Data / Rankings / Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) / Counties in Arkansas

Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)

Phillips County had the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure) of 75 counties in 2016, at 50.7%. Benton County had the lowest, at 11.9%. The median was 28.2% and the figure for Arkansas was 24%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest50.7Phillips County
Lowest11.9Benton County
Median28.275 counties
Arkansas24History

Map of counties, 2016

Arkansas County: 27.9 %Ashley County: 29.8 %Baxter County: 22.2 %Benton County: 11.9 %Boone County: 24.1 %Bradley County: 34.2 %Calhoun County: 24.3 %Carroll County: 28.1 %Chicot County: 44 %Clark County: 27.8 %Clay County: 26.8 %Cleburne County: 24.9 %Cleveland County: 22.2 %Columbia County: 32.6 %Conway County: 28.2 %Craighead County: 20.6 %Crawford County: 24.3 %Crittenden County: 38.4 %Cross County: 29.4 %Dallas County: 33.2 %Desha County: 40.3 %Drew County: 26.8 %Faulkner County: 17.2 %Franklin County: 25.3 %Fulton County: 36.8 %Garland County: 30.7 %Grant County: 16.9 %Greene County: 22.5 %Hempstead County: 31.2 %Hot Spring County: 22.9 %Howard County: 28.1 %Independence County: 23.5 %Izard County: 30.5 %Jackson County: 31.9 %Jefferson County: 31.7 %Johnson County: 25.4 %Lafayette County: 40.2 %Lawrence County: 29.7 %Lee County: 47.7 %Lincoln County: 29.3 %Little River County: 26.3 %Logan County: 28.2 %Lonoke County: 17.1 %Madison County: 25.8 %Marion County: 32 %Miller County: 31.8 %Mississippi County: 34.2 %Monroe County: 41.5 %Montgomery County: 37.3 %Nevada County: 30.7 %Newton County: 33.4 %Ouachita County: 32.9 %Perry County: 25.3 %Phillips County: 50.7 %Pike County: 28.5 %Poinsett County: 31.5 %Polk County: 30.7 %Pope County: 21.6 %Prairie County: 27.5 %Pulaski County: 24.7 %Randolph County: 27.8 %St. Francis County: 44.2 %Saline County: 13 %Scott County: 32.9 %Searcy County: 37.3 %Sebastian County: 22.8 %Sevier County: 31.1 %Sharp County: 32.5 %Stone County: 35 %Union County: 27.9 %Van Buren County: 27.3 %Washington County: 18.2 %White County: 21.8 %Woodruff County: 37.2 %Yell County: 26 %
  • Under 23
  • 23 to 26
  • 26 to 28
  • 28 to 32
  • 32 to 35
  • 35 and over
%, 2016. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2016

