St. Francis County, Arkansas Demographics 2026

Name: St. Francis County, Arkansas Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

St. Francis County, Arkansas has a population of 22,400, the 27th most populous county in Arkansas. The median household income is $42,574 and the median home value is $90,900. The poverty rate is 28.5%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

St. Francis County Quick Facts

Population 22,400

Median Household Income $42,574

Median Home Value $90,900

Poverty Rate 28.5%

Unemployment Rate 9.2%

Median Age 40.1 years

Homeownership Rate 55.5%

Affordability Ratio 2.1x

Bachelor's Degree+ 14.2%

High School Graduation 85.9%

Cities/Places 9

Population 22,400 27th of 75

Median Income $42,574 30% lower than state

Poverty Rate 28.5%

Unemployment 9.2%

How St. Francis County Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric	2019–2023	2020–2024	Change
Population	22,740	22,400	-1.5%
Median household income	$41,784	$42,574	+1.9%
Median home value	$87,700	$90,900	+3.6%

Median Household Income

St. Francis

$42,574

$60,773

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

St. Francis

$90,900

$188,000

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 32.6%

$25K-$50K 23.7%

$50K-$100K 26.7%

$100K+ 17.1%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

11.9%

$10K-$15K

8.7%

$15K-$20K

7.3%

$20K-$25K

4.6%

$25K-$30K

5.7%

$30K-$35K

3.4%

$35K-$40K

6.1%

$40K-$45K

3.3%

$45K-$50K

5.2%

$50K-$60K

8.6%

$60K-$75K

9.7%

$75K-$100K

8.4%

$100K-$125K

8.7%

$125K-$150K

3.5%

$150K-$200K

3.3%

$200K+

1.6%

Employment

9.2% Unemployment Rate State: 4.9%|National: 5.2%

46.4% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 55.5%

Renter 44.5%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.1x home value to income ratio

Median gross rent $779/mo 22.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

21.2%

18-34

22.5%

35-54

26.1%

55-74

23.4%

75+

6.8%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 51 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Cities & Places in St. Francis County

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Forrest City	12,646	$35,689	37.7%	$92,000
Hughes	886	$43,250	41.6%	$69,800
Palestine	800	$36,090	27.6%	$67,900
Colt	510	$22,188	46.5%	$93,800
Madison	476	$55,893	24.2%	$120,400
Caldwell	441	$68,375	7.7%	$123,500
Wheatley	374	$66,607	3.7%	$170,800
Widener	238	$45,938	8.8%	$41,800
Goodwin	56	N/A	0.0%	$87,500

Explore Arkansas Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

Population Overview

St. Francis County is located in Arkansas with a total population of 22,400. It is the 27th most populous county out of 75 in Arkansas. The county encompasses 9 Census-designated places.

Age Demographics

The median age in St. Francis County is 40.1 years. This is 4% higher than the state median of 38.5 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in St. Francis County is $42,574. This is 30% lower than the state median of $60,773. It is also 47% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 28.5%. This is 78% 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 9.2%. This is 87% higher than the state rate of 4.9%. The median home value is $90,900. Housing costs are 52% lower than the state median of $188,000. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.1x, St. Francis County is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 55.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 16% lower than the state average of 66.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in St. Francis County is Black or African American, making up 54.4% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 39.3%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (54.4% vs 14.6%). The Hispanic or Latino population (3.7%) is well below the state average of 9.0%. The Asian population (0.1%) is well below the state average of 1.6%.

Education

14.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 45% 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 85.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for St. Francis County come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Arkansas and national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of St. Francis County, Arkansas?

St. Francis County has a population of 22,400, making it the 27th most populous county in Arkansas.

What is the median income in St. Francis County?

The median household income in St. Francis County is $42,574 with a poverty rate of 28.5%.

How many cities are in St. Francis County, Arkansas?

St. Francis County contains 9 Census-designated places.