Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate

Lee County had the highest poverty rate of 75 counties in 2022, at 35.1%. Benton County had the lowest, at 7.9%. The median was 18.9% and the figure for Arkansas was 16.3%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

Highest35.1Lee County
Lowest7.9Benton County
Median18.975 counties
Arkansas16.3History

Top 40 counties, 2022

CSVChart (SVG)

Lee CountyLee County: 35.1 %35.1Phillips CountyPhillips County: 34.9 %34.9St. Francis CountySt. Francis County: 34.4 %34.4Desha CountyDesha County: 27.9 %27.9Chicot CountyChicot County: 27 %27Lincoln CountyLincoln County: 25.2 %25.2Monroe CountyMonroe County: 24.9 %24.9Jackson CountyJackson County: 24.7 %24.7Lafayette CountyLafayette County: 23.7 %23.7Miller CountyMiller County: 22.9 %22.9Woodruff CountyWoodruff County: 22.6 %22.6Izard CountyIzard County: 22.4 %22.4Columbia CountyColumbia County: 22.2 %22.2Jefferson CountyJefferson County: 22.2 %22.2Bradley CountyBradley County: 21.9 %21.9Cross CountyCross County: 21.9 %21.9Nevada CountyNevada County: 21.9 %21.9Ashley CountyAshley County: 21.8 %21.8Crittenden CountyCrittenden County: 21.8 %21.8Mississippi CountyMississippi County: 21.8 %21.8Searcy CountySearcy County: 21.7 %21.7Scott CountyScott County: 21.2 %21.2Hempstead CountyHempstead County: 20.9 %20.9Drew CountyDrew County: 20.8 %20.8Sevier CountySevier County: 20.6 %20.6Stone CountyStone County: 20.4 %20.4Clark CountyClark County: 20.3 %20.3Dallas CountyDallas County: 20.1 %20.1Clay CountyClay County: 20 %20Montgomery CountyMontgomery County: 20 %20Poinsett CountyPoinsett County: 20 %20Randolph CountyRandolph County: 19.9 %19.9Van Buren CountyVan Buren County: 19.6 %19.6Sharp CountySharp County: 19.5 %19.5Newton CountyNewton County: 19.4 %19.4Lawrence CountyLawrence County: 19.1 %19.1Pike CountyPike County: 19.1 %19.1Johnson CountyJohnson County: 18.9 %18.9Union CountyUnion County: 18.9 %18.9Arkansas CountyArkansas County: 18.8 %18.8
%. Source: U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Full ranking

RankCounties2022 (%)Change on 2021
1Lee County35.1+0.2 pts
2Phillips County34.9-0.8 pts
3St. Francis County34.4+2.2 pts
4Desha County27.9+0.3 pts
5Chicot County27-0.9 pts
6Lincoln County25.2+2.6 pts
7Monroe County24.9-0.4 pts
8Jackson County24.7+2.2 pts
9Lafayette County23.70 pts
10Miller County22.9+2.5 pts
11Woodruff County22.6-2.6 pts
12Izard County22.4+4 pts
13Columbia County22.2-1 pts
13Jefferson County22.2+1.9 pts
15Bradley County21.9+2.3 pts
15Cross County21.9+5.2 pts
15Nevada County21.9+0.7 pts
18Ashley County21.8+0.5 pts
18Crittenden County21.8-1.2 pts
18Mississippi County21.8-2.1 pts
21Searcy County21.7+0.8 pts
22Scott County21.2+3.9 pts
23Hempstead County20.9-0.3 pts
24Drew County20.8+4.3 pts
25Sevier County20.6+2.3 pts
26Stone County20.4-0.4 pts
27Clark County20.3+0.3 pts
28Dallas County20.1-0.1 pts
29Clay County20+2.1 pts
29Montgomery County20+0.1 pts
29Poinsett County20-2.2 pts
32Randolph County19.9+2.9 pts
33Van Buren County19.6+2.5 pts
34Sharp County19.5+1.2 pts
35Newton County19.4+0.3 pts
36Lawrence County19.1-1.3 pts
36Pike County19.1+0.5 pts
38Johnson County18.9+0.8 pts
38Union County18.9+1.1 pts
40Arkansas County18.8+1.1 pts
41Logan County18.7+3.3 pts
42Ouachita County18.1-2.1 pts
43Conway County18+1.1 pts
44Howard County17.90 pts
45Hot Spring County17.4-0.4 pts
46Garland County17.3+2.8 pts
46Polk County17.3-2 pts
46Pulaski County17.3-0.3 pts
49Fulton County17.2-0.8 pts
50Craighead County17.1-1.1 pts
50Sebastian County17.1-2.4 pts
52Little River County17+1.3 pts
53Franklin County16.8-0.4 pts
54Madison County16.5+1.1 pts
55Greene County16.3+3.4 pts
55Yell County16.3+1.2 pts
57Perry County16.2+1 pts
58Crawford County16.1+1.4 pts
59Carroll County16-0.8 pts
60Calhoun County15.9+1.3 pts
60White County15.9-0.4 pts
62Marion County15.6-2.2 pts
63Pope County15.3-2.7 pts
64Cleveland County15.1+1 pts
65Independence County15-3.9 pts
66Prairie County14.9-0.8 pts
67Faulkner County14.6+1 pts
68Washington County14.3+1.9 pts
69Baxter County13.8+0.4 pts
70Boone County13.3+0.3 pts
70Grant County13.3+2.1 pts
72Cleburne County13-3.7 pts
73Lonoke County11.5+0.5 pts
74Saline County9.8+1.3 pts
75Benton County7.90 pts

Other periods

About this ranking

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

Absolute thresholds set by the US government, so not comparable with the EU at_risk_of_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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/saipe/datasets/2022/2022-state-and-county/est22all.txt. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Use this data in your AI agent

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Rank Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate using official data, and cite the source.
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate?

Lee County, with 35.1% in 2022, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate?

Benton County, with 7.9% in 2022.

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 of all ages in poverty, states and counties. Retrieved 2026-10-08.

Poverty rate (US official measure): other rankings

Counties in Arkansas: more rankings