City · Arkansas
Rector, Arkansas
Rector, city, in Clay County, Arkansas. Rector had 1,789 residents on July 1, 2025 by the Census Bureau's estimate, down 3.2% since 2020; the 2020 Census counted 1,862 and the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates put it at 1,750 (±256). GEOID 0558490.
Residents, July 2025 estimate
1,789
Census Bureau estimate (no margin published)
2020 Census count: 1,862 · ACS 2020-2024: 1,750 ±256
Median household income
$47,760
±$9,713 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $60,773
Median home value
$91,300
±$23,747 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $188,000
Median gross rent
$667
±$183 (90% margin)
Arkansas: $947
Where is Rector and what county is it in?
Rector is a city in Clay County, Arkansas. It covers 1.4 square miles of land, 1,366 residents per square mile in 2020.
Source: 2024 Gazetteer and 2020 place-by-county files, U.S. Census Bureau · Census reference files
How many people live in Rector, and is it growing?
The Census Bureau estimates that 1,789 people lived in Rector on July 1, 2025, down 3.2% since 2020, while Arkansas grew 3.4%. The 2020 Census counted 1,862 residents. The 2020-2024 American Community Survey, a five-year sample, puts the population at 1,750 (±256).
| Measure | Rector | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total population | 1,750 ±256 | 14,280 | no clear change |
| Households | 811 ±125 | 6,021 | no clear change |
| Average household size | 2.12 ±0.18 | 2.35 | −0.31 |
| Housing units | 942 ±108 | 7,492 | no clear change |
Rector's population since 2000
From 2,017 in 2000 to 1,789 in 2025: down 11.3%. The 2000, 2010 and 2020 figures are census counts, each for Rector 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 Rector?
The median resident of Rector is 37.7 years old; 19.1% are under 18 and 17.6% are 65 or older. The largest group is non-Hispanic white residents at 94.2%, then non-Hispanic residents of two or more races at 5.4%.
| Measure | Rector | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.7 ±3.7 | 42.7 | no clear change |
| Under 18 years | 19.1% ±3.4 pts | 21.5% | – |
| 65 years and over | 17.6% ±4.4 pts | 21.8% | – |
| Male | 49.9% ±4.3 pts | 48.9% | – |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 0.3% ±0.5 pts | 1.1% | – |
| White alone, not Hispanic | 94.2% ±5.0 pts | 93.5% | no clear change |
| Black or African American alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Asian alone, not Hispanic | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| American Indian and Alaska Native alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.4% | – |
| Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Two or more races, not Hispanic | 5.4% ±4.7 pts | 4.9% | – |
| Some other race alone, not Hispanic | 0.0% ±2.3 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Born outside the United States | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Speak a language other than English at home (age 5+) | 0.2% ±0.3 pts | 0.8% | – |
| Civilian veterans (age 18+) | 9.7% ±4.5 pts | 7.6% | – |
| With a disability | 25.1% ±7.5 pts | 22.0% | – |
| No health insurance coverage | 3.0% ±1.8 pts | 9.8% | – |
| High school graduate or higher (age 25+) | 80.1% ±7.4 pts | 87.6% | – |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (age 25+) | 16.5% ±6.1 pts | 15.3% | no clear change |
| Graduate or professional degree (age 25+) | 6.5% ±3.5 pts | 5.5% | – |
| Lived in the same house a year earlier | 84.0% ±7.3 pts | 85.9% | – |
| Moved from another state in the past year | 0.9% ±1.4 pts | 4.4% | – |
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 Rector earn?
Half of Rector's 811 households earn less than $47,760 a year (±$9,713), against $51,481 in Clay County and $60,773 in Arkansas. In 2015-2019 it was $37,658 in 2024 dollars; the margins of error cannot tell the two periods apart. 20.2% of residents live below the poverty line.
| Measure | Rector | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $47,760 ±$9,713 | $51,481 | no clear change |
| Mean household income | $57,889 ±$8,772 | $64,802 | – |
| Per capita income | $25,848 ±$3,498 | $27,594 | no clear change |
| People below the poverty line | 20.2% ±8.9 pts | 17.2% | no clear change |
| Children under 18 below the poverty line | 19.8% ±16.3 pts | 24.5% | – |
| Households receiving SNAP | 13.1% ±6.5 pts | 10.1% | – |
| Households with a computer | 90.8% ±5.2 pts | 90.3% | – |
| Households with a broadband subscription | 81.4% ±7.4 pts | 81.6% | – |
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 Rector?
