Craighead County vs. Arkansas
Comparative Trends Analysis:
Population Growth and Change, 1969-2022
Introduction
Craighead County vs. Arkansas
Craighead County:
2022 Population = 113,017
2022 Percent of State = 3.71%
Arkansas:
2022 Population = 3,045,637
2022 Percent of U.S. = 0.91%
Attracting and retaining people to live, work, raise a family, and retire underlies the economic vitality of any region. Population growth is both a cause--and a consequence--of economic growth. Patterns of population growth and change reflect differences among regions to attract and retain people both as producers and consumers in their economy.
The following graphs offer a broad overview of trends in the pattern of population growth and change of Craighead County with comparisons to Arkansas and the nation at large. This analysis features alternative approaches toward discussing, diagnosing and comparing Craighead County vs. Arkansas' population growth over 1969-2022. The data used are those compiled by the Regional Income and Product Divisions of the Bureau of Economic Analysis, U.S. Department of Commerce.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 1.
Figure 1 traces Craighead County's annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Craighead County's population rose from 51,733 in 1969 to 113,017 in 2022, for a net gain of 61,284, or 118.46%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population, 1969-2022
Population, 1969-2022
Figure 2.
Figure 2 traces Arkansas' annual population for the period 1969-2022 to illustrate population patterns over time. During this 54-year period, Arkansas' population rose from 1,913,000 in 1969 to 3,045,637 in 2022, for a net gain of 1,132,637, or 59.21%.
NOTE: The county and state population totals reported by the Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) are from the Bureau of Census midyear (July 1) estimates. These estimates may differ from those prepared independently in some states by various agencies and/or universities.
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Population Indices (1969=100): 1969-2022
Figure 3.
Figure 3 portrays Craighead County's population growth in a broader context by offering direct comparisons across time with Arkansas, the United States. The growth indices shown here express each region's population in 1969 as a base figure of 100, and the populations in later years as a percentage of the 1969 base figure. This method allows for more direct comparison of differences in population growth between regions that may differ vastly in size.
Craighead County's overall population growth was 118.46% over 1969-2022 outpaced Arkansas' increase of 59.21%, and topped the United States' increase of 65.57%.
Population as a Percent of the Arkansas Total: 1969-2022
Population as a Percent of the Arkansas Total: 1969-2022
Figure 4.
Another interesting and insightful way of comparing the population growth of Craighead County is to trace its individual percentage contributions to Arkansas' statewide population over time, as shown in Figure 4. A rising share means a region's population grew faster, or declined less, than Arkansas' population, while a declining share shows it grew more slowly.
In 1969, Craighead County's population comprised 2.70% of Arkansas' population, while in 2022 it totaled 3.71% thereby yielding a +1.01% share-shift.
   
 
Population Share-Shift
2022 vs. 1969
 
Share-
Shift*
 
2022
vs.
1969
+1.01%
=
3.71%
-
2.70%
 
   
Craighead County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Craighead County Population:
Annual Percent Change, 1970-2022
Figure 5.
Figure 5 highlights the short-run pattern of Craighead County's population growth by tracking the year-to-year percent change over 1970-2022. The average annual percent change for the entire 53-year period is also traced on this chart to provide a benchmark for gauging periods of relative high--and relative low--growth against the backdrop of the long-term average.
On average, Craighead County's population grew at an annual rate of 1.49% over 1970-2022. The county recorded its highest growth in 1971 (5.00%) and recorded its lowest growth in 1982 (-0.60%). In 2022, Craighead County's population grew by 1.10%
Craighead County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Craighead County Population:
Annual Percent Change and Decade Averages Over 1970-2022
Figure 6.
Over the past five decades some counties have experienced extreme swings in growth, and often such swings have tended to coincide with the decades themselves. Figure 6 again traces the annual percent change in Craighead County's population since 1970, but this time they are displayed with average growth rates for the decade of the 1970s, 1980s, 1990s, 2000s, 2010s, and 2020-2022.
During the 1970s, Craighead County's annual population growth rate averaged 2.05%. It averaged 0.69% during the 1980s, 1.79% during the 1990s, 1.66% in the 2000s, 1.44% in the 2010s, 0.86% thus far this decade (2020-2022).
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change by Decade
Figure 7.
Figure 7 compares the decade average growth rates for Craighead County noted in the previous graph with the corresponding decade averages for Arkansas and the nation. As the chart reveals, Craighead County's average annual population growth outpaced Arkansas' average during the 1970s (2.05% vs. 1.72%), registered above Arkansas' average during the 1980s (0.69% vs. 0.34%), led Arkansas' average in the 1990s (1.79% vs. 1.23%), outperformed Arkansas' average during the 2000s (1.66% vs. 0.89%), exceeded Arkansas' average in the 2010s (1.44% vs. 0.36%), and exceeded Arkansas' average over the 3 year period of the current decade, 2020-2022 (0.86% vs. 0.46%).
Finally, relative to nationwide population growth trends, Craighead County registered above the nation during the 1970s (2.05% vs. 1.10%), fell under the nation in the 1980s (0.69% vs. 0.95%), topped the nation during the 1990s (1.79% vs. 1.23%), exceeded the nation during the 2000s (1.66% vs. 0.95%), outpaced the nation throughout the 2010s (1.44% vs. 0.74%), and outgained the nation over 2020-2022 (0.86% vs. 0.31%).
   
