Hempstead County, Arkansas
Located in Arkansas, Hempstead County has a population of 19,508 residents and a median age of 41.2 years, making it the #1,911 most populous county out of 3,222 nationwide. In terms of economic indicators, the county has a poverty rate of 20.2%. The median home value is $105,700, and the median household income is $46,787, which is 38% below the national median.
Demographics
Hempstead County has a population of 19,508, making it the #1,911 most populous county in the US. The median age is 41.2 years, which is 5.9% 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 Hempstead County is $46,787, ranking #2,905 out of 3,222 counties — 37.7% below the national median. The poverty rate is 20.2% and unemployment stands at 5.6%.
Median Household Income Trend
Rankings →Income Distribution
Industry of Employment
Occupation
Housing
The median home value in Hempstead County is $105,700 (-62.5% vs national). Renters pay a median of $815/mo and the homeownership rate is 71.7%.
Median Home Value Trend
Rankings →Household Type
Education
In Hempstead County, 16.3% of adults age 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher, which is 51.5% below the national average, ranking #2,609 out of 3,222 counties.
Bachelor's Degree or Higher Trend
Rankings →Health & Wellbeing
Life expectancy in Hempstead County is 73.3 years. 25.6% of adults report poor or fair health and 10.7% lack health insurance. Data from County Health Rankings (2025).
Life Expectancy Trend
Substance Use
20.8% of adults in Hempstead County smoke , 41.2% are obese , and 16.1% report excessive drinking. The drug overdose death rate is 15.3 per 100,000.
Adult Smoking Trend
Safety
The homicide rate in Hempstead County is 8.8 per 100,000 and the suicide rate is 10.4 per 100,000. Motor vehicle deaths occur at a rate of 20.3 per 100,000.
Homicide Rate Trend
Families & Children
25.8% of children in Hempstead County live in poverty . The teen birth rate is 48.1 per 1,000 females age 15–19.
Teen Birth Rate Trend
Civic & Transportation
Voter turnout in Hempstead County is 45.1%. The mean commute time is 23.8 min, which is 13.6% below the national average.
Voter Turnout Trend
Mean Commute Time Trend
Rankings →Elections
In the 2024 presidential election, Hempstead County voted Republican with a margin of 39.7%. The vote was 29.2% Dem / 68.9% Rep. Compared to 2020, the margin shifted 5.6 toward Republicans .
Vote Share Over Time
About Hempstead County, Arkansas
Hempstead County, Arkansas has a total population of 19,508, making it the 1,911th most populous county in the United States. The median age in Hempstead County is 41.2 years, which is 5.9% above the national median of 38.9 years.
The median household income in Hempstead County is $46,787, which ranks #2,905 of 3,222 counties nationwide. This is 37.7% below the national median of $75,149. The poverty rate is 20.2%, higher than the national rate of 12.6%. The unemployment rate stands at 5.6%.
The median home value in Hempstead County is $105,700, 62.5% below the national median. Renters in Hempstead County pay a median gross rent of $815 per month. The homeownership rate is 71.7%, compared to the national rate of 64.4%.
In Hempstead County, 16.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 51.5% below the national average of 33.7%. Health insurance coverage stands at 91.7% of the population. The average commute time for workers is 23.8 min.
Hempstead County is a diverse community. The largest racial or ethnic group is White (non-Hispanic) at 51.5% of the population, followed by Black (non-Hispanic) (28.6%) and Hispanic or Latino (15.3%).
All data for Hempstead 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.