Owners occupy 66.5% of Rector's occupied homes and renters 33.5%. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $91,300 by its owner (±$23,747). The median renter pays $667 a month including utilities, and 36.0% of renters pay 35% or more of their income on rent.
| Measure | Rector | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value (owner-occupied) | $91,300 ±$23,747 | $94,600 | no clear change |
| Median gross rent | $667 ±$183 | $707 | no clear change |
| Renters paying 35% or more of income on rent | 36.0% ±21.7 pts | 27.3% | no clear change |
| Median monthly owner costs, with a mortgage | $794 ±$117 | $907 | – |
| Owner-occupied homes | 66.5% ±9.3 pts | 74.7% | no clear change |
| Renter-occupied homes | 33.5% ±9.3 pts | 25.3% | – |
| Housing units | 942 ±108 | 7,492 | no clear change |
| Homeowner vacancy rate | 0.0% ±7.1 pts | 1.7% | – |
| Rental vacancy rate | 0.0% ±13.6 pts | 0.0% | – |
| Single-family detached homes | 79.6% ±5.9 pts | 81.4% | – |
| Mobile homes | 2.7% ±3.3 pts | 12.0% | – |
| Built 2020 or later | 0.4% ±0.7 pts | 0.5% | – |
| Built 2010 to 2019 | 0.6% ±1.0 pts | 5.2% | – |
| Built 1939 or earlier | 9.2% ±6.8 pts | 8.1% | – |
| Households with no vehicle | 7.6% ±4.3 pts | 6.1% | – |
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 Rector building?
Builders took permits for 4 new housing units in Rector in 2025 (4 in single-family houses), 2.2 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 Rector work and get to work?
76.9% of Rector's workers drive alone. The average trip to work takes 25.4 minutes.
| Measure | Rector | Clay County | Change since 2015-2019 |
|---|---|---|---|
| In the labor force (age 16+) | 52.2% ±9.5 pts | 56.5% | – |
| Unemployment rate | 4.1% ±5.4 pts | 6.3% | – |
| Drove alone to work | 76.9% ±11.5 pts | 79.7% | – |
| Carpooled | 5.5% ±4.5 pts | 10.9% | – |
| Public transportation | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 0.1% | – |
| Walked | 0.0% ±5.3 pts | 1.5% | – |
| Worked from home | 12.3% ±9.5 pts | 6.0% | – |
| Mean travel time to work | 25.4 min ±3.6 | 23.3 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 Rector?
1 census tract lies mostly in Rector (2020 census blocks).
| Tract | Residents, 2020-2024 | Median household income |
|---|---|---|
| Tract 9505Clay County | 1,907 | $49,414 |
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 Rector) · Census block assignment files
How does Rector compare with other places in Arkansas?
By the Census Bureau's July 2025 estimates, Rector is the 8,085th-most populous of the 19,476 U.S. incorporated places that have one and the 146th-most populous of 500 in Arkansas.
Rector ranks 119th 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 | 146th | 500 |
| Growth 2020-2025 (PEP) | 131st | 182 |
| Residents per square mile | 18th | 197 |
| Median household income | 119th | 194 |
| Per capita income | 120th | 197 |
| Median home value | 168th | 193 |
| Median gross rent | 154th | 186 |
| Poverty rate | 79th | 172 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 109th | 189 |
| Median age | 96th | 196 |
| Owner-occupied share | 76th | 197 |
| Travel time to work | 51st | 197 |
Rector's figures with every place in Arkansas (CSV)
Every place in Arkansas, sortable · Compare Rector 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 Rector?
22 of the 57 figures for Rector 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 Rector 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 Rector.