Data / Rankings / Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) / Counties in Arkansas

Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)

Phillips County had the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate) of 75 counties in 2021, at 33.3%. Benton County had the lowest, at 8.1%. The median was 17.8% and the figure for Arkansas was 16%. Source: the U.S. Census Bureau.

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Highest33.3Phillips County
Lowest8.1Benton County
Median17.875 counties
Arkansas16History

Map of counties, 2021

Arkansas County: 16.4 %Ashley County: 20.6 %Baxter County: 14 %Benton County: 8.1 %Boone County: 13.3 %Bradley County: 14.8 %Calhoun County: 9.9 %Carroll County: 14.3 %Chicot County: 29.6 %Clark County: 20.4 %Clay County: 18.8 %Cleburne County: 15.1 %Cleveland County: 12.4 %Columbia County: 23.4 %Conway County: 18.9 %Craighead County: 17.8 %Crawford County: 17.7 %Crittenden County: 19.8 %Cross County: 17.6 %Dallas County: 12.9 %Desha County: 27.8 %Drew County: 20 %Faulkner County: 14.8 %Franklin County: 22.8 %Fulton County: 17.9 %Garland County: 16.2 %Grant County: 14.1 %Greene County: 16.5 %Hempstead County: 24.6 %Hot Spring County: 19 %Howard County: 20.3 %Independence County: 17.7 %Izard County: 15.7 %Jackson County: 20.8 %Jefferson County: 19.4 %Johnson County: 18.9 %Lafayette County: 23.5 %Lawrence County: 15.5 %Lee County: 27.7 %Lincoln County: 15.1 %Little River County: 12.4 %Logan County: 15.7 %Lonoke County: 11.6 %Madison County: 16.5 %Marion County: 18.1 %Miller County: 18.1 %Mississippi County: 21.8 %Monroe County: 21.5 %Montgomery County: 18.9 %Nevada County: 25.2 %Newton County: 10.3 %Ouachita County: 21.1 %Perry County: 15.4 %Phillips County: 33.3 %Pike County: 17.7 %Poinsett County: 20.8 %Polk County: 20.9 %Pope County: 17.4 %Prairie County: 10 %Pulaski County: 15.8 %Randolph County: 19.3 %St. Francis County: 28.5 %Saline County: 8.7 %Scott County: 15.2 %Searcy County: 24.1 %Sebastian County: 17.5 %Sevier County: 21.7 %Sharp County: 18 %Stone County: 20.9 %Union County: 18.5 %Van Buren County: 17.6 %Washington County: 15.3 %White County: 15.3 %Woodruff County: 20.8 %Yell County: 13.8 %
  • Under 14
  • 14 to 16
  • 16 to 18
  • 18 to 20
  • 20 to 22
  • 22 and over
%, 2021. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau cartographic boundary files.

Top 40 counties, 2021

Phillips County: 33.3 %Phillips County33.3Chicot County: 29.6 %Chicot County29.6St. Francis County: 28.5 %St. Francis County28.5Desha County: 27.8 %Desha County27.8Lee County: 27.7 %Lee County27.7Nevada County: 25.2 %Nevada County25.2Hempstead County: 24.6 %Hempstead County24.6Searcy County: 24.1 %Searcy County24.1Lafayette County: 23.5 %Lafayette County23.5Columbia County: 23.4 %Columbia County23.4Franklin County: 22.8 %Franklin County22.8Mississippi County: 21.8 %Mississippi County21.8Sevier County: 21.7 %Sevier County21.7Monroe County: 21.5 %Monroe County21.5Ouachita County: 21.1 %Ouachita County21.1Stone County: 20.9 %Stone County20.9Polk County: 20.9 %Polk County20.9Jackson County: 20.8 %Jackson County20.8Woodruff County: 20.8 %Woodruff County20.8Poinsett County: 20.8 %Poinsett County20.8Ashley County: 20.6 %Ashley County20.6Clark County: 20.4 %Clark County20.4Howard County: 20.3 %Howard County20.3Drew County: 20 %Drew County20Crittenden County: 19.8 %Crittenden County19.8Jefferson County: 19.4 %Jefferson County19.4Randolph County: 19.3 %Randolph County19.3Hot Spring County: 19 %Hot Spring County19Johnson County: 18.9 %Johnson County18.9Montgomery County: 18.9 %Montgomery County18.9Conway County: 18.9 %Conway County18.9Clay County: 18.8 %Clay County18.8Union County: 18.5 %Union County18.5Marion County: 18.1 %Marion County18.1Miller County: 18.1 %Miller County18.1Sharp County: 18 %Sharp County18Fulton County: 17.9 %Fulton County17.9Craighead County: 17.8 %Craighead County17.8Crawford County: 17.7 %Crawford County17.7Pike County: 17.7 %Pike County17.7Phillips County: 33.3 %Phillips County33.3Chicot County: 29.6 %Chicot County29.6St. Francis County: 28.5 %St. Francis County28.5Desha County: 27.8 %Desha County27.8Lee County: 27.7 %Lee County27.7Nevada County: 25.2 %Nevada County25.2Hempstead County: 24.6 %Hempstead County24.6Searcy County: 24.1 %Searcy County24.1Lafayette County: 23.5 %Lafayette County23.5Columbia County: 23.4 %Columbia County23.4Franklin County: 22.8 %Franklin County22.8Mississippi County: 21.8 %Mississippi County21.8Sevier County: 21.7 %Sevier County21.7Monroe County: 21.5 %Monroe County21.5Ouachita County: 21.1 %Ouachita County21.1Stone County: 20.9 %Stone County20.9Polk County: 20.9 %Polk County20.9Jackson County: 20.8 %Jackson County20.8Woodruff County: 20.8 %Woodruff County20.8Poinsett County: 20.8 %Poinsett County20.8Ashley County: 20.6 %Ashley County20.6Clark County: 20.4 %Clark County20.4Howard County: 20.3 %Howard County20.3Drew County: 20 %Drew County20Crittenden County: 19.8 %Crittenden County19.8Jefferson County: 19.4 %Jefferson County19.4Randolph County: 19.3 %Randolph County19.3Hot Spring County: 19 %Hot Spring County19Johnson County: 18.9 %Johnson County18.9Montgomery County: 18.9 %Montgomery County18.9Conway County: 18.9 %Conway County18.9Clay County: 18.8 %Clay County18.8Union County: 18.5 %Union County18.5Marion County: 18.1 %Marion County18.1Miller County: 18.1 %Miller County18.1Sharp County: 18 %Sharp County18Fulton County: 17.9 %Fulton County17.9Craighead County: 17.8 %Craighead County17.8Crawford County: 17.7 %Crawford County17.7Pike County: 17.7 %Pike County17.7
%. Source: Invokely calculation with data from U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Full ranking

