Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 1,841, settled in 1848. Public schools that outperform most of Arkansas.
Des Arc’s best subject grades are an A+ for schools, an A for cost of living, and an A− for civic life; its weakest is a D− for incomes. Des Arc’s violent crime rate is 7.1 per 1,000 residents, where Arkansas’ towns sit at 3.6 and U.S. towns at 1.6. Residents are less healthy than 94% of U.S. towns on CDC estimates. Only 1 of the 123 Arkansas towns we compare have a lower median rent than Des Arc. Des Arc’s trail density is 1.0 miles per square mile, against 0.3 in Arkansas’ towns and 0.4 across U.S. towns. Des Arc has 8 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Bethel House and First Presbyterian Church. On civic life, just 17 of Arkansas’ 182 towns do better. Des Arc has fewer than 2,500 residents, so it gets subject grades but no overall grade.
Where Des Arc beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Des Arc Elementary School | PK–6 | 379 |
| Des Arc High School | 7–12 | 279 |
Census counts: 548 in 1880, 1,905 in 2020. The archive holds 21 old photos and papers going back to 1934 and 4 maps from 1968 on.
8 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Des Arc is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Des Arc, 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 Des Arc.
Its public schools are run by the Des Arc School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Des Arc Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 379 | A |
| Des Arc High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 279 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
46% of adults have high blood pressure in Des Arc. Des Arc beats the Arkansas average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 8. 37% of adults get no exercise outside work in Des Arc.
| Des Arc | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 46% | 41% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 37% | 34% | 25% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 16% | 14% |
| Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES) | 28% | 25% | 19% |
| What stands out | Des Arc | AR |
|---|---|---|
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 25.3% | 18.6% |
| More adults with COPD | 11% | 8.6% |
| More adults who have had a stroke | 4.9% | 4% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 85% of U.S. communities. Since 2004, 7 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Des Arc.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Des Arc has mild winters and warm summers, with plenty of rain. The July high in Des Arc is 91°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Des Arc’s median household income is $31,000. Since 2013, Des Arc has added 145 jobs, to 607 in 2023. 20% of Des Arc residents live below the poverty line.
| Des Arc | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $31,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Below the poverty line | 20% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 15% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 21 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
None within 15 miles of Des Arc; the nearest are
About 2 of every 100 Des Arc residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
1,717 counted in 2010 and 1,905 in 2020; an estimated 1,841 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
8 places in Des Arc on the National Register of Historic Places.
City in Arkansas, United States
Des Arc ( DEZ-ark) is a city on the White River in the Arkansas Delta, United States. It is the largest city in Prairie County, Arkansas, and the county seat for the county's northern district. Incorporated in 1854, Des Arc's position on the river has shaped its culture, history, and economy, beginning as a major lumber shipping port but leaving the city vulnerable to major floods in 1927 and 1937. As river shipping declined, Des Arc was bypassed by railroads, Interstate highways, and much of the post-industrial society. Des Arc's history is preserved by seven listings on the National Register of Historic Places, and the region's history is interpreted at Lower White River Museum State Park…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Public schools that outperform most of Arkansas.
Not for the area. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades A.
