Fastest Growing Counties in Arkansas (2026)

County
Rank
Change (2020) ↓
2026 Pop.
2020 Pop.
Benton County118.69%340,202286,621
Washington County211.35%274,792246,779
Madison County39.06%18,06116,560
Faulkner County49.04%135,015123,820
Saline County58.73%134,624123,820
Sharp County66.74%18,48217,315
Craighead County76.67%119,066111,623
Izard County86.36%14,46913,604
Conway County96.25%22,03020,734
Fulton County106.17%12,79412,051
Marion County115.58%17,80916,867
Stone County125.3%13,00112,347
Cleburne County135.14%25,98624,716
Crawford County144.98%63,15460,160
Grant County154.63%18,85418,019
Lonoke County164.38%77,31974,072
White County174.38%80,22776,863
Baxter County184.23%43,45941,696
Carroll County194.2%29,42828,241
Boone County203.97%38,87637,393
Franklin County213.94%17,81617,141
Randolph County223.76%19,29418,595
Perry County233.74%10,37710,003
Greene County243.32%47,38445,861
Sebastian County253.04%131,699127,813
Pope County262.77%65,16163,407
Logan County272.57%21,65121,109
Van Buren County282.25%16,15215,797
Johnson County291.82%26,19425,727
Lawrence County301.54%16,46516,216
Independence County311.14%38,37737,945
Hot Spring County321.04%33,42133,076
Pulaski County330.73%402,219399,286
Sevier County340.73%15,89715,782
Polk County350.71%19,32219,186
Searcy County360.36%7,8727,844
Yell County370.29%20,27620,217
Calhoun County380.13%4,7424,736
Scott County390.1%9,8399,829
Garland County40-0.08%100,188100,266
Lincoln County41-0.67%12,80412,890
Jackson County42-1.42%16,52116,759
Montgomery County43-1.93%8,3208,484
Clark County44-2.24%20,92421,403
Drew County45-2.78%16,83317,315
Cleveland County46-2.98%7,3297,554
Miller County47-3.09%41,27042,586
Poinsett County48-3.49%22,15422,955
Newton County49-3.84%6,9207,196
Pike County50-3.97%9,75310,156
Clay County51-3.99%13,95414,534
Jefferson County52-4.33%63,93866,835
Columbia County53-4.65%21,68622,743
Howard County54-4.68%12,16112,758
Ouachita County55-5.09%21,46622,617
Little River County56-5.22%11,34611,971
Crittenden County57-5.27%45,55748,090
Prairie County58-5.65%7,7818,247
Nevada County59-6.36%7,7608,287
Hempstead County60-6.57%18,67319,986
Lafayette County61-6.58%5,8816,295
Cross County62-6.7%15,67616,801
Union County63-7.02%36,20638,940
St. Francis County64-7.32%21,33423,019
Lee County65-7.74%7,8708,530
Ashley County66-7.78%17,48818,963
Bradley County67-8.63%9,58710,492
Mississippi County68-8.71%37,01540,545
Monroe County69-8.95%6,1656,771
Arkansas County70-9.03%15,56017,104
Dallas County71-9.11%5,8546,441
Woodruff County72-10.85%5,5466,221
Desha County73-11.61%10,00711,321
Chicot County74-13.36%8,80210,159
Phillips County75-14.84%14,00116,441

Arkansas Counties Growth Overview

Arkansas's counties show varied growth patterns from 2020 to 2026. Benton County leads with 2.9% annualized growth, followed by Washington County (1.81%) and Madison County (1.46%). The largest counties are Pulaski County (402,219), Benton County (340,202), and Washington County (274,792). Of the 75 counties in Arkansas, 39 are growing while 36 have experienced population decline. Overall, counties averaged -0.13% annualized growth, with total population growing by 0.61% annually.

Change (2020)

-0.05

-0.025

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0.025

0.05

0.075