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Drew County, AR: population growth, jobs and income

Drew County gained 66 residents between 2024 and 2025 (+0.4%).

Drew County had an estimated 17,054 residents in 2025, down 1.5% (267 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Arkansas as a whole (+3.3%), and the 44th fastest growth of 75 counties in Arkansas.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the Drew County report

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

  • Median gross rent$725/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes13.2%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months62025-10/2026-09
  • 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 added 80 people in 2025: more people moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out.

Private employers had 5,271 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +2.1% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.0% in 2025, 0.1 points higher than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 4 new homes in 2025, or 0.2 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $42,824 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, −0.2% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,349th.

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Drew County population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202517,054+66
202416,988−23
202317,011+77
202216,934−133
202117,067−254
202017,321–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in Drew County

Drew County lost 267 people since 2020; the biggest drag was natural change (−181).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−28−181
International migrationfrom and to other countries+13+72
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties+80−155
Census adjustmentbalancing residual+1−3
Total change+66−267

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 growth44th of 752,349th of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents34th of 751,110th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth34th of 751,583rd of 3,092
Median household income65th of 752,975th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate53rd of 752,492nd of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents46th of 732,623rd 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 Drew 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.

Add 2 neighbouring counties for $50: the Ashley County and Lincoln County reports too, $149 for all 3.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, Drew County's population change (−1.5%) was ahead of 5 of its 6 neighbouring counties and behind 1 (Lincoln County).

3 of its 6 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than Drew County's $42,824 (2020–24).

Drew 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
Drew County, AR This county17,054−1.5%4.70.2$42,824
Ashley County, AR17,831−5.9%−5.80.4$44,266
Lincoln County, AR12,764−1.0%−1.90.0$51,778
Desha County, AR9,984−11.8%−26.60.2$37,662
Bradley County, AR9,828−6.4%−13.40.1$41,476
Chicot County, AR9,107−10.3%−13.20.0$39,045
Cleveland County, AR7,224−4.3%−14.10.0$54,794

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 Drew County growing?

No. Its population fell 1.5% between 2020 and 2025, about 267 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Arkansas as a whole changed +3.3% over the same years. That ranks 44th of 75 counties in Arkansas for population growth.

How many people moved to Drew County?

On net, about 80 people in 2025: that many more moved in from other U.S. counties than moved out (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in Drew County?

It averaged 5.0% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of Drew County?

About 17,054 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in Drew County?

Private employers there had 5,271 paid employees in mid-March 2023, +2.1% 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.

Drew County data alerts

Email me when Drew 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 Drew 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.