Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Arkadelphia grades C− overall, 68th among Arkansas's 123 graded towns, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. It is easier to get around on foot or by transit than 84% of U.S. towns. On the other side, the median household income is $49K, and 29% of residents live below the poverty line. 29% of residents live below the poverty line in Arkadelphia, against 17% in Arkansas’ towns and 9.6% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Clark County Courthouse and Domestic Science Building. Only 18 of Arkansas’ 201 towns score higher on the outdoors.
Where Arkadelphia beats most towns.
Magnolia Manor| College | Students |
|---|---|
| Ouachita Baptist University | 1,777 |
| Henderson State University | 1,412 |
Census counts: 248 in 1850, 10,380 in 2020. The archive holds 24 old photos and papers going back to 1858 and 2 maps from 1959 on.
21 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Arkadelphia is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Arkadelphia, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Arkadelphia.
Arkadelphia is shaped by its college students and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.
33.9% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.1% statewide, which pulls the median age down. Only 41.2% of households own their home, against 66.4% across Arkansas.
The median age in Arkadelphia is 23.4 years. Arkadelphia has lost 4.5% of its people since 2020, down to 9,916 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 13% of Arkadelphia residents are 65 or older.
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 23.4 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
| Aged 65 or older | 13% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 33% | 20% | 29% |
55% women, 45% men
About 83 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±2.1 points). Across Arkansas, 50.6% of residents are women. Median age: women 23.8, men 22.8.
| Arkadelphia | AR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 7.1% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 9.5% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 36.9% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.7% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 7% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 6% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 7.2% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 5.7% | 7.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 5.7% | 11.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 30.3% | 34.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 25.1% | 20.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 6.2% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 18.8% | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 14% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
Its public schools are run by the Arkadelphia School District. Two of its 3 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is Arkadelphia High School, with 534 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Peake Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–4 | Grades PK–4 | 783 | C+ |
| Arkadelphia High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12 | Grades 9–12 | 534 | C− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
5.4 miles of trail in 2 parks and preserves. Arkadelphia’s trail density is 0.7 miles per square mile.
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.7 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Conserved land | 1.7% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Arkadelphia Central Park | — | 12 |
| 2. Ouachita River Park | 0.2 mi | 5 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Within Arkansas, it does better than 61% of towns.
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 2.9 per 1,000 residents | 3.7 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 15.1 per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Arkadelphia has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Among 123 Arkansas towns, just 9 have a higher July high than Arkadelphia.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Against the 5,255 U.S. towns with household incomes like Arkadelphia’s, it is healthier than 76%, so its C+ isn’t only a matter of income. Within Arkansas it is healthier than 69% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
22% of adults report frequent mental distress in Arkadelphia. Among 123 Arkansas towns, just 4 have a higher share of adults who feel lonely than Arkadelphia. 23% of adults say their health is fair or poor in Arkadelphia.
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 39% | 35% | 33% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 17% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 42% | 39% | 36% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| What stands out | Arkadelphia | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults who have had cancer | 5.7% | 8.2% |
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.9% | 7.7% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 12.8% | 9.7% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
The typical Arkadelphia home is worth about $182,000, up 3.8% in a year, 19% below the Arkansas typical home. Only 3 of the 123 Arkansas towns we compare have a lower share of households owning their home than Arkadelphia.
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 41% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $814 a month | $880 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
About one in 3 of Arkadelphia’s working residents works in town. Since 2013, Arkadelphia has lost 700 jobs, to 4,782 in 2023. The top destinations are Little Rock (10%), Hot Springs (7%) and Caddo Valley (3%).
| Arkadelphia | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Working residents who work in town | 36% | 21% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 17 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 5.5% | 6.3% | 11% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 61% of U.S. communities. Since 1979, 8 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Arkadelphia.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
2 within 15 miles of the center of Arkadelphia
College town 34 of every 100 Arkadelphia residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
2 colleges in town.
21 places in Arkadelphia on the National Register of Historic Places.
19 notable people were born in Arkadelphia.
City in Arkansas, United States
Arkadelphia is a city in and the county seat of Clark County, Arkansas, United States. The city is located near the Ouachita River at the foothills of the Ouachita Mountains, along the Interstate 30 corridor between Little Rock and Texarkana. As of the 2020 census, the population was 10,380. Arkadelphia developed as a river and railroad trading center and later became known as an educational center in southwest Arkansas. It is home to Henderson State University and Ouachita Baptist University, whose neighboring campuses and football rivalry, the Battle of the Ravine, are central to the city's college-town identity. Arkadelphia was incorporated in 1857.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
One town shares a border with Arkadelphia.
| Town | AR rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Arkadelphia | #68 | C− | B | C | B− | C+ |
| Caddo Valley | — | — | — | — | — | — |
Caddo Valley isn’t graded (fewer than 1,000 residents, or not enough data). Compare Arkadelphia with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Arkadelphia grades C− overall, better than 22% of U.S. towns and #68 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades C+ for health, C for safety and B− for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.
Within Arkansas, it does better than 61% of towns.
That is 3.5 years of the area's median household income ($52,034 across the Arkadelphia, AR area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades B.
19 notable people were born here, including Bo Nix and Kevin Williams.
