HomeArkansasIndependence County
Independence County, Arkansas: commercial real estate data.
Independence County, Arkansas had an estimated 38,345 residents on July 1, 2024, up 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,933, across 764 square miles. County output reached $2.64 bn in 2024, 810 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 14 7(a) approvals worth $9.8 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Independence County
How many people live in Independence County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,175
- Households14,638
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$56,609
- Median age38.7
- Median gross rent$845 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$142,600
- Home value to household income2.5 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income17.9 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher18.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree6.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over25,236
- Population under 189,283
- Share under 1824.3 percent
- Population 65 and over6,708
- Share 65 and over17.6 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 6422,184
- Civilian labor force17,272
- Unemployment rate3.9 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over59.8 percent
- Rank by population among Arkansas counties19th of 75
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included1246th of 3,222
Independence County is the 19th largest of 75 Arkansas counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.3 percent against 17.6 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Independence County
Is Independence County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202438,345
- Census 2020 base population37,933
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.09 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202416
- Births, 2024432
- Deaths, 2024447
- Natural change, 2024-15
- Net domestic migration, 202431
- Net international migration, 20240
- Total net migration, 202431
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024667
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1446th of 3,144
The county has grown 1.09 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024 and the population still grew, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration is more sensitive to a change in relative cost than one growing from household formation.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Independence County
Where are people moving to Independence County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving854
- People arriving, from those returns1,724
- Tax returns filed by households leaving819
- Net household movement35
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$13.7 m
- Average income of an arriving household$57,012
- Average income of a leaving household$42,731
- Largest single originSharp County (104 households)
- Largest single destinationSharp County (88 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharp County | 104 | 215 | $3.8 m |
| White County | 59 | 128 | $2.3 m |
| Jackson County | 50 | 86 | $2.2 m |
| Izard County | 45 | 79 | $1.3 m |
| Cleburne County | 34 | 74 | $1.1 m |
| Craighead County | 33 | 73 | $1.4 m |
| Pulaski County | 32 | 49 | $1.5 m |
Households arriving report $14,281 more average income than households leaving, so the migration is raising local spending power rather than just moving it around. The largest single source of arrivals is Sharp County, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Independence County
What is the Independence County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$2.64 bn
- County GDP, 2023$2.49 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20246.0 percent
- GDP change over five years49.0 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Arkansas areas BEA publishes14th of 75
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes1073rd of 3,127
- GDP per resident$69,059
Output grew 6.0 percent in the latest year and 49.0 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Independence County
Employment by industry in Independence County
- Covered employment, annual average17,612
- Establishments reporting958
- Average annual pay$48,642
- Average weekly wage$935
- Health care and social assistance, employment3,850
- Health care and social assistance, average annual pay$55,161
- Manufacturing, employment3,670
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$55,290
- Retail trade, employment1,955
- Retail trade, average annual pay$32,978
- Administrative and support and waste management services, employment1,513
- Administrative and support and waste management services, average annual pay$35,635
- Accommodation and food services, employment1,182
- Construction, employment572
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 3,850 | 145 | $55,161 |
| Manufacturing | 3,670 | 42 | $55,290 |
| Retail trade | 1,955 | 165 | $32,978 |
| Administrative and support and waste management services | 1,513 | 49 | $35,635 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,182 | 76 | $18,399 |
| Construction | 572 | 68 | $59,225 |
| Finance and insurance | 570 | 55 | $69,322 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 471 | 38 | $62,298 |
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,850 jobs, 21.9 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Independence County
How many businesses are in Independence County?
