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 2017, at 59.4%. Saline County had the lowest, at 10.6%. The median was 27.8% and the figure for Arkansas was 22.5%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest59.4Phillips County
Lowest10.6Saline County
Median27.875 counties
Arkansas22.5History

Map of counties, 2017

Arkansas County: 26.3 %Ashley County: 28.5 %Baxter County: 21 %Benton County: 11.6 %Boone County: 21.6 %Bradley County: 29.1 %Calhoun County: 21.4 %Carroll County: 25.8 %Chicot County: 42.2 %Clark County: 25.9 %Clay County: 25.4 %Cleburne County: 23.9 %Cleveland County: 21.1 %Columbia County: 32.5 %Conway County: 26.8 %Craighead County: 19.5 %Crawford County: 28.1 %Crittenden County: 31.9 %Cross County: 29.4 %Dallas County: 33.5 %Desha County: 40.5 %Drew County: 25.5 %Faulkner County: 14.8 %Franklin County: 25.5 %Fulton County: 28.9 %Garland County: 25.2 %Grant County: 16.4 %Greene County: 20.3 %Hempstead County: 37.2 %Hot Spring County: 23.4 %Howard County: 28.4 %Independence County: 21.6 %Izard County: 28 %Jackson County: 30.5 %Jefferson County: 34.4 %Johnson County: 24.3 %Lafayette County: 35.9 %Lawrence County: 26.7 %Lee County: 44.9 %Lincoln County: 26.1 %Little River County: 23.9 %Logan County: 29.7 %Lonoke County: 14.9 %Madison County: 25.2 %Marion County: 31.6 %Miller County: 28.6 %Mississippi County: 33 %Monroe County: 41.5 %Montgomery County: 35.6 %Nevada County: 29.4 %Newton County: 33 %Ouachita County: 27.9 %Perry County: 23 %Phillips County: 59.4 %Pike County: 26.5 %Poinsett County: 31.9 %Polk County: 33.4 %Pope County: 21.5 %Prairie County: 24.2 %Pulaski County: 20.3 %Randolph County: 26.7 %St. Francis County: 42 %Saline County: 10.6 %Scott County: 31.3 %Searcy County: 35.2 %Sebastian County: 25.9 %Sevier County: 29.5 %Sharp County: 37 %Stone County: 33.3 %Union County: 24.9 %Van Buren County: 28.2 %Washington County: 16.8 %White County: 21 %Woodruff County: 39.3 %Yell County: 27.8 %
  • Under 21
  • 21 to 25
  • 25 to 28
  • 28 to 30
  • 30 to 34
  • 34 and over
%, 2017. 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, 2017

Phillips County: 59.4 %Phillips County59.4Lee County: 44.9 %Lee County44.9Chicot County: 42.2 %Chicot County42.2St. Francis County: 42 %St. Francis County42Monroe County: 41.5 %Monroe County41.5Desha County: 40.5 %Desha County40.5Woodruff County: 39.3 %Woodruff County39.3Hempstead County: 37.2 %Hempstead County37.2Sharp County: 37 %Sharp County37Lafayette County: 35.9 %Lafayette County35.9Montgomery County: 35.6 %Montgomery County35.6Searcy County: 35.2 %Searcy County35.2Jefferson County: 34.4 %Jefferson County34.4Dallas County: 33.5 %Dallas County33.5Polk County: 33.4 %Polk County33.4Stone County: 33.3 %Stone County33.3Mississippi County: 33 %Mississippi County33Newton County: 33 %Newton County33Columbia County: 32.5 %Columbia County32.5Crittenden County: 31.9 %Crittenden County31.9Poinsett County: 31.9 %Poinsett County31.9Marion County: 31.6 %Marion County31.6Scott County: 31.3 %Scott County31.3Jackson County: 30.5 %Jackson County30.5Logan County: 29.7 %Logan County29.7Sevier County: 29.5 %Sevier County29.5Cross County: 29.4 %Cross County29.4Nevada County: 29.4 %Nevada County29.4Bradley County: 29.1 %Bradley County29.1Fulton County: 28.9 %Fulton County28.9Miller County: 28.6 %Miller County28.6Ashley County: 28.5 %Ashley County28.5Howard County: 28.4 %Howard County28.4Van Buren County: 28.2 %Van Buren County28.2Crawford County: 28.1 %Crawford County28.1Izard County: 28 %Izard County28Ouachita County: 27.9 %Ouachita County27.9Yell County: 27.8 %Yell County27.8Conway County: 26.8 %Conway County26.8Lawrence County: 26.7 %Lawrence County26.7Phillips County: 59.4 %Phillips County59.4Lee County: 44.9 %Lee County44.9Chicot County: 42.2 %Chicot County42.2St. Francis County: 42 %St. Francis County42Monroe County: 41.5 %Monroe County41.5Desha County: 40.5 %Desha County40.5Woodruff County: 39.3 %Woodruff County39.3Hempstead County: 37.2 %Hempstead County37.2Sharp County: 37 %Sharp County37Lafayette County: 35.9 %Lafayette County35.9Montgomery County: 35.6 %Montgomery County35.6Searcy County: 35.2 %Searcy County35.2Jefferson County: 34.4 %Jefferson County34.4Dallas County: 33.5 %Dallas County33.5Polk County: 33.4 %Polk County33.4Stone County: 33.3 %Stone County33.3Mississippi County: 33 %Mississippi County33Newton County: 33 %Newton County33Columbia County: 32.5 %Columbia County32.5Crittenden County: 31.9 %Crittenden County31.9Poinsett County: 31.9 %Poinsett County31.9Marion County: 31.6 %Marion County31.6Scott County: 31.3 %Scott County31.3Jackson County: 30.5 %Jackson County30.5Logan County: 29.7 %Logan County29.7Sevier County: 29.5 %Sevier County29.5Cross County: 29.4 %Cross County29.4Nevada County: 29.4 %Nevada County29.4Bradley County: 29.1 %Bradley County29.1Fulton County: 28.9 %Fulton County28.9Miller County: 28.6 %Miller County28.6Ashley County: 28.5 %Ashley County28.5Howard County: 28.4 %Howard County28.4Van Buren County: 28.2 %Van Buren County28.2Crawford County: 28.1 %Crawford County28.1Izard County: 28 %Izard County28Ouachita County: 27.9 %Ouachita County27.9Yell County: 27.8 %Yell County27.8Conway County: 26.8 %Conway County26.8Lawrence County: 26.7 %Lawrence County26.7
%. 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

