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Ashley County, AR: population growth, jobs and income

Ashley County lost 193 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−1.1%).

Ashley County had an estimated 17,831 residents in 2025, down 5.9% (1,128 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Arkansas as a whole (+3.3%), and the 64th fastest growth of 75 counties in Arkansas.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Ashley County report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for Ashley County, ranked against Arkansas and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$703/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes21.7%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months52025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 103 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 4,418 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −18.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 6.1% in 2025, 0.7 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 8 new homes in 2025, or 0.4 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $44,266 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +1.5% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,995th.

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Ashley County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202517,831−193
202418,024−230
202318,254−54
202218,308−334
202118,642−317
202018,959–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Ashley County

Ashley County lost 1,128 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−597).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−94−531
International migrationfrom and to other countries+4+11
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−103−597
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+0−11
Total change−193−1,128

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn ArkansasAmong U.S. counties
Population growth64th of 752,995th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents59th of 752,634th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth74th of 753,020th of 3,092
Median household income61st of 752,952nd of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate68th of 752,900th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents39th of 732,455th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for Ashley County, AR as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Ashley County's population change (−5.9%) was ahead of 3 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 3.

Only Union County had a higher median household income (2020–24) among its 6 neighbouring counties; Ashley County's was $44,266.

Ashley County, AR and its 6 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
Ashley County, AR This county17,831−5.9%−5.80.4$44,266
Drew County, AR17,054−1.5%4.70.2$42,824
Bradley County, AR9,828−6.4%−13.40.1$41,476
Morehouse Parish, LA23,705−6.9%−5.50.7$39,454
Chicot County, AR9,107−10.3%−13.20.0$39,045
Union Parish, LA20,561−2.5%−9.53.9$42,885
Union County, AR36,926−5.2%−4.50.5$55,259

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 75 Arkansas counties · Every state

Questions

Is Ashley County growing?

No. Its population fell 5.9% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,128 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Arkansas as a whole changed +3.3% over the same years. That ranks 64th of 75 counties in Arkansas for population growth.

How many people moved to Ashley County?

On net, none in 2025: about 103 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Ashley County?

It averaged 6.1% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Ashley County?

About 17,831 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Ashley County?

Private employers there had 4,418 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −18.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Arkansas

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Arkansas county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

See the Carolinas map

Ashley County data alerts

Email me when Ashley County gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for Ashley County is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.