- Establishments, all industries810
- Employment at those establishments16,206
- Annual payroll$832.7 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents21.2
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against. County Business Patterns counts private establishments with paid employees in March 2023, while the Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages above counts every unemployment-insured employer, public ones included, as a 2024 annual average, so the two establishment and employment counts differ.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Independence County
Building permits in Independence County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202432
- Declared construction value permitted$2.6 m
- Single family units authorized6
- Multifamily units authorized26
- Multifamily share of units81.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$80,429
- Units authorized per 1,000 households2.2
Multifamily is 81.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Independence County
SBA loans in Independence County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$703,207
- Median 7(a) approval$254,800
- Largest single approval$3,720,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)178
- Jobs per approval12.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active9
- Distinct industries receiving approvals14
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer14.3 percent
- Loans on real estate terms2
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter11
- Franchise loans2
- Franchise share of approvals14.3 percent
- Most active lenderThe Citizens Bank (4)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Independence County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Independence County
Do SBA loans in Independence County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded5
- Paid in full4
- Charged off1
- Status: Exempt from disclosure7
- Status: Charged off1
- Status: Paid in full4
- Status: Cancelled2
Only 5 loans have reached a final outcome, fewer than the 30 a charge-off rate needs, so no rate is published.
Compare against the national and state SBA charge-off rates, computed the same way over resolved loans only.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Independence County
SBA lending by place in Independence County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Batesville, approvals10
- Newark, approvals1
- Locust Grove, approvals1
- Cave City, approvals1
- Southside, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Batesville | 10 | $4,744,000 |
| Newark | 1 | $3,720,000 |
| Locust Grove | 1 | $1,132,000 |
| Cave City | 1 | $150,000 |
| Southside | 1 | $98,900 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Independence County
How large is Independence County?
- Land area764 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Arkansas counties21st of 75
- Width, east to west37.7 mi
- Height, north to south28.8 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary7
- Residents per square mile of land50
- Establishments per square mile1.06
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Independence County
Flood risk in Independence County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Independence County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 050090
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book10
- Of those, participating in the NFIP7
- NFIP participation rate70.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Independence County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/LZone 2
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Independence County (community 050090), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Independence County in radon zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 70.0 percent of the county's listed communities participate in the National Flood Insurance Program, per Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26.
Federal Emergency Management Agency, NFIP Community Status Book (OpenFEMA), as of 2026-09-26. US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Traffic counts, zoning and the flood zone at an address are not on this page; they resolve at the address in the platform. How this page was built →
Feasibility studies
When a Independence County site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Independence County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202438,175
- Households14,638
- Average household size2.61
- Median household income$56,609
- Median age38.7
Common questions
Independence County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Independence County, Arkansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 38,345 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 38,175, in 14,638 households, ranking 19th of 75 Arkansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Independence County's population growing?
The population has grown 1.09 percent since the 2020 census base of 37,933, to 38,345 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 432 births against 447 deaths, with net migration of 31. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Independence County?
$56,609. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $142,600, which is 2.5 times income, and median gross rent is $845 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Independence County?
810 establishments, employing 16,206 people with an annual payroll of $832.7 m. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is employment by industry in Independence County?
Health care and social assistance is the largest private sector at 3,850 jobs, 21.9 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 17,612 jobs at an average annual pay of $48,642, or $935 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Independence County?
14 7(a) approvals totaling $9.8 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $254,800. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Independence County?
32 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $2.6 m. Multifamily was 81.3 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Independence County?
Zone 2, a predicted average indoor radon screening level from 2 to 4 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Independence County come from?
The largest single origin is Sharp County, with 104 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,012 against $42,731 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Independence County on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Independence County?
No. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame, to be confirmed locally.
Independence County
Cities and places in Independence.
14 Census places lie wholly or partly in Independence County. All 14 carry enough published place level data for a page of their own and are linked.
| Place | Type | Population | SBA 7(a) approvals, projects in this county | Lies in |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Batesville | city | 11,445 | 10 | Wholly in this county |
| Southside | city | 4,246 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Cave City | city | 2,090 | 1 | 12.8 percent here, 87.2 percent Sharp County |
| Newark | city | 1,637 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Sulphur Rock | town | 1,014 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Desha | CDP | 679 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Salado | CDP | 507 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Cushman | city | 488 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Pleasant Plains | town | 376 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Oil Trough | town | 259 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Magness | town | 238 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Floral | CDP | 194 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Moorefield | town | 120 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Bethesda | CDP | 79 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
A further 1 of the county's 14 SBA 7(a) approvals are to borrowers in cities that match no Census place in Independence County, the largest being Locust Grove (1). Those are postal cities, unincorporated areas and cities outside the county, so no place row claims them; they are counted in the county total above.
Nearby