City · Arkansas
El Dorado, Arkansas
El Dorado, city, in Union County, Arkansas. El Dorado had 16,609 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 6.5% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 17,756 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 17,115 (±36). GEOID 0521070.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
16,609
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 17,756 · ACS 2020-2024: 17,115 ±36
Median household income
$49,244
±$6,926 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $60,773
Median home value
$124,100
±$10,729 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $188,000
Median gross rent
$880
±$39 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $947
Where is El Dorado and what county is it in?
El Dorado is a city in Union County, Arkansas. It covers 16.2 square miles of land, 1,096 residents per square mile in 2020.
El Dorado is in the El Dorado, AR micropolitan statistical area (Census Bureau delineation, July 2023).
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in El Dorado, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 16,609 people lived in El Dorado on July 1, 2025, down 6.5% since 2020, while Arkansas grew 3.4%. The 2020 Census counted 17,756 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 17,115 (±36).
| Measure | El Dorado | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 17,115 ±36 | 37,900 | −867 |
| Households | 6,561 ±363 | 15,002 | −603 |
| Average household size | 2.54 ±0.14 | 2.49 | no clear change |
| Housing units | 7,895 ±347 | 18,649 | −1,060 |
El Dorado's population since 2000
From 21,530 in 2000 to 16,609 in 2025: down 22.9%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for El Dorado 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 El Dorado?
The median resident of El Dorado is 36.6 years old; 25.4% are under 18 and 18.3% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic Black residents at 48.7%, then non-Hispanic white residents at 40.4%. 3.8% of residents were born outside the United States.
| Measure | El Dorado | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.6 ±3.3 | 41.4 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 25.4% ±1.8 pts | 23.7% | – |
| 65 years and over | 18.3% ±1.9 pts | 19.2% | – |
| Male | 47.6% ±2.0 pts | 49.3% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 5.5% ±2.1 pts | 4.7% | no clear change |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 40.4% ±2.7 pts | 59.4% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 48.7% ±2.9 pts | 32.1% | no clear change |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 1.7% ±0.4 pts | 0.9% | +0.7 pts |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.3% ±0.3 pts | 0.2% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±0.2 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 3.3% ±1.8 pts | 2.7% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.1% ±0.2 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 3.8% ±1.4 pts | 3.0% | no clear change |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 6.0% ±2.6 pts | 4.2% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 8.1% ±1.9 pts | 7.2% | – |
| With a disability | 16.4% ±1.9 pts | 17.4% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 7.5% ±2.1 pts | 5.6% | no clear change |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 87.4% ±2.7 pts | 88.5% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 17.1% ±2.6 pts | 19.1% | −6.4 pts |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 8.4% ±2.1 pts | 6.8% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 90.0% ±3.1 pts | 92.0% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 1.2% ±0.7 pts | 1.0% | – |
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 El Dorado earn?
Half of El Dorado's 6,561 households earn less than $49,244 a year (±$6,926), against $55,259 in Union County and $60,773 in Arkansas. In 2015-2019 it was $52,421 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 23.3% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | El Dorado | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,244 ±$6,926 | $55,259 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $64,260 ±$5,217 | $74,348 | – |
| Per capita income | $26,751 ±$2,414 | $30,883 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 23.3% ±5.0 pts | 19.5% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 30.6% ±10.5 pts | 24.5% | no clear change |
| Households receiving SNAP | 12.6% ±3.0 pts | 9.4% | – |
| Households with a computer | 91.6% ±2.5 pts | 91.8% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 84.2% ±3.2 pts | 84.6% | – |
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 El Dorado?
Owners occupy 57.2% of El Dorado's occupied homes and renters 42.8%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $124,100 by its owner (±$10,729). The median renter pays $880 a month including utilities, and 39.2% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | El Dorado | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $124,100 ±$10,729 | $120,900 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $880 ±$39 | $847 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 39.2% ±6.7 pts | 36.1% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $1,148 ±$80 | $1,194 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 57.2% ±4.5 pts | 72.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 42.8% ±4.5 pts | 27.3% | – |
| Housing units | 7,895 ±347 | 18,649 | −1,060 |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.7% ±1.1 pts | 0.3% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 5.3% ±3.6 pts | 6.2% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 78.0% ±2.9 pts | 71.5% | – |
| Mobile homes | 5.4% ±1.8 pts | 20.2% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 1.1% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 5.0% ±1.9 pts | 9.6% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 3.9% ±1.8 pts | 3.8% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 10.3% ±2.9 pts | 6.6% | – |
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 El Dorado building?
Builders took permits for 14 new housing units in El Dorado in 2025 (14 in single-family houses), 0.8 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 El Dorado work and get to work?
81.0% of El Dorado's workers drive alone and 10.2% work from home. The average trip to work takes 16.0 minutes. The unemployment rate in 2020-2024 averaged 7.0%.
| Measure | El Dorado | Union County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 55.7% ±3.1 pts | 56.2% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 7.0% ±2.5 pts | 5.5% | no clear change |
| Drove alone to work | 81.0% ±3.4 pts | 84.6% | – |
| Carpooled | 7.4% ±2.9 pts | 7.0% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 1.2% ±0.9 pts | 1.4% | – |
| Worked from home | 10.2% ±3.5 pts | 6.9% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 16.0 min ±1.7 | 20.1 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 El Dorado?
5 census tracts lie mostly in El Dorado, and 4 more reach into it (2020 census blocks). Their median household incomes run from $35,531 (Tract 9509) to $70,104 (Tract 9508).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9507Union County | 4,608 | $58,116 |
| Tract 9510Union County | 4,103 | $36,107 |
| Tract 9508Union County | 3,221 | $70,104 |
| Tract 9506Union County | 3,339 | $55,544 |
| Tract 9509Union County | 2,489 | $35,531 |
| Tract 9505.02Union County | 2,560 | $72,759 |
| Tract 9502Union County | 3,483 | $50,714 |
| Tract 9504.02Union County | 3,737 | $70,160 |
| Tract 9504.01Union County | 1,807 | $56,500 |
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 El Dorado) · Census block assignment files
How does El Dorado compare with other places in Arkansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, El Dorado is the 2,247th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 27th-most populous of 500 in Arkansas.
El Dorado ranks 110th of 194 places in Arkansas with 1,000 or more residents and a reliable estimate, by median household income.
| Measure | Rank | Of |
|---|---|---|
| Population, July 2025 estimate | 27th | 500 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 158th | 182 |
| Residents per square mile | 35th | 197 |
| Median household income | 110th | 194 |
| Per capita income | 110th | 197 |
| Median home value | 119th | 193 |
| Median gross rent | 74th | 186 |
| Poverty rate | 58th | 172 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 104th | 189 |
| Median age | 113th | 196 |
| Owner-occupied share | 129th | 197 |
| Work from home | 38th | 76 |
| Travel time to work | 178th | 197 |
El Dorado's figures with every place in Arkansas (CSV)
Every place in Arkansas, sortable · Compare El Dorado 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 El Dorado?
8 of the 57 figures for El Dorado 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 El Dorado 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 El Dorado.