6
April 202357.762.6
May 202357.762.6
June 202357.862.6
July 202357.862.6
Aug. 202357.962.8
Sept. 202357.962.7
Oct. 202357.962.6
Nov. 202357.962.8
Dec. 202357.962.5
Jan. 202457.962.5
Feb. 202458.062.6
March 202458.062.7
April 202458.162.6
May 202458.262.6
June 202458.262.6
July 202458.362.7
Aug. 202458.362.7
Sept. 202458.362.7
Oct. 202458.362.5
Nov. 202458.462.4
Dec. 202458.462.5
Jan. 202558.462.6
Feb. 202558.562.5
March 202558.562.5
April 202558.562.6
May 202558.562.4
June 202558.562.3
July 202558.662.2
Aug. 202558.762.3
Sept. 202558.962.5
Oct. 2025no datano data
Nov. 202559.062.5
Dec. 202559.062.4
Jan. 202659.162.1
Feb. 202659.262.0
March 202659.261.9
April 202659.161.8
May 202659.161.8
June 202659.261.5
July 202659.261.4
Aug. 202659.161.6

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. LASST<FIPS>0000000000008 for each state (column = USPS code); US = FRED CIVPART · retrieved Oct. 2, 2026 · 608 rows · as of August 2026 · monthly. The CSV has every state since January 1976. Download CSV

Health and education

  • Life expectancy

    2022

    73.9 years

    plus or minus 0.14 years

    U.S.
    77.5 years; Arkansas is 3.6 years lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    44 of 51. Not statistically different from the next lower state, Oklahoma.

  • Uninsured rate

    2024

    9.39%

    plus or minus 0.35%

    U.S.
    8.20%; Arkansas is 1.19 points higher than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    12 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Tennessee, or from the next lower state, Idaho.

  • Bachelor's degree or higher

    2024

    27.12%

    plus or minus 0.62%

    U.S.
    36.85%; Arkansas is 9.73 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    49 of 51. Not statistically different from the next higher state, Louisiana, or from the next lower state, Mississippi.

Civic participation

  • Voter turnout (self-reported)

    Nov. 5, 2024 general election

    52.8%

    plus or minus 2.7%

    U.S.
    65.3%; Arkansas is 12.5 points lower than the U.S. value.
    Rank
    51 of 51. Statistically different from the next higher state.

Sources and data

Every figure on this page, with its source, period and the CSV behind it (all 50 states and DC, with ranks and the test). Retrieved Oct. 2, 2026.

  1. Population, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  2. Population growth, July 1, 2024 to July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025. CSV
  3. Median age, July 1, 2025: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025 (SC-EST2025-AGESEX). CSV
  4. Median household income, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  5. Median home value, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  6. Median gross rent, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  7. Poverty rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  8. Rent burden, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  9. Homeownership rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  10. Uninsured rate, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  11. Bachelor's degree or higher, 2024: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2024 1-year, table-based Summary File. CSV
  12. Price level (RPP), 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by State (SARPP). CSV
  13. Real per capita personal income, 2024: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Real Personal Income by State (SARPI). CSV
  14. Per capita personal income, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, State Annual Personal Income (SAINC1). CSV
  15. GDP per capita, 2025: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, GDP by State (SAGDP1), and U.S. Census Bureau, Vintage 2025 population. CSV
  16. Unemployment rate, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  17. Labor force participation, August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS). CSV
  18. Life expectancy, 2022: National Center for Health Statistics, U.S. State Life Tables, 2022 (National Vital Statistics Reports Vol. 74, No. 12). CSV
  19. Residential electricity price, January to July 2026: U.S. Energy Information Administration, Electric Power Monthly, Tables 5.6.B and 5.6.A. CSV
  20. Voter turnout (self-reported), Nov. 5, 2024 general election: U.S. Census Bureau, Current Population Survey, November 2024 Voting and Registration Supplement, Table 4a. CSV
  21. Unemployment rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  22. Labor force participation rate by state, monthly, January 1976 to August 2026: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS); national column from the CPS via FRED. CSV
  23. Average residential electricity price by state, annual, 1990 to 2024: U.S. Energy Information Administration, EIA-861 historical state data (HS861). CSV