Cotton Plant, Arkansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 444, Cotton Plant's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Cotton Plant is a small community located in Arkansas, within Woodruff County. The total population is 444. It ranks as the 316th most populous out of 614 Census-designated places in Arkansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Cotton Plant is 57.8 years. This is 50% higher than the state median of 38.5 years. 16.9% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Cotton Plant is $11,790. This is 81% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 85% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 57.7%. This is 261% higher than the state poverty rate of 16.0%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 18.1%. This is 266% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $41,100. Housing costs are 78% lower than the state median of $188,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.5x. 33.7% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 49% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Cotton Plant is Black or African American, making up 79.5% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 14.9%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (14.9%) is well below the state average of 67.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (79.5% vs 14.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (0.4%) is well below the state average of 9.0%.

Education

12.8% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 50% lower than the state rate of 25.7%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 78.0%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Cotton Plant, Arkansas is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Arkansas state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 614 Census-designated places in Arkansas. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.