Lawrence County, Arkansas: commercial real estate data.
Lawrence County, Arkansas had an estimated 16,305 residents on July 1, 2024, up 0.5 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,219, across 588 square miles. County output reached $559.4 m in 2024, 284 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 10 7(a) approvals worth $16.9 m since FY2020.
Underlined figures are computed by MMCG Analytics, not published by the agency.
Lawrence County
How many people live in Lawrence County
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,238
- Households6,613
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$44,882
- Median age40.3
- Median gross rent$697 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$98,900
- Home value to household income2.2 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.6 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher14.5 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree4.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over10,946
- Population under 183,624
- Share under 1822.3 percent
- Population 65 and over3,077
- Share 65 and over18.9 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 649,537
- Civilian labor force7,018
- Unemployment rate5.8 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over55.6 percent
- Rank by population among Arkansas counties47th of 75
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents, Puerto Rico included2082nd of 3,222
Lawrence County is the 47th largest of 75 Arkansas counties by population. A median home costs 2.2 times median household income, which is affordable by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 22.3 percent against 18.9 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lawrence County
Is Lawrence County's population growing?
- Population, July 1, 202416,305
- Census 2020 base population16,219
- Population change since the 2020 census base0.53 percent
- Population change, 2023 to 202480
- Births, 2024175
- Deaths, 2024220
- Natural change, 2024-45
- Net domestic migration, 2024117
- Net international migration, 202410
- Total net migration, 2024127
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 2024328
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents1639th of 3,144
The county has grown 0.53 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.
Lawrence County
Where are people moving to Lawrence County from?
- Tax returns filed by households arriving466
- People arriving, from those returns930
- Tax returns filed by households leaving391
- Net household movement75
- Adjusted gross income arriving$20.9 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$4.4 m
- Average income of an arriving household$44,876
- Average income of a leaving household$42,263
- Largest single originCraighead County (101 households)
- Largest single destinationCraighead County (85 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Craighead County | 101 | 192 | $8.1 m |
| Randolph County | 84 | 148 | $2.2 m |
| Greene County | 31 | 63 | $890,000 |
| Sharp County | 22 | 46 | $680,000 |
Households arriving report $2,613 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 Craighead 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.
Lawrence County
What is the Lawrence County economy?
- County GDP, 2024$559.4 m
- County GDP, 2023$587.2 m
- GDP change, 2023 to 2024-4.7 percent
- GDP change over five years18.4 percent
- Rank by GDP among the Arkansas areas BEA publishes52nd of 75
- Rank by GDP among the US county areas BEA publishes2335th of 3,127
- GDP per resident$34,448
Output grew -4.7 percent in the latest year and 18.4 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.
Lawrence County
Employment by industry in Lawrence County
- Covered employment, annual average3,983
- Establishments reporting397
- Average annual pay$43,366
- Average weekly wage$834
- Retail trade, employment497
- Retail trade, average annual pay$34,020
- Manufacturing, employment298
- Manufacturing, average annual pay$46,344
- Wholesale trade, employment239
- Wholesale trade, average annual pay$48,897
- Construction, employment180
- Construction, average annual pay$79,716
- Other services, except public administration, employment168
- Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting, employment137
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 497 | 58 | $34,020 |
| Manufacturing | 298 | 17 | $46,344 |
| Wholesale trade | 239 | 20 | $48,897 |
| Construction | 180 | 27 | $79,716 |
| Other services, except public administration | 168 | 24 | $45,885 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 137 | 51 | $50,118 |
| Finance and insurance | 79 | 15 | $57,010 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 78 | 24 | $48,737 |
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 497 jobs, 12.5 percent of covered employment.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lawrence County
How many businesses are in Lawrence County?
- Establishments, all industries284
- Employment at those establishments3,289
- Annual payroll$128.4 m
- Establishments per 1,000 residents17.5
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.
