Desha County, Arkansas
Located in Arkansas, Desha County has a population of 10,786 residents and a median age of 41.6 years, making it the #2,433 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 28.3%. The median home value is $90,900, and the median household income is $37,662, which is 50% below the national median.
Demographics
Desha County has a population of 10,786, making it the #2,433 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.6 years, which is 6.9% above the national median.
Population Trend
Rankings →Year-over-Year Population Growth
Age & Sex Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Nativity
Geographic Mobility (Past Year)
Economy
The median household income in Desha County is $37,662, ranking #3,096 out of 3,222 counties — 49.9% below the national median. The poverty rate is 28.3% and unemployment stands at 8.0%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Desha County is $90,900 (-67.8% vs national). Renters pay a median of $718/mo and the homeownership rate is 56.8%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Desha County, 12.6% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 62.5% below the national average, ranking #3,059 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Desha County is 70.6 years. 33.8% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.5% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
26.4% of adults in Desha County smoke , 45.2% are obese , and 15.2% report excessive drinking.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Desha County is 15.1 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 21.2 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 32.7 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
35.6% of children in Desha County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 35.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Desha County is 50.4%. The mean commute time is 22.8 min, which is 17.5% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Desha County voted Republican with a margin of 4.8%. The vote was 46.7% Dem / 51.5% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 7.1 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Desha County, Arkansas
Desha County, Arkansas has a total population of 10,786, making it the 2,433rd most populous county in the United States. The median age in Desha County is 41.6 years, which is 6.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Desha County is $37,662, which ranks #3,096 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 49.9% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 28.3%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 8.0%.
The median home value in Desha County is $90,900, 67.8% below the national median. Renters in Desha County pay a median gross rent of $718 per month. The homeownership rate is 56.8%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Desha County, 12.6% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 62.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 92.3% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 22.8 min.
Desha County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is Black (non-Hispanic) at 49.0% of the population, followed by White (non-Hispanic) (42.5%) and Hispanic or Latino (7.2%).
All data for Desha County, Arkansas comes from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates. These figures are estimates based on survey sampling and are subject to margin of error. For the most detailed and up-to-date data, visit the Census Bureau's official data portal.