Arcola, Mississippi Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 204, Arcola'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

Arcola is a small community located in Mississippi, within Washington County. The total population is 204. It ranks as the 351st most populous out of 420 Census-designated places in Mississippi.

Age Demographics

The median age in Arcola is 40.5 years. This is 5% higher than the state median of 38.6 years. With 31.9% of the population under 18, Arcola has a notably young demographic profile, suggesting a family-oriented community.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Arcola is $27,875. This is 51% lower than the state median of $56,447. It is also 65% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 43.1%. This is 128% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. 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 8.2%. This is 42% higher than the state rate of 5.8%. The median home value is $87,000. Housing costs are 49% lower than the state median of $169,800. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.1x. 68.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 70.0%.

Race & Ethnicity

Arcola has a predominantly Black or African American population, comprising 98.0% of all residents. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 1.5%. The White (non-Hispanic) population (1.5%) is well below the state average of 55.2%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (98.0% vs 36.3%).

Education

13.4% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 47% lower than the state rate of 25.1%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 80.6%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Arcola, Mississippi 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 Mississippi state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 420 Census-designated places in Mississippi. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.