Norfork, Arkansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 690, Norfork'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

Norfork is a small community located in Arkansas, within Baxter County. The total population is 690. It ranks as the 256th most populous out of 614 Census-designated places in Arkansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Norfork is 32.5 years. This is 16% lower than the state median of 38.5 years. With 38.7% of the population under 18, Norfork has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Norfork is $32,167. This is 47% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 60% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 39.4%. This is 147% 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 survey records no unemployed residents in Norfork, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $182,000. Housing costs are 3% lower than the state median of $188,000. The home-value-to-income ratio is 5.7x. 51.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 22% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

Norfork has a predominantly White (non-Hispanic) population, comprising 91.2% of all residents. Black or African American residents account for 3.6%. The Black or African American population (3.6%) is well below the state average of 14.6%. The Asian population (0.3%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

19.7% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 23% 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 93.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Norfork, 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.