Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Its National Register listings include Mount Olivet Methodist Church and Cleveland County Clerk's Building. Rison has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Rison beats most towns.
1,344 counted in 2010 and 967 in 2020; an estimated 917 in 2025.
U.S. Census 2010 & 2020 counts · Census Bureau estimate, July 1, 2025
Census counts: 453 in 1900, a peak of 1,344 in 2010, 967 in 2020. The archive holds 7 old photos and papers going back to 2005 and 2 maps from 1970 on.
7 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Rison, 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 Rison.
In Rison, 14% of working residents work locally. Its median household income stands at $36,000, below both Arkansas’ towns ($55,000) and U.S. towns ($80,000). The top destinations are Pine Bluff (25%), Little Rock (6%) and Fordyce (4%). Half of commuters travel less than 22 miles.
| Rison | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 46% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $36,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 14% | 22% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 22 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
The largest public high school is Rison High School, with 314 students. The public schools here belong to the Cleveland County School District. Its two schools are below.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rison Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–6 | Grades PK–6 | 427 | B |
| Rison High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 7–12 | Grades 7–12 | 314 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts
49% of Rison households own their home, against 60% in Arkansas’ towns and 73% across U.S. towns. Zillow values the typical Rison home at about $166,000, up 0.7% in a year, 26% below the Arkansas typical home.
| Rison | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 49% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $505 a month | $878 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
917 people lived in Rison by the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate, 5% fewer than in 2020. Adults 35 to 64 are 29% of residents (37% statewide); people 65 and older are 22% of residents (18% statewide). Also worth knowing: among adults 25 and older locally, 16% hold a bachelor’s degree or more.
| Rison | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aged 65 or older | 22% | 16% | 18% |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 16% | 20% | 29% |
| Median age | 37.5 years | 36.6 years | 40.5 years |
55% women, 45% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±8.3 points. Across Arkansas, 50.6% of residents are women.
| Rison | AR | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 3.5% | 12.3% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 23.6% | 10.8% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 3% | 9.4% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 18.6% | 13% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 8.4% | 12.7% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 7.6% | 11.8% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 13.3% | 12.5% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 9.1% | 10.3% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 12.8% | 7.2% | 7% |
| No diploma | 11.7% | 11.3% | 10.4% |
| High school | 49.9% | 34.1% | 26% |
| Some college | 20.1% | 20.7% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 2.4% | 8.2% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.6% | 16.3% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 3.4% | 9.5% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates · in a town of 900, single groups can be off by several points
For adults in Rison, the share who had a checkup this year is 82%. On the CDC’s 32 measures, Rison is ahead of Arkansas on 2 and behind on 16. 18% of adults locally have diabetes; 11% binge drink. Among 124 Arkansas towns, just 10 have a higher share of adults who have high blood pressure than Rison.
| Rison | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 51% | 41% | 35% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 18% | 13% | 12% |
| Binge drink (CDC PLACES) | 11% | 15% | 16% |
| Sleep under 7 hours (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 39% | 36% |
| What stands out | Rison | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer binge drinkers | 11.4% | 14.6% |
| More adults treating high blood pressure | 80.9% | 76.9% |
| More older adults who have lost all their teeth | 27% | 18.6% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Households in Rison have drawn federal disaster aid once, in 2023. FEMA expects more storm and flood damage in the town than in 54% of U.S. communities. Expected losses in Rison break down as 32% from inland flooding and 21% from tornadoes.
FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Rison; the nearest are
About 3 of every 100 Rison residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
7 places in Rison on the National Register of Historic Places.
4 notable people were born in Rison.
City in Arkansas, United States
Rison, officially the City of Rison, is a city in and the county seat of Cleveland County, Arkansas, United States. As of the 2020 census, Rison had a population of 967. It is included in the Pine Bluff, Arkansas Micropolitan Statistical Area. Rison is a bedroom community for people who work in Pine Bluff (in neighboring Jefferson County). The largest employers are the city and county governments, the Cleveland County School District, the Cleveland County Nursing Home. There are two banks, eight churches, and about forty-five businesses within the city limits. Among the local properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places are the Rison Cities Service Station and the Rison Tex…
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Rison has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
4 notable people were born here, including Robert H. Dedman, Sr. and Tyrell Johnson.
