Census: Northwest Arkansas, Benton County remain fastest-growing in state

Northwest Arkansas remains the fastest-growing metro area in the state, and Benton County is still the state’s fastest-growing county, according to new population estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau.

On Thursday (March 13), the Census Bureau released the population estimates for metro areas and counties in the United States. The new estimates are as of July 1, 2024.

Alison Wright, data center division head of the Arkansas Economic Development Institute (AEDI), said the new population estimates are similar to the changes in the previous year. Wright said net migration and natural change are driving factors behind the population growth in metro areas and counties in Arkansas.

She said the top 10 most populous counties remained the same, comprising more than half of the state’s population. All of the state’s 40 counties that gained population in 2024 had a positive net migration, except for Pulaski County. Positive net migration means more people are moving in than out. Pulaski County had negative net migration, or more people moving out than in. Still, the population of Pulaski County increased because of natural change or more births than deaths.

The population growth rate for Northwest Arkansas, or the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro, was the 22nd fastest in the United States, and the numeric growth was the 50th fastest in the nation. The growth rate was down from 18th in 2023 but up from 24th in the previous year. The numeric growth was down from 32nd in 2023 and 30th in the previous year.

Among the state’s other metro areas that grew, Wright said the Hot Springs metro had the slowest growth rate and attributed this to the older population.

Northwest Arkansas’ population rose by 2.3% to 605,615 in 2024 from 591,895 in 2023. The metro area added 13,720 people in 2024 and became the 96th most populous metro area in the United States, up two positions from 2023.

The population of the Fort Smith metro area increased by 0.7% to 232,848 from 231,261. It added 1,587 people in 2024 and became the 204th most populous metro area in the United States, up two positions from 2023.

The population in the Jonesboro metro area increased by 1.1% to 138,152 from 138,152. It added 1,534 people in 2024 and remained the 305th most populous metro area in the United States.

The population of the Little Rock metro area, which includes North Little Rock and Conway, rose by 0.6% to 769,258 from 764,683. It added 4,575 people in 2024 and remained the 80th most populous metro area in the nation and the most populous in Arkansas.

According to the Census Bureau, the population of U.S. metro areas rose faster between 2023 and 2024 than in the previous year and outpaced that of the nation. Some metro areas with population declines during the COVID-19 pandemic are experiencing population increases.

“Increasingly, population growth in metro areas is being shaped by international migration,” said Kristie Wilder, a demographer in the Census Bureau’s Population Division. “While births continue to contribute to overall growth, rising net international migration is offsetting the ongoing net domestic outmigration we see in many of these areas.”

All 387 U.S. metro areas had positive net international migration from 2023 to 2024, accounting for 2.7 million of the total population gain in metros, up from 2.2 million between 2022 and 2023. The most populous metro area is the New York metro with 19.94 million people. The fastest-growing metro area is Ocala, Fla., with a 4% growth rate. Second is Panama City, Fla., with a 3.8% growth rate.

COUNTY DATA
Wright said all Arkansas counties with a population of at least 50,000 had an increase in population, while most of the counties with less than 10,000 people had population declines.

Benton and Washington counties added the most people in the state between 2023 and 2024. Benton County added 9,318 and grew by 3% to a population of 321,566. Washington County added 4,304 and grew by 1.6% to 266,184. Benton County is the 76th fastest-growing county among 3,144 U.S. counties. It also had the 82nd-largest numerical gain in population. Its growth rate was the 118th fastest in 2023, while the numerical gain was the 45th largest.

Pulaski County added 505 people and grew by 0.1% to a population of 401,209. Sebastian County added 832 people and grew by 0.2% to a population of 130,035. Craighead County added 1,607 people and grew by 1.4% to a population of 115,852. Faulkner County added 1,702 people and grew by 1.3% to a population of 131,611. Saline County added 1,688 people and grew by 1.3% to a population of 131,252.

Nationwide, the most populous county is Los Angeles County, Calif., with 9.75 million people. Cook County, Ill., is second with 5.18 million people. For counties with at least 20,000 people, the fastest-growing county is Dawson County, Ga., with a 6.4% growth rate. Second is Kaufman County, Texas, with a 6% growth rate.

Following are the state and metro area population estimates as of July 1:
Arkansas:
2024: 3.08 million
2023: 3.06 million
2022: 3.04 million
2021: 3.02 million
2020: 3.01 million

Little Rock metro area:
2024: 769,258
2023: 764,683
2022: 758,380
2021: 751,803
2020: 749,020

Northwest Arkansas (Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metro area):
2024: 605,615
2023: 591,895
2022: 578,367
2021: 562,793
2020: 549,960

Fort Smith metro area:
2024: 232,848
2023: 231,261
2022: 230,066
2021: 228,097
2020: 227,222

Jonesboro metro area:
2024: 138,152
2023: 136,618
2022: 135,262
2021: 134,346
2020: 134,578

Following are the estimates for the Arkansas counties with more than 50,000 people:
Pulaski:
2024: 401,209
2023: 400,704
2022: 399,886
2021: 398,005
2020: 399,286

Benton:
2024: 321,566
2023: 312,248
2022: 303,558
2021: 294,168
2020: 286,621

Washington:
2024: 266,184
2023: 261,880
2022: 257,316
2021: 251,664
2020: 246,779

Faulkner:
2024: 131,611
2023: 129,909
2022: 127,656
2021: 125,590
2020: 123,820

Saline:
2024: 131,252
2023: 129,566
2022: 127,419
2021: 125,338
2020: 123,820

Sebastian:
2024: 130,035
2023: 129,203
2022: 129,226
2021: 128,223
2020: 127,813

Craighead:
2024: 115,852
2023: 114,245
2022: 112,828
2021: 111,695
2020: 111,623

Garland:
2024: 99,902
2023: 99,759
2022: 99,942
2021: 100,306
2020: 100,266

White:
2024: 79,091
2023: 78,523
2022: 77,645
2021: 77,069
2020: 76,863

Lonoke:
2024: 76,389
2023: 75,924
2022: 75,219
2021: 74,755
2020: 74,072

Pope:
2024: 64,829
2023: 64,663
2022: 64,023
2021: 63,733
2020: 63,407

Jefferson:
2024: 63,672
2023: 63,539
2022: 64,341
2021: 65,624
2020: 66,835

Crawford:
2024: 62,258
2023: 61,810
2022: 61,084
2021: 60,382
2020: 60,160

In May, the Census Bureau will release city population estimates as of July 1, 2024.