Hempstead County, Arkansas Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Hempstead County, Arkansas, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Hempstead County, Arkansas. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Hempstead County, Arkansas. The estimated population of Hempstead County, Arkansas is 20,352 people, with a median age of 41.

We can look at the total population in Hempstead County over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
20,352
 -6.19% -8.13%
2020
21,695
 -0.67% -
2019
21,842
 -0.8% -
2018
22,018
 -0.61% -
2017
22,154
 - -

Population of Hempstead County, Arkansas by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
53.7%
55.2%
 -2.72%
Black/African American
30.2%
29.5%
 +2.37%
Native
0.3%
0.3%
 0.00%
Hispanic
13.3%
12.5%
 +6.40%
Asian
0.1%
0.1%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0.3%
0.4%
 -25.00%
Two Or More Races
2%
2.2%
 -9.09%
Other
0.1%
0%
 0.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Hempstead County, Arkansas by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 41 +0.49% 39.4 -0.25% 41.5 +0.48%
2020 40.8 +0.99% 39.5 -1.74% 41.3 +1.72%
2019 40.4 +1.25% 40.2 +4.15% 40.6 +0.25%
2018 39.9 +2.57% 38.6 -1.53% 40.5 +4.65%
2017 38.9 - 39.2 - 38.7 -

The median age of Hempstead County, Arkansas gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 1,402 -3.91% 1,724 -13.91% 1,334 1,472
10 to 19 1,643 -26.52% 1,522 -3.53% 1,241 1,466
20 to 29 1,158 +3.26% 1,439 -16% 1,193 1,220
30 to 39 1,098 -0.78% 1,362 -31.51% 1,056 959
40 to 49 1,312 -10.78% 1,285 +24.45% 1,163 1,551
50 to 59 1,420 -7.23% 1,516 -1.06% 1,319 1,486
60 to 69 1,335 -15.26% 1,422 -8.42% 1,132 1,290
70+ 1,012 +9.26% 1,504 -9.44% 1,106 1,364

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Hempstead County, Arkansas is $43,592.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Hempstead County.

  • Under 25
    $38,470.00
  • 25 to 44
    $46,848.00
  • 45 to 64
    $56,509.00
  • 65 and over
    $29,521.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Hempstead County, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Hempstead County, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Hempstead County, Arkansas is currently $59,074.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

2.45% of households in Hempstead County are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Hempstead County against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    27.77%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    25.92%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    18.68%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    11.50%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    10.81%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    2.88%
  • $200,000 or more
    2.45%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Hempstead County is $23,132.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Hempstead County by the total population of Hempstead County.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Hempstead County, Arkansas, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Hempstead County to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    7.96%
  • Bachelor's degree
    17.17%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    11.82%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    58.94%
  • Less than high school diploma
    4.11%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Hempstead County that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Hempstead County over the age of 16 is 15,628.

Of those people, a total of 54.30% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Hempstead County is 51.60%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 789 42.80% 42.30%
20 to 24 years 1,348 70.80% 5.40%
25 to 29 years 1,065 78.50% 1.60%
30 to 34 years 1,012 75.60% 2.50%
35 to 44 years 2,313 64.50% 3.30%
45 to 54 years 2,566 68.30% 5.50%
55 to 59 years 1,643 61.60% 0.40%
60 to 64 years 1,265 59.00% 3.40%
65 to 74 years 2,086 16.50% 2.30%
75 years and over 1,541 15.60% 0.00%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Hempstead County. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 9,204 53.10% 5.50%
Black or African American 4,529 51.70% 3.70%
American Indian and Alaska Native 92 75.00% 0.00%
Asian 27 18.50% 0.00%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 31 58.10% 0.00%
Other 1,237 70.60% 2.30%
Two or more races 508 56.30% 12.60%
Hispanic or Latino 1,662 66.90% 5.00%
Not Hispanic or Latino 8,990 53.60% 5.60%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Hempstead County as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Hempstead County is 8,070, with median earnings of $33,627.00.

