Town · Arkansas
Damascus, Arkansas
Damascus, town, mostly in Van Buren County (64.1% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Faulkner County, Arkansas. Damascus had 396 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, up 2.1% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 382 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 348 (±96). GEOID 0517290.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
396
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 382 · ACS 2020-2024: 348 ±96
Median household income
$57,500
±$29,502 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $60,773
Median home value
$165,000
±$38,133 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $188,000
Median gross rent
$800
±$326 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $947
Where is Damascus and what county is it in?
Damascus is a town mostly in Van Buren County (64.1% of its 2020 residents), with a part in Faulkner County, Arkansas. It covers 1.9 square miles of land, 205 residents per square mile in 2020.
| County | 2020 residents | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Van Buren County | 245 | 64.1% |
| Faulkner County | 137 | 35.9% |
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Damascus, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 396 people lived in Damascus on July 1, 2025, up 2.1% since 2020, slower than Arkansas (+3.4%). The 2020 Census counted 382 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 348 (±96).
| Measure | Damascus | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 348 ±96 | 15,998 | no clear change |
| Households | 132 ±37 | 7,432 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.64 ±0.45 | 2.13 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 146 ±37 | 9,725 | no clear change |
Damascus's population since 2000
From 306 in 2000 to 396 in 2025: up 29.4%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Damascus as it was drawn that year: a place that annexed land, or a community that has since incorporated, covered a different area then. The 2005 figure is the Census Bureau's intercensal estimate, revised to fit the 2000 and 2010 counts and drawn on 2010 boundaries; 2015 and 2025 are July 1 estimates made from the census before them.
Source: The 2000, 2010 and 2020 Census counts and the Census Bureau's population estimates (intercensal 2000-2010, Vintage 2020, Vintage 2025) · Census population estimates
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); Census PEP Vintage 2025 (SUB-EST2025, CO-EST2025); 2020 Census P.L. 94-171 · Check it at data.census.gov
Who lives in Damascus?
The median resident of Damascus is 44.3 years old; 22.1% are under 18 and 21.8% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 81.9%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 14.4%.
| Measure | Damascus | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 44.3 ±5.5 | 49.6 | +12.5 |
| Under 18 years | 22.1% ±8.4 pts | 19.2% | – |
| 65 years and over | 21.8% ±9.9 pts | 27.1% | – |
| Male | 51.4% ±6.6 pts | 50.5% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 2.3% ±3.5 pts | 3.4% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 81.9% ±10.6 pts | 91.6% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 1.4% ±2.2 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 0.4% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 0.7% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 14.4% ±9.3 pts | 3.4% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.0% ±10.8 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.9% ±1.7 pts | 3.3% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 3.0% ±2.8 pts | 11.1% | – |
| With a disability | 15.8% ±6.6 pts | 24.6% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 6.9% ±4.6 pts | 8.2% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 93.5% ±4.5 pts | 87.3% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 24.9% ±11.3 pts | 15.0% | – |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 5.3% ±5.0 pts | 5.3% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 95.4% ±4.3 pts | 92.3% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 2.3% ±2.8 pts | 1.6% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profiles DP02, DP05) · Check it at data.census.gov
What do households in Damascus earn?
Half of Damascus's 132 households earn less than $57,500 a year (±$29,502), against $50,354 in Van Buren County and $60,773 in Arkansas. In 2015-2019 it was $52,304 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.5% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Damascus | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,500 ±$29,502 | $50,354 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $68,436 ±$12,558 | $62,356 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,280 ±$5,004 | $28,312 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.5% ±10.2 pts | 19.1% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 8.2% ±12.4 pts | 22.2% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 10.6% ±7.3 pts | 10.7% | – |
| Households with a computer | 88.6% ±10.6 pts | 92.6% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.8% ±13.5 pts | 81.5% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What does housing cost in Damascus?
Owners occupy 69.7% of Damascus's occupied homes and renters 30.3%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $165,000 by its owner (±$38,133). The median renter pays $800 a month including utilities.
| Measure | Damascus | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $165,000 ±$38,133 | $135,700 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $800 ±$326 | $722 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 22.2% ±20.8 pts | 37.5% | – |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,139 ±$259 | $1,201 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 69.7% ±13.9 pts | 77.9% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 30.3% ±13.9 pts | 22.1% | – |
| Housing units | 146 ±37 | 9,725 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 7.1% ±11.7 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±52.0 pts | 2.9% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.8% ±9.7 pts | 70.3% | – |
| Mobile homes | 9.6% ±7.5 pts | 20.1% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 4.8% ±4.6 pts | 1.9% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 11.0% ±7.6 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 7.5% ±9.3 pts | 2.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 9.1% ±9.0 pts | 6.4% | – |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP04) · Check it at data.census.gov
How many new homes is Damascus building?
Builders took permits for 1 new housing units in Damascus in 2025 (1 in single-family houses), 2.5 per 1,000 residents against 5.0 across Arkansas.
Counts of units in permits a local office issued; not every permitted unit is built. A year marked with months was reported for part of the year.
Source: Building Permits Survey, annual place files 2019-2025, U.S. Census Bureau · Census Building Permits Survey
How do people in Damascus work and get to work?
73.9% of Damascus's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 26.2 minutes.
| Measure | Damascus | Van Buren County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 42.3% ±10.5 pts | 44.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 2.4% ±3.4 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 73.9% ±15.0 pts | 74.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 10.9% ±8.3 pts | 11.7% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.8% ±1.5 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Walked | 1.7% ±2.3 pts | 1.6% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.6% ±10.8 pts | 8.3% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 26.2 min ±6.6 | 33.2 min | no clear change |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) (Data Profile DP03) · Check it at data.census.gov
What census tracts are in Damascus?
No census tract lies mostly in Damascus; 2 tracts reach into it (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 301.01Faulkner County | 3,089 | $73,409 |
| Tract 4604Van Buren County | 3,732 | $56,944 |
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026); 2020 block assignment files (tract share = share of the tract's census blocks in Damascus) · Census block assignment files
How does Damascus compare with other places in Arkansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Damascus is the 14,160th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 290th-most populous of 500 in Arkansas.
Damascus is not ranked by income or the other survey measures: those rankings include places of 1,000 or more residents (2020 Census) with a reliable estimate.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 290th | 500 |
Damascus's figures with every place in Arkansas (CSV)
Every place in Arkansas, sortable · Compare Damascus with other places
Source: PlainCities ranks computed from the American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026) and PEP Vintage 2025 · How ranks are computed
How reliable are the figures for Damascus?
27 of the 57 figures for Damascus on this page carry a coefficient of variation over 40% and are marked with a ring: they come from a small sample, so read them as rough.
The American Community Survey samples about one household in eight over five years, so every figure is an estimate with a 90% margin of error (shown under each value). A ring marks an estimate whose coefficient of variation is over 40%. A change is called only when the gap between the two periods is larger than their combined 90% margin (the square root of the sum of the two squared margins), the Census Bureau's test. How to read a margin of error.
Source: American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates, U.S. Census Bureau (released January 2026): margins of error as published · ACS technical documentation
How these figures are made: methodology and release checks · reading a margin of error · every state · corrections
Not on this page: crime, weather and schools for Damascus are other agencies' records. Crime: the FBI's Crime Data Explorer · climate: NOAA's U.S. Climate Normals · schools: the National Center for Education Statistics' public schools in Damascus.