RankCounties2017 (%)Change on 2016
1Phillips County59.4+8.7 pts
2Lee County44.9-2.8 pts
3Chicot County42.2-1.8 pts
4St. Francis County42-2.2 pts
5Monroe County41.50 pts
6Desha County40.5+0.2 pts
7Woodruff County39.3+2.1 pts
8Hempstead County37.2+6 pts
9Sharp County37+4.5 pts
10Lafayette County35.9-4.3 pts
11Montgomery County35.6-1.7 pts
12Searcy County35.2-2.1 pts
13Jefferson County34.4+2.7 pts
14Dallas County33.5+0.3 pts
15Polk County33.4+2.7 pts
16Stone County33.3-1.7 pts
17Mississippi County33-1.2 pts
17Newton County33-0.4 pts
19Columbia County32.5-0.1 pts
20Crittenden County31.9-6.5 pts
20Poinsett County31.9+0.4 pts
22Marion County31.6-0.4 pts
23Scott County31.3-1.6 pts
24Jackson County30.5-1.4 pts
25Logan County29.7+1.5 pts
26Sevier County29.5-1.6 pts
27Cross County29.40 pts
27Nevada County29.4-1.3 pts
29Bradley County29.1-5.1 pts
30Fulton County28.9-7.9 pts
31Miller County28.6-3.2 pts
32Ashley County28.5-1.3 pts
33Howard County28.4+0.3 pts
34Van Buren County28.2+0.9 pts
35Crawford County28.1+3.8 pts
36Izard County28-2.5 pts
37Ouachita County27.9-5 pts
38Yell County27.8+1.8 pts
39Conway County26.8-1.4 pts
40Lawrence County26.7-3 pts
40Randolph County26.7-1.1 pts
42Pike County26.5-2 pts
43Arkansas County26.3-1.6 pts
44Lincoln County26.1-3.2 pts
45Clark County25.9-1.9 pts
45Sebastian County25.9+3.1 pts
47Carroll County25.8-2.3 pts
48Drew County25.5-1.3 pts
48Franklin County25.5+0.2 pts
50Clay County25.4-1.4 pts
51Garland County25.2-5.5 pts
51Madison County25.2-0.6 pts
53Union County24.9-3 pts
54Johnson County24.3-1.1 pts
55Prairie County24.2-3.3 pts
56Cleburne County23.9-1 pts
56Little River County23.9-2.4 pts
58Hot Spring County23.4+0.5 pts
59Perry County23-2.3 pts
60Boone County21.6-2.5 pts
60Independence County21.6-1.9 pts
62Pope County21.5-0.1 pts
63Calhoun County21.4-2.9 pts
64Cleveland County21.1-1.1 pts
65Baxter County21-1.2 pts
65White County21-0.8 pts
67Greene County20.3-2.2 pts
67Pulaski County20.3-4.4 pts
69Craighead County19.5-1.1 pts
70Washington County16.8-1.4 pts
71Grant County16.4-0.5 pts
72Lonoke County14.9-2.2 pts
73Faulkner County14.8-2.4 pts
74Benton County11.6-0.3 pts
75Saline County10.6-2.4 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017. U.S. Census Bureau, 27 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017. 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), 2017. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017.

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), 2017 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_arkansas_by_2017,
  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), 2017}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017. 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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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), 2017
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/27
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.txt
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/child-poverty-rate-under-18/arkansas-counties?period=2017.
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/2017/2017-state-and-county/est17all.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 59.4% in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

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

Saline County, with 10.6% in 2017.

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