Population 19,508 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Hempstead County
Household size in Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.50 | 2.54 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.57 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.68 | 2.55 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.63 | 2.53 | 2.65 |
| Change | +0.13 | −0.00 | −0.03 |
Households in Hempstead County average 2.63 people, about the same as the country as a whole (2.65). The typical household here is bigger than in Arkansas overall, where it has 2.53 people. Household size has climbed from 2.50 in 2006–10, even as the national average fell.
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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 38.1 | 37.9 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 38.7 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.0 | 39.5 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 41.2 | 39.6 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.1 | +1.7 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Hempstead County are younger than 41.2 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. The population here is older than in Arkansas overall, where the median age is 39.6. The median age has climbed from 38.1 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.5% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 12.5% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 12.6% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| Change | −2.9 pts | −0.2 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in eight households in Hempstead County (12.6%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Arkansas as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 2.9 points, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 Hempstead County
Renters in Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.6% | 32.3% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 31.4% | 33.5% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 30.7% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 28.3% | 33.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | +1.3 pts | +1.5 pts |
Nearly three in ten households in Hempstead County rent their homes (28.3%), below the national share of 34.8%; the rest own. About six in ten owners (59.0%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%. Rentals cluster in the center; owners are most common in the northwest. The renter share is down 3.4 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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.8% | 13.4% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 20.9% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 22.0% | 14.4% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 21.4% | 13.1% | 9.6% |
| Change | +6.5 pts | −0.3 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Hempstead County: 21.4% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand. Vacancy has risen 6.5 points since 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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1978 | 1981 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1977 | 1983 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1985 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1980 | 1988 | 1980 |
| Change | +3 | +6 | +6 |
Homes in Hempstead County are the same age as the nation's housing: the median home was built in 1980. Homes here are older than in Arkansas overall, where the median home dates to 1988.
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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $550 | $660 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $548 | $718 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $693 | $785 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $772 | $1,007 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$222 | +$346 | +$606 |
Rent in Hempstead County runs $772 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $222 a month from 2006–10, a 40% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 35.5% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the east; the most affordable are in the northwest.
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 Hempstead County
Bachelor's degrees in Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.4% | 20.6% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 14.9% | 21.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 14.9% | 23.8% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 17.3% | 26.2% | 35.6% |
| Change | +1.8 pts | +5.6 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are relatively uncommon in Hempstead County: 17.3% of adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's or higher, well below the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree has risen 1.8 points since 2006–10, a smaller shift than nationally. College graduates are most concentrated in the south and least in the center.
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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.2% | 82.6% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 84.6% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 81.7% | 86.6% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 81.7% | 88.7% | 89.3% |
| Change | +1.5 pts | +6.1 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in six adults in Hempstead County never finished high school, well above the national share: only 81.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally. The share with a diploma is up 1.5 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of Arkansas' 75 counties, only six have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Hempstead County
| Period | Hempstead County | Arkansas | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.7% | 7.7% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 9.7% | 8.4% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 4.3% | 5.2% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.8% | 5.1% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.9 pts | −2.6 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Hempstead County is close to the national rate: 5.8% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is higher than in Arkansas overall (5.1%). Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 1.9 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).
Hempstead County compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hempstead County | 2.63 | 41.2 | 12.6% | 28.3% | 21.4% | 1980 | $772 | 17.3% | 81.7% | 5.8% |
| Nevada County | 2.48 | 41.5 | 14.2% | 24.0% | 24.3% | 1983 | $861 | 14.7% | 90.2% | 4.3% |
| Little River County | 2.47 | 42.6 | 13.1% | 19.9% | 18.8% | 1981 | $800 | 17.6% | 91.6% | 7.4% |
| Ouachita County | 2.68 | 44.2 | 15.6% | 29.1% | 26.5% | 1973 | $811 | 15.8% | 88.8% | 4.9% |
| Calhoun County | 2.69 | 44.7 | 5.6% | 12.2% | 30.7% | 1982 | $808 | 19.5% | 87.0% | 5.5% |
| Red River County | 2.30 | 47.4 | 17.6% | 28.5% | 19.8% | 1983 | $1,122 | 15.9% | 86.8% | 2.0% |
| Bradley County | 2.71 | 41.9 | 12.2% | 34.0% | 23.4% | 1976 | $691 | 15.3% | 85.4% | 6.5% |
| Drew County | 2.32 | 37.3 | 15.1% | 36.3% | 11.7% | 1985 | $774 | 25.6% | 88.9% | 7.9% |
| Lamar County | 2.53 | 41.3 | 14.0% | 33.9% | 12.3% | 1988 | $984 | 21.6% | 88.6% | 4.6% |
| Desha County | 2.37 | 41.0 | 19.3% | 43.2% | 19.8% | 1979 | $741 | 12.4% | 79.4% | 8.0% |
| Fannin County | 2.74 | 41.8 | 13.0% | 21.3% | 14.6% | 1985 | $1,064 | 20.7% | 88.2% | 5.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Newton County, MS · Mingo County, WV · Minidoka County, ID · Monroe County, GA · Montezuma County, CO · Montgomery County, IL · Montgomery County, KY · Montgomery County, NC · Morehouse Parish, LA · Morgan County, CO
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 Hempstead County. 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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