Awareness & Action
Youth & Adult Communities
The Need to Overcome Poverty
Understanding Child Poverty
In Arkansas, both youth and adult poverty rates have been a significant concern. Efforts to address these issues involve implementing programs that focus on education, job training, access to affordable housing, healthcare, and support services.
Child poverty refers to the share of children under age 18 who live in families with incomes below the federal poverty level. Poverty elevates a child's risk of experiencing behavioral, social, emotional, and health challenges — reducing skill-building opportunities and academic outcomes.
In Arkansas, the adult poverty rate is approximately 17.3%. This underscores the importance of targeted interventions such as job training, affordable healthcare, housing assistance, and financial literacy education.
2022 Arkansas Poverty
Population: 2,929,117 · Number in Poverty: 474,739
16.47%
fell below the poverty threshold ($29,678 for a family of four)
Arkansas Poverty Data
By the Numbers
Overall Poverty Rate
16.2%
Ranked 47th
Percentage of people with incomes below the poverty line in 2019
Child Poverty Rate
21.7%
Ranked 48th
Children under 18 in families below the poverty line in 2019
Working-Aged Women
17.5%
Ranked 47th
Women ages 18–64 below the poverty line in 2019
Working-Aged Men
13.5%
Ranked 46th
Men ages 18–64 below the poverty line in 2019
Racial Disparities
Poverty Rate by Race & Ethnicity
Jobs & Education
Economic Opportunity Indicators
Disconnected Youth
17.0%
Ranked 46th
Youth ages 18–24 without HS degrees, not in school or working (2018)
Higher Education Attainment
33.8%
Ranked 49th
Young adults ages 25–34 with associate's degree or higher (2019)
Gender Wage Gap
79.5¢
Ranked 31st
Women's median earnings per dollar of men's among full-time workers (2019)
Strengthening Families
Family & Economic Security
Children in Foster Care
6.0 per 1,000
Ranked 21st
Children living in foster care per 1,000 children under 18 (2018)
Teen Birth Rate
30.4 per 1,000
Ranked 51st
Births per 1,000 women ages 15–19 in 2018
Food Insecurity
13.8%
Ranked 45th
Households experiencing food insecurity on average 2017–2019
High-Cost Credit Use
9.5%
Ranked 42nd
Households using payday loans, title loans, or other high-risk credit (2017)
Our Response
Youth Community Development Programming
Collaborating with community organizations, local government, and businesses can help create sustainable solutions to reduce poverty rates and improve the overall well-being of individuals in Arkansas.
Research indicates that as neighborhood poverty rates increase, undesirable outcomes rise and opportunities for success are less likely. The effects of concentrated poverty begin to appear once neighborhood poverty rates rise above 20 percent.
The 2018 federal poverty threshold is $25,465 per year for a family of two adults and two children. GCOTM is committed to helping families rise above this threshold through education, mentorship, and community support.
More Information
Research & Data Sources
The information above references 2011–2019 KIDS COUNT Data Books and U.S. Census Bureau 2004–2018 reports.
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