Lawrence County
Building permits in Lawrence County
- Housing units authorized by permit, 202475
- Declared construction value permitted$17.6 m
- Single family units authorized55
- Multifamily units authorized20
- Multifamily share of units26.7 percent
- Average declared value per unit$234,022
- Units authorized per 1,000 households11.3
Single-family homes are 73.3 percent of units authorized, so the pipeline is predominantly single-family.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lawrence County
SBA loans in Lawrence County (7(a) and 504)
- 7(a) approvals recorded10
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$16.9 m
- Average 7(a) approval$1,693,700
- Median 7(a) approval$1,792,000
- Largest single approval$4,120,800
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)77
- Jobs per approval7.7
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active6
- Distinct industries receiving approvals6
- Median 7(a) term189 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer40.0 percent
- Loans on real estate terms4
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter3
- Franchise loans0
- Franchise share of approvals0.0 percent
- Leading industry by approval countChicken Egg Production (4)
- Most active lenderLive Oak Banking Company (3)
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lawrence County
SBA loan default and charge-off rates in Lawrence County
Do SBA loans in Lawrence County get paid back?
- Loans with a final outcome recorded1
- Paid in full1
- Charged off0
- Status: Exempt from disclosure8
- Status: Paid in full1
- Status: Cancelled1
Only 1 loan has 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.
Lawrence County
SBA lending by place in Lawrence County
- Borrower cities with recorded lending5
- Walnut Ridge, approvals3
- Imboden, approvals2
- Smithville, approvals2
- Ravenden, approvals2
- Black Rock, approvals1
| Borrower city | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Walnut Ridge | 3 | $3,090,000 |
| Imboden | 2 | $7,142,800 |
| Smithville | 2 | $2,981,200 |
| Ravenden | 2 | $1,848,000 |
| Black Rock | 1 | $1,875,000 |
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lawrence County
How large is Lawrence County?
- Land area588 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Arkansas counties63rd of 75
- Width, east to west34.1 mi
- Height, north to south26 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary6
- Residents per square mile of land28
- Establishments per square mile0.48
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.
Lawrence County
Flood risk in Lawrence County
- Participation of the county's own NFIP community Lawrence County, unincorporated areasParticipating, community 050443
- Communities in the county in the NFIP Community Status Book15
- Of those, participating in the NFIP12
- NFIP participation rate80.0 percent
- Communities carrying a CRS class0
- Radon levels in Lawrence County, EPA zone predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/LZone 3
The county's own community in the status book, unincorporated Lawrence County (community 050443), participates in the National Flood Insurance Program and carries no Community Rating System class, so no CRS premium discount applies there. The EPA places Lawrence County in radon zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. The zone is a screening prediction for the county and does not substitute for a test at an address. 80.0 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 Lawrence 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 Lawrence County site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population, American Community Survey 2020-202416,238
- Households6,613
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$44,882
- Median age40.3
Common questions
Lawrence County questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lawrence County, Arkansas?
The Census Bureau estimates 16,305 residents on July 1, 2024 (US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024). The American Community Survey 2020-2024 five-year estimate is 16,238, in 6,613 households, ranking 47th of 75 Arkansas counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lawrence County's population growing?
The population has grown 0.53 percent since the 2020 census base of 16,219, to 16,305 on July 1, 2024. In 2024 there were 175 births against 220 deaths, with net migration of 127. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lawrence County?
$44,882. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $98,900, which is 2.2 times income, and median gross rent is $697 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are in Lawrence County?
284 establishments, employing 3,289 people with an annual payroll of $128.4 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 Lawrence County?
Retail trade is the largest private sector at 497 jobs, 12.5 percent of covered employment. Covered employment averages 3,983 jobs at an average annual pay of $43,366, or $834 a week. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lawrence County?
10 7(a) approvals totaling $16.9 m since FY2020, across 6 lenders, with a median approval of $1,792,000. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
How many building permits were issued in Lawrence County?
75 housing units were authorized by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $17.6 m. Multifamily was 26.7 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lawrence County?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lawrence County come from?
The largest single origin is Craighead County, with 101 households. Arriving households report an average income of $44,876 against $42,263 for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lawrence 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 Lawrence 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.
Lawrence County
Cities and places in Lawrence.
13 Census places lie wholly or partly in Lawrence County. All 13 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walnut Ridge | city | 5,434 | 3 | Wholly in this county |
| Hoxie | city | 2,618 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Black Rock | city | 853 | 1 | Wholly in this county |
| Imboden | town | 621 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Portia | town | 453 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Ravenden | town | 390 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
| Lynn | town | 299 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Strawberry | town | 285 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Powhatan | town | 173 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Sedgwick | town | 165 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Alicia | town | 138 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Minturn | town | 91 | None recorded | Wholly in this county |
| Smithville | town | 88 | 2 | Wholly in this county |
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