Women in Hempstead County, Arkansas earning approximately 85.70% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 8,070 $33,627.00
Male 4,319 $36,189.00
Female 3,751 $31,026.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 689 $43,459.00
Business and Financial 87 $46,477.00
Computer and Mathematical 22 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 27 $6,875.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 5 $0.00
Community and Social Service 166 $13,750.00
Legal 45 $113,102.00
Educational and Library 611 $43,553.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 23 $65,938.00
Healthcare Practitioners 572 $55,867.00
Healthcare Support 266 $21,495.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 27 $46,750.00
Law Enforcement 241 $50,875.00
Food Preparation and Serving 425 $15,496.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 250 $29,808.00
Personal Care and Service 111 $53,393.00
Sales 381 $15,536.00
Office and Administrative Support 849 $30,621.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 358 $11,971.00
Construction and Extraction 414 $61,667.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 372 $34,000.00
Production 1,167 $33,504.00
Transportation and Material Moving 388 $36,917.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 393 $44,406.00 296 $21,974.00
Business and Financial 6 $110,833.00 81 $46,250.00
Computer and Mathematical 22 $0.00 0 $0.00
Architecture and Engineering 27 $6,875.00 0 $0.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 1 $0.00 4 $0.00
Community and Social Service 113 $2,499.00 53 $38,385.00
Legal 7 $0.00 38 $113,241.00
Educational and Library 94 $46,429.00 517 $43,441.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 16 $0.00 7 $0.00
Healthcare Practitioners 85 $188,229.00 487 $52,314.00
Healthcare Support 28 $15,893.00 238 $21,739.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 22 $48,333.00 5 $0.00
Law Enforcement 75 $52,796.00 166 $42,147.00
Food Preparation and Serving 147 $18,005.00 278 $15,110.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 134 $40,192.00 116 $25,000.00
Personal Care and Service 10 $0.00 101 $53,591.00
Sales 197 $27,813.00 184 $10,323.00
Office and Administrative Support 247 $42,679.00 602 $28,388.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 179 $11,998.00 179 $11,943.00
Construction and Extraction 398 $51,000.00 16 $0.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 372 $34,000.00 0 $0.00
Production 889 $35,019.00 278 $30,893.00
Transportation and Material Moving 338 $39,750.00 50 $20,750.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 7,566 households in Hempstead County, with an average household size of 2.65 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 4,994 families in Hempstead County with an average family size of 3.31 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 3,475 420 1,099 2,572
Average Household Size 3.17 4.33 3.87 1.14
Total Families 3,475 420 1,099 0
Average Household Size 3.14 3.54 3.76 0

Poverty

Of the 4,994 families in Hempstead County, 15.70% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Hempstead County:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 9,715 housing units in Hempstead County, Arkansas.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 7,566 77.88%
Vacant 2,149 22.12%

19.15% of the total 9,715 housing units in Hempstead County are rental units. This is approximately 1,860 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 5,176 are occupied by the owner - or 53.28% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Hempstead County is $709.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Hempstead County that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    530
  • Less than $500
    339
  • $500 to $999
    1,301
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    220
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    0
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    0
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    0
  • $3,000 or more
    0

Property Value

The median value of a property in Hempstead County is $93,000.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Hempstead County that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    1,010
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    1,707
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    955
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    775
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    587
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    94
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    42
  • $1,000,000 or more
    6

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Hempstead County. The chart below shows the number of properties in Hempstead County that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    673
  • 1940 to 1949
    492
  • 1950 to 1959
    902
  • 1960 to 1969
    1,228
  • 1970 to 1979
    2,133
  • 1980 to 1989
    1,791
  • 1990 to 1999
    1,234
  • 2000 to 2009
    697
  • 2010 to 2013
    565
  • 2014 or later
    0

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Hempstead County that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    688
  • 1 vehicle available
    1,886
  • 2 vehicles available
    2,986
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    2,006

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Hempstead County get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Hempstead County that commute to work in a particular way.

22.9 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Hempstead County.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    217
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    1,233
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    1,158
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    1,447
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    947
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    220
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    906
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    198
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    312
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    777
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    248
  • 90 or more minutes
    125

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Hempstead County, Arkansas in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Hempstead County, Arkansas

We have data for 22 places in Hempstead County, Arkansas. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.