HomeArkansasIndependence County
Independence County, Arkansas: commercial real estate data.
Independence County, Arkansas has a population of 38,175 across 764 square miles, up 1.1 percent since the 2020 census base. 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.
110 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Independence County
How many people live in Independence County
- Population38,175
- 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-equivalents1246th
Independence County is the 19th largest of 75 Arkansas counties by population. A median home costs 2.5 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market 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 growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base1.09 percent
- Census 2020 base population37,933
- 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
The county has grown 1.09 percent since the 2020 census base. Deaths exceeded births in 2024, so all of the growth came from people moving in. A market held up by migration alone 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 people moving to Independence County come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving854
- People arriving, from those returns1,724
- Adjusted gross income arriving$48.7 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$57,012
- Largest single originIndependence County Non-migrants (12,177 households)
- Largest single destination (12,177 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Independence County Non-migrants | 12,177 | 26,304 | $778.0 m |
| Other flows - Different State | 293 | 613 | $16.4 m |
| Other flows - Same State | 204 | 411 | $10.5 m |
| Other flows - South | 140 | 261 | $6.9 m |
| Sharp County | 104 | 215 | $3.8 m |
| Other flows - West | 84 | 207 | $6.0 m |
| Other flows - Midwest | 69 | 145 | $3.6 m |
| White County | 59 | 128 | $2.3 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Independence County Non-migrants, 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 the Independence County economy runs on
- 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 Arkansas counties14th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents1073rd
- 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
Who employs people in Independence County
- Covered employment, annual average17,612
- Establishments reporting958
- Average annual pay$48,642
- Average weekly wage$935
- Sector 62, employment3,850
- Sector 62, average annual pay$55,161
- Sector 31-33, employment3,670
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$55,290
- Sector 44-45, employment1,955
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$32,978
- Sector 56, employment1,513
- Sector 56, average annual pay$35,635
- Sector 72, employment1,182
- Sector 23, employment572
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 3,850 | 145 | $55,161 |
| Sector 31-33 | 3,670 | 42 | $55,290 |
| Sector 44-45 | 1,955 | 165 | $32,978 |
| Sector 56 | 1,513 | 49 | $35,635 |
| Sector 72 | 1,182 | 76 | $18,399 |
| Sector 23 | 572 | 68 | $59,225 |
| Sector 52 | 570 | 55 | $69,322 |
| Sector 48-49 | 471 | 38 | $62,298 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 3,850 jobs, 21.9 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Independence County
What businesses operate 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.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Independence County
What is being built in Independence County
- Housing units authorised by permit, 202432
- Declared construction value permitted$2.6 m
- Single family units authorised6
- Multifamily units authorised26
- Multifamily share of units81.3 percent
- Average declared value per unit$80,429
- Units authorised per 1,000 households2.2
Multifamily is 81.3 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is being built for renters rather than buyers.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Independence County
How much SBA lending happens in Independence County
- 7(a) approvals recorded14
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$9.8 m
- Average 7(a) approval$703,207
- Median 7(a) approval$259,600
- 10th percentile approval$98,400
- 90th percentile approval$1,381,000
- 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
- Leading industry by approval countBroilers and Other Meat Type Chicken Production (1)
- Most active lenderThe Citizens Bank (4)
The average approval of $703,207 sits well above the median of $259,600, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 14.3 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
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
Too few loans have reached a final outcome to publish a charge off rate. only 5 resolved loans, too few to publish a rate. A rate computed on a handful of loans is noise, so none is shown.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Independence County
Which parts of Independence County get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending5
- Batesville, approvals10
- SOUTHSIDE, approvals1
- LOCUST GROVE, approvals1
- NEWARK, approvals1
- CAVE CITY, approvals1
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| Batesville | 10 | $4,744,000 |
| SOUTHSIDE | 1 | $98,900 |
| LOCUST GROVE | 1 | $1,132,000 |
| NEWARK | 1 | $3,720,000 |
| CAVE CITY | 1 | $150,000 |
Batesville accounts for 10 approvals against 1 in SOUTHSIDE. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Independence County
How big 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.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No 504 approvals recorded in this county in the FOIA release covering FY2010 onward.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
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.
- Population38,175
- 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?
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 growing?
The population has grown 1.09 percent since the 2020 census base. 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 there 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 the average wage in Independence County?
Average annual pay is $48,642, or $935 a week, across 17,612 covered jobs. 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 totalling $9.8 m since FY2020, across 9 lenders, with a median approval of $259,600. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
What is being built in Independence County?
32 housing units were authorised 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 Independence County Non-migrants, with 12,177 households. Arriving households report an average income of $57,012 against null 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?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.