Population 6,315 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Barling
Household size in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.54 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.43 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.42 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.06 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.48 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Barling is a place of small households, averaging 2.06 people against 2.65 for the U.S., which points to many singles, couples and roommates and relatively few children. Household size has dropped from 2.54 in 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Only one other Arkansas city with 5,000+ people has smaller households.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.0 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 38.2 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 35.3 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.6 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +4.6 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Barling are younger than 38.6 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.0, mirroring the country. The youngest areas are in the southwest, the oldest in the northwest.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.0% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 11.2% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in ten households in Barling (11.2%), close to the national share of 11.6%. Single parents are less common here than in Arkansas as a whole (12.3%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Barling
Renters in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.5% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.7% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 44.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.4% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −2.1 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Just over a third of households in Barling rent their homes (34.4%), close to the national share of 34.8%. Among homeowners, 29.5% have no mortgage at all, well below the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the southwest and least common in the north. The renter share is down 2.1 points from 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.8% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.0% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 8.7% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.2% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +1.4 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
A few more homes sit empty in Barling than nationally: 12.2%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 1.4 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1988 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1987 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1989 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1997 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +6 | +6 |
Much of the housing in Barling is relatively new: half of its homes were built after 1997, compared with 1980 for the U.S. as a whole. The median year built has moved up from 1988 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the southwest, the oldest in the north.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $640 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $767 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $846 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,122 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$481 | +$346 | +$606 |
Rent in Barling runs $1,122 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Even so, rents here are higher than in Arkansas as a whole ($1,007). Rents are up $481 a month from 2006–10, a 75% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. The typical renter here spends 26.8% of household income on rent, comfortably under the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, and a smaller share than renters pay nationally.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Barling
Bachelor's degrees in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 18.4% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.1% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.9% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 28.1% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.7 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
Nearly three in ten adults 25 and older in Barling (28.1%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 9.7 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. College graduates are most concentrated in the southwest and least in the north.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 88.5% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.4% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 94.4% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 91.7% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +3.2 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
About nine in ten adults in Barling have finished high school (91.7%), a bit above the national rate of 89.3%. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 3.2 points, in line with the national trend.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Barling
| Period | Barling | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 3.7% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.4% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 1.7% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −4.4 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
The job market in Barling has been strong: just 1.7% of the labor force was out of work and looking, well below the national rate of 5.4%. Only two of the 101 Arkansas cities with 5,000+ people have lower unemployment. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 4.4 points, in line with the national trend.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Barling compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barling | 2.06 | 38.6 | 11.2% | 34.4% | 12.2% | 1997 | $1,122 | 28.1% | 91.7% | 1.7% |
| Central City | 2.54 | 43.9 | 6.0% | 22.6% | 7.8% | 1992 | $780 | 18.7% | 93.2% | 2.7% |
| Fort Smith | 2.48 | 38.0 | 14.1% | 45.2% | 10.2% | 1976 | $967 | 23.1% | 83.1% | 6.4% |
| Old Jenny Lind | 2.42 | 43.4 | 8.9% | 12.1% | 8.8% | 1985 | $810 | 26.8% | 91.7% | 0.4% |
| Arkoma | 2.69 | 35.5 | 16.3% | 36.1% | 12.4% | 1972 | $747 | 12.2% | 85.0% | 7.0% |
| Lavaca | 2.67 | 38.7 | 3.1% | 18.5% | 9.3% | 1990 | $865 | 18.9% | 90.5% | 2.9% |
| Kibler | 2.88 | 35.0 | 7.6% | 11.4% | 7.7% | 1997 | $794 | 16.7% | 92.5% | 1.3% |
| Greenwood | 2.62 | 39.6 | 8.9% | 19.7% | 6.5% | 1993 | $914 | 26.3% | 92.9% | 2.5% |
| Bonanza | 2.62 | 51.5 | 3.0% | 8.5% | 5.3% | 1994 | $829 | 25.3% | 88.1% | 3.4% |
| Van Buren | 2.52 | 39.3 | 12.6% | 29.3% | 7.8% | 1988 | $861 | 20.2% | 87.2% | 4.6% |
| Pocola | 2.44 | 41.0 | 11.0% | 29.4% | 11.6% | 1983 | $834 | 12.9% | 87.3% | 3.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Los Ranchos de Albuquerque, NM · Leakesville, MS · Leavenworth, WA · Linden, VA · Linglestown, PA · Lithia, FL · Littleton, NH · Livonia, NY · Loiza, PR · Lone Grove, OK
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Barling. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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