RankCounties2021 (%)
1Phillips County33.3
2Chicot County29.6
3St. Francis County28.5
4Desha County27.8
5Lee County27.7
6Nevada County25.2
7Hempstead County24.6
8Searcy County24.1
9Lafayette County23.5
10Columbia County23.4
11Franklin County22.8
12Mississippi County21.8
13Sevier County21.7
14Monroe County21.5
15Ouachita County21.1
16Stone County20.9
17Polk County20.9
18Jackson County20.8
19Woodruff County20.8
20Poinsett County20.8
21Ashley County20.6
22Clark County20.4
23Howard County20.3
24Drew County20
25Crittenden County19.8
26Jefferson County19.4
27Randolph County19.3
28Hot Spring County19
29Johnson County18.9
30Montgomery County18.9
31Conway County18.9
32Clay County18.8
33Union County18.5
34Marion County18.1
35Miller County18.1
36Sharp County18
37Fulton County17.9
38Craighead County17.8
39Crawford County17.7
39Pike County17.7
41Independence County17.7
42Cross County17.6
43Van Buren County17.6
44Sebastian County17.5
45Pope County17.4
46Madison County16.5
47Greene County16.5
48Arkansas County16.4
49Garland County16.2
50Pulaski County15.8
51Izard County15.7
52Logan County15.7
53Lawrence County15.5
54Perry County15.4
55Washington County15.3
56White County15.3
57Scott County15.2
58Lincoln County15.1
59Cleburne County15.1
60Bradley County14.8
60Faulkner County14.8
62Carroll County14.3
63Grant County14.1
64Baxter County14
65Yell County13.8
66Boone County13.3
67Dallas County12.9
68Little River County12.4
69Cleveland County12.4
70Lonoke County11.6
71Newton County10.3
72Prairie County10
73Calhoun County9.9
74Saline County8.7
75Benton County8.1

Other periods

About this ranking

People with income in the past 12 months below the official US poverty thresholds, as a percentage of people whose poverty status is determined. United States: American Community Survey five-year estimate, where the period shown is the last year of the five-year span.

The headline single-year rate for states and counties is poverty_rate (SAIPE). Poverty status is not determined for people in institutions, military group quarters or college dormitories, or for unrelated children under 15. 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. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. 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). American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs (Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021) [Data set]. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat

MLA 9

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. U.S. Census Bureau, 29 Jan. 2026, https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021. Accessed 12 Oct. 2026.

Chicago (author-date)

U.S. Census Bureau. 2026. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021. Dataset. Accessed October 12, 2026. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Also distributed by Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021.

Harvard

U.S. Census Bureau (2026) American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs, Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021 [Dataset]. Available at: https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat, via Invokely: https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021 (Accessed: 12 October 2026).

BibTeX
@misc{census_counties_in_arkansas_by_2021,
  author = {{U.S. Census Bureau}},
  title = {{American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021}},
  year = {2026},
  howpublished = {Data set},
  url = {https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat},
  urldate = {2026-10-12},
  note = {Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021. Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary\_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.},
}
RIS
TY  - DATA
AU  - U.S. Census Bureau
TI  - American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs: Counties in Arkansas by poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate), 2021
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/01/29
PB  - U.S. Census Bureau
DB  - Invokely
UR  - https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat
L2  - https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021
Y2  - 2026/10/12
N1  - Accessed via Invokely, https://invokely.ai/rankings/poverty-rate-acs/arkansas-counties?period=2021.
N1  - Publisher attribution: U.S. Census Bureau. American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. https://www2.census.gov/programs-surveys/acs/summary_file/2021/table-based-SF/data/5YRData/acsdt5y2021-b17001.dat. Retrieved 2026-10-12.
ER  -
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Questions

Which county has the highest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Phillips County, with 33.3% in 2021, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

Which county has the lowest poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate)?

Benton County, with 8.1% in 2021.

Where does this ranking come from?

Every value comes from one source and one period, so the places are comparable: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates, table B17001: population with income in the past 12 months below the poverty level as a percentage of the population for whom poverty status is determined, calculated with stored inputs. Retrieved 2026-10-12.

Poverty rate (US five-year survey estimate): other rankings

Counties in Arkansas: more rankings