Palestine, Arkansas Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 800, Palestine'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

Palestine is a small community located in Arkansas, within St. Francis County. The total population is 800. It ranks as the 238th most populous out of 614 Census-designated places in Arkansas.

Age Demographics

The median age in Palestine is 41.3 years. This is 7% higher than the state median of 38.5 years. With 35.3% of the population under 18, Palestine has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Palestine is $36,090. This is 41% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 55% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 27.6%. This is 73% 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 7.0%. This is 41% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $67,900. Housing costs are 64% lower than the state median of $188,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 1.9x, Palestine is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 65.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 2% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Palestine is White (non-Hispanic), making up 84.5% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 9.4%.

Education

10.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 59% 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 90.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Palestine, 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.