City profile · Arkansas · Census ACS 2023

Des Arc, AR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Des Arc - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

1,447
Residents
$31,328
Median income
$86,800
Median home
$880
Median rent (state)

Des Arc - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Des Arc places in the 3rd percentile for household income and the 71st percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

3rd
percentile, household income
5th
percentile, home value
3rd
percentile, median rent
71st
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Des Arc, AR

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 1,447 residents in Des Arc, a small town within Arkansas. The typical household in Des Arc brings in $31,328 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 7.6%. Des Arc's housing stock carries a median value of $86,800, and the median resident age is 50.0 years. 7.7% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 46.0% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Housing supply pressure shows in Census Building Permit Survey data: 4 residential units were authorized in 2024 (Stable), up 0% from five years earlier. Des Arc reports a comparatively low crime rate: FBI UCR figures show 821.4 crimes per 100,000 residents, below the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score). NOAA puts Des Arc's yearly average temperature at 62.7°F with 50.0 inches of precipitation per year and 2.3 inches of snowfall.

Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: the state registers 86.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $880 monthly. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arkansas's average monthly utility costs around $210 (state average). FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 41.4 out of 100 (Low).

Population

1,447 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arkansas

Median Household Income

$31,328 /yr

Poverty 7.6%

Cost of Living Index (state)

86.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average

How does Des Arc compare to other US cities?

Here's how Des Arc stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 3% higher than other cities
Home value 5% pricier than other cities
Median rent 3% pricier than other cities
Safety 71% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Arkansas, Des Arc ranks #29 of 160 Arkansas cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Des Arc's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arkansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

3rdIncome percentile
71stSafety percentile

3rd percentile nationally for median household income · 71st percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Des Arc's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Des Arc's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 57 Avg. percentile National median
Des Arc's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Des Arc's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$86,800 Among the most affordable more affordable than 95% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). This entry sits in this band. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Des Arc $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Des Arc, AR Des Arc, AR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Des Arc, AR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Des Arc, AR median $31,328/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Des Arc, AR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Des Arc, AR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 7.7%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 7.6%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 46.0%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
1,447
Median Income
$31,328
Median Home Value
$86,800
Median Age
50.0
Poverty Rate
7.6%
Labor force participation
46.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
7.7%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
821.4
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
273.8
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
547.6
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Climate

Avg Temperature
62.7°F
Annual Precipitation
50.0"
Annual Snowfall
2.3"

Schools

Total Schools
2
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
1,820 residents1,840 residents1,860 residents1,880 residents1,900 residents1,920 residents 202020212022202320242025 1,899 residents 1,841 residents ▼ -3.1%
Des Arc's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Stable
Total Permits (2024)
4
housing units authorized
Single-Family
2
detached homes
Multifamily
2
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 4
2020 2
2021 3
2022 1
2023 1
2024 4

Permit volume increased 0% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
70.5%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
5.9%
Work from Home
6.6%
Other
3.4%

Based on 589 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arkansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$210
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arkansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arkansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Des Arc sits in

Cost of Living Index
86.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$880/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
41.4 / 100
Low
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arkansas

Marshall
1,445 people
Redfield
1,456 people
Salem
1,471 people
Earle
1,421 people
McAlmont
1,473 people
Wrightsville
1,409 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Des Arc's 1,447 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Bellemont, AZ
1,447 people
Sheridan, CA
1,447 people
Falmouth, ME
1,447 people
Silver Lake CDP (Cumberland County), NJ
1,447 people
Gorman, NC
1,447 people
East Canton, OH
1,447 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Des Arc's $31,328 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Eden Roc, HI
$31,324 median income
Carlisle, OK
$31,339 median income
Brackettville, TX
$31,341 median income
Eden, ID
$31,346 median income
Plain Dealing, LA
$31,298 median income
Pulaski, IL
$31,290 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Des Arc, AR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Des Arc, AR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 76.3% 14.3% 9.1% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 1.0% White 76.3% Black or African American 14.3% Asian 0.0% American Indian 0.0% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 0.3% Two or more races 9.1% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Des Arc compares to nearby Arkansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Des Arc (this city) 1,447 $31,328
Marshall 1,445 $29,688
Redfield 1,456 $68,125
Salem 1,471 $35,679
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AR FBI UCR NOAA Normals NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Des Arc, AR?

What is the population of Des Arc, AR? +

1,447 people live in Des Arc, AR according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Des Arc, AR? +

Median annual household income in Des Arc runs $31,328, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Des Arc? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Des Arc; the closest available measure is the Arkansas state average, a cost of living index of 86.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arkansas vary by metro area.

Is Des Arc, AR safe? +

Des Arc has a total crime rate of 821.4 per 100,000 residents, which is below the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Des Arc, AR? +

Des Arc's median home value sits at $86,800, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the climate like in Des Arc? +

The average annual temperature in Des Arc runs 62.7°F, 50.0 inches of precipitation, and 2.3 inches of snowfall per year. Source: NOAA Climate Normals.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities Editorial

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.