Phillips County: 50.7 %Phillips County50.7Lee County: 47.7 %Lee County47.7St. Francis County: 44.2 %St. Francis County44.2Chicot County: 44 %Chicot County44Monroe County: 41.5 %Monroe County41.5Desha County: 40.3 %Desha County40.3Lafayette County: 40.2 %Lafayette County40.2Crittenden County: 38.4 %Crittenden County38.4Montgomery County: 37.3 %Montgomery County37.3Searcy County: 37.3 %Searcy County37.3Woodruff County: 37.2 %Woodruff County37.2Fulton County: 36.8 %Fulton County36.8Stone County: 35 %Stone County35Bradley County: 34.2 %Bradley County34.2Mississippi County: 34.2 %Mississippi County34.2Newton County: 33.4 %Newton County33.4Dallas County: 33.2 %Dallas County33.2Ouachita County: 32.9 %Ouachita County32.9Scott County: 32.9 %Scott County32.9Columbia County: 32.6 %Columbia County32.6Sharp County: 32.5 %Sharp County32.5Marion County: 32 %Marion County32Jackson County: 31.9 %Jackson County31.9Miller County: 31.8 %Miller County31.8Jefferson County: 31.7 %Jefferson County31.7Poinsett County: 31.5 %Poinsett County31.5Hempstead County: 31.2 %Hempstead County31.2Sevier County: 31.1 %Sevier County31.1Garland County: 30.7 %Garland County30.7Nevada County: 30.7 %Nevada County30.7Polk County: 30.7 %Polk County30.7Izard County: 30.5 %Izard County30.5Ashley County: 29.8 %Ashley County29.8Lawrence County: 29.7 %Lawrence County29.7Cross County: 29.4 %Cross County29.4Lincoln County: 29.3 %Lincoln County29.3Pike County: 28.5 %Pike County28.5Conway County: 28.2 %Conway County28.2Logan County: 28.2 %Logan County28.2Carroll County: 28.1 %Carroll County28.1Phillips County: 50.7 %Phillips County50.7Lee County: 47.7 %Lee County47.7St. Francis County: 44.2 %St. Francis County44.2Chicot County: 44 %Chicot County44Monroe County: 41.5 %Monroe County41.5Desha County: 40.3 %Desha County40.3Lafayette County: 40.2 %Lafayette County40.2Crittenden County: 38.4 %Crittenden County38.4Montgomery County: 37.3 %Montgomery County37.3Searcy County: 37.3 %Searcy County37.3Woodruff County: 37.2 %Woodruff County37.2Fulton County: 36.8 %Fulton County36.8Stone County: 35 %Stone County35Bradley County: 34.2 %Bradley County34.2Mississippi County: 34.2 %Mississippi County34.2Newton County: 33.4 %Newton County33.4Dallas County: 33.2 %Dallas County33.2Ouachita County: 32.9 %Ouachita County32.9Scott County: 32.9 %Scott County32.9Columbia County: 32.6 %Columbia County32.6Sharp County: 32.5 %Sharp County32.5Marion County: 32 %Marion County32Jackson County: 31.9 %Jackson County31.9Miller County: 31.8 %Miller County31.8Jefferson County: 31.7 %Jefferson County31.7Poinsett County: 31.5 %Poinsett County31.5Hempstead County: 31.2 %Hempstead County31.2Sevier County: 31.1 %Sevier County31.1Garland County: 30.7 %Garland County30.7Nevada County: 30.7 %Nevada County30.7Polk County: 30.7 %Polk County30.7Izard County: 30.5 %Izard County30.5Ashley County: 29.8 %Ashley County29.8Lawrence County: 29.7 %Lawrence County29.7Cross County: 29.4 %Cross County29.4Lincoln County: 29.3 %Lincoln County29.3Pike County: 28.5 %Pike County28.5Conway County: 28.2 %Conway County28.2Logan County: 28.2 %Logan County28.2Carroll County: 28.1 %Carroll County28.1
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2016 (%)Change on 2015
1Phillips County50.7-5.7 pts
2Lee County47.7-1 pts
3St. Francis County44.2-0.1 pts
4Chicot County44+0.8 pts
5Monroe County41.5-5.2 pts
6Desha County40.3-5.4 pts
7Lafayette County40.2+3.9 pts
8Crittenden County38.4+1.1 pts
9Montgomery County37.3+2.5 pts
9Searcy County37.3-1.8 pts
11Woodruff County37.2-2.1 pts
12Fulton County36.8+2.6 pts
13Stone County35-1.3 pts
14Bradley County34.2-6 pts
14Mississippi County34.2-3.4 pts
16Newton County33.4-3.7 pts
17Dallas County33.2-2.7 pts
18Ouachita County32.9-2.2 pts
18Scott County32.9-1.8 pts
20Columbia County32.6-0.2 pts
21Sharp County32.5-6.7 pts
22Marion County32-2.7 pts
23Jackson County31.9-7.8 pts
24Miller County31.8+0.3 pts
25Jefferson County31.7-6.1 pts
26Poinsett County31.5-5.1 pts
27Hempstead County31.2-2.9 pts
28Sevier County31.1-1.1 pts
29Garland County30.7+2.5 pts
29Nevada County30.7-4.9 pts
29Polk County30.7-1.7 pts
32Izard County30.5-0.9 pts
33Ashley County29.8-1.4 pts
34Lawrence County29.7-3.8 pts
35Cross County29.4-2.4 pts
36Lincoln County29.3+1.9 pts
37Pike County28.5-1.7 pts
38Conway County28.2-0.9 pts
38Logan County28.2-2.3 pts
40Carroll County28.1+0.4 pts
40Howard County28.1-2.6 pts
42Arkansas County27.9-2.6 pts
42Union County27.9+0.9 pts
44Clark County27.8-0.4 pts
44Randolph County27.8+0.4 pts
46Prairie County27.5-1 pts
47Van Buren County27.3-2.3 pts
48Clay County26.8-1.1 pts
48Drew County26.8-2.5 pts
50Little River County26.3-1.9 pts
51Yell County26-1.6 pts
52Madison County25.8-3.3 pts
53Johnson County25.4-3.7 pts
54Franklin County25.3-1.6 pts
54Perry County25.3-0.6 pts
56Cleburne County24.9+0.2 pts
57Pulaski County24.7-3 pts
58Calhoun County24.3+1.2 pts
58Crawford County24.3+1.8 pts
60Boone County24.1-1 pts
61Independence County23.5-3.3 pts
62Hot Spring County22.9-5.2 pts
63Sebastian County22.8-7.1 pts
64Greene County22.5-2.4 pts
65Baxter County22.2-6.3 pts
65Cleveland County22.2-3.7 pts
67White County21.8-2.4 pts
68Pope County21.6-3 pts
69Craighead County20.6-3.7 pts
70Washington County18.2-3.1 pts
71Faulkner County17.2+0.2 pts
72Lonoke County17.1+0.4 pts
73Grant County16.9-1.9 pts
74Saline County13-2.3 pts
75Benton County11.9-3.4 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

People under 18 in families or living alone with income below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people under 18 whose poverty status can be determined. United States: Census Bureau Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE) for the nation, states and counties.

A model-based single-year estimate; the national figure is the one-year American Community Survey estimate. The Census Bureau advises comparing years from 2006 on only. Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_poverty_rate. The rate for all ages is poverty_rate.

Every value in the ranking comes from the same publisher and the same period, so the counties are compared on one definition. Equal values share a rank.

How to cite

U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Citation styles

The publisher is the author. Invokely is named only as the place the figures were read, where a style asks for it.

APA 7

U.S. Census Bureau. (2026). Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties (Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt

MLA 9

Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties, Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_arkansas_by_2016,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties: Counties in Arkansas by child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure), 2016
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2016.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2016/2016-state-and-county/est16all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Phillips County, with 50.7% in 2016, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure)?

Benton County, with 11.9% in 2016.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): percent of people under age 18 in poverty, nation, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Child poverty rate, under 18 (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Arkansas: more rankings