 
Population Growth:
Average Annual Percent Change
 
 
 
1.49
2.05
0.69
1.79
1.66
1.44
0.86
1.10
 
0.88
1.72
0.34
1.23
0.89
0.36
0.46
0.58
 
0.96
1.10
0.95
1.23
0.95
0.74
0.31
0.38
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Craighead County:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
51,733
100.0
N
2.70
1970
 
52,629
101.7
1.73
2.73
1971
 
55,260
106.8
5.00
2.80
1972
 
56,409
109.0
2.08
2.80
1973
 
57,494
111.1
1.92
2.79
1974
 
57,992
112.1
0.87
2.76
1975
 
58,737
113.5
1.28
2.72
1976
 
60,565
117.1
3.11
2.79
1977
 
61,639
119.1
1.77
2.79
1978
 
62,741
121.3
1.79
2.80
1979
 
63,340
122.4
0.95
2.79
1980
 
63,304
122.4
-0.06
2.77
1981
 
63,428
122.6
0.20
2.77
1982
 
63,046
121.9
-0.60
2.75
1983
 
63,020
121.8
-0.04
2.73
1984
 
63,674
123.1
1.04
2.74
1985
 
64,068
123.8
0.62
2.75
1986
 
64,298
124.3
0.36
2.76
1987
 
65,621
126.8
2.06
2.80
1988
 
66,788
129.1
1.78
2.85
1989
 
67,845
131.1
1.58
2.89
1990
 
69,356
134.1
2.23
2.94
1991
 
69,809
134.9
0.65
2.93
1992
 
71,422
138.1
2.31
2.96
1993
 
73,180
141.5
2.46
2.98
1994
 
74,187
143.4
1.38
2.97
1995
 
75,856
146.6
2.25
2.99
1996
 
77,415
149.6
2.06
3.01
1997
 
78,823
152.4
1.82
3.03
1998
 
80,117
154.9
1.64
3.05
1999
 
81,038
156.6
1.15
3.06
2000
 
82,519
159.5
1.83
3.08
2001
 
83,276
161.0
0.92
3.09
2002
 
83,978
162.3
0.84
3.10
2003
 
85,000
164.3
1.22
3.12
2004
 
86,331
166.9
1.57
3.14
2005
 
87,512
169.2
1.37
3.15
2006
 
89,725
173.4
2.53
3.18
2007
 
91,350
176.6
1.81
3.21
2008
 
93,316
180.4
2.15
3.25
2009
 
95,482
184.6
2.32
3.30
2010
 
96,738
187.0
1.32
3.31
2011
 
98,352
190.1
1.67
3.35
2012
 
99,893
193.1
1.57
3.39
2013
 
101,496
196.2
1.60
3.44
2014
 
102,459
198.1
0.95
3.46
2015
 
104,194
201.4
1.69
3.51
2016
 
105,655
204.2
1.40
3.54
2017
 
106,822
206.5
1.10
3.57
2018
 
108,549
209.8
1.62
3.62
2019
 
110,170
213.0
1.49
3.67
2020
 
111,603
215.7
1.30
3.70
2021
 
111,788
216.1
0.17
3.69
2022
 
113,017
218.5
1.10
3.71
Source: Calculations by the Arkansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (AR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
Arkansas:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
1,913,000
100.0
N
0.95
1970
 
1,930,077
100.9
0.89
0.95
1971
 
1,972,028
103.1
2.17
0.95
1972
 
2,018,116
105.5
2.34
0.96
1973
 
2,058,491
107.6
2.00
0.97
1974
 
2,100,385
109.8
2.04
0.98
1975
 
2,158,291
112.8
2.76
1.00
1976
 
2,168,688
113.4
0.48
1.00
1977
 
2,207,228
115.4
1.78
1.00
1978
 
2,241,019
117.1
1.53
1.01
1979
 
2,269,115
118.6
1.25
1.01
1980
 
2,288,738
119.6
0.86
1.01
1981
 
2,293,204
119.9
0.20
1.00
1982
 
2,294,254
119.9
0.05
0.99
1983
 
2,305,766
120.5
0.50
0.99
1984
 
2,319,767
121.3
0.61
0.98
1985
 
2,327,046
121.6
0.31
0.98
1986
 
2,331,988
121.9
0.21
0.97
1987
 
2,342,357
122.4
0.44
0.97
1988
 
2,342,655
122.5
0.01
0.96
1989
 
2,346,354
122.7
0.16
0.95
1990
 
2,356,586
123.2
0.44
0.94
1991
 
2,383,144
124.6
1.13
0.94
1992
 
2,415,984
126.3
1.38
0.94
1993
 
2,456,303
128.4
1.67
0.95
1994
 
2,494,019
130.4
1.54
0.95
1995
 
2,535,399
132.5
1.66
0.95
1996
 
2,572,109
134.5
1.45
0.95
1997
 
2,601,090
136.0
1.13
0.95
1998
 
2,626,289
137.3
0.97
0.95
1999
 
2,651,860
138.6
0.97
0.95
2000
 
2,678,588
140.0
1.01
0.95
2001
 
2,691,571
140.7
0.48
0.94
2002
 
2,705,927
141.4
0.53
0.94
2003
 
2,724,816
142.4
0.70
0.94
2004
 
2,749,686
143.7
0.91
0.94
2005
 
2,781,097
145.4
1.14
0.94
2006
 
2,821,761
147.5
1.46
0.95
2007
 
2,848,650
148.9
0.95
0.95
2008
 
2,874,554
150.3
0.91
0.95
2009
 
2,896,843
151.4
0.78
0.94
2010
 
2,921,561
152.7
0.85
0.94
2011
 
2,938,833
153.6
0.59
0.94
2012
 
2,948,887
154.1
0.34
0.94
2013
 
2,954,685
154.5
0.20
0.93
2014
 
2,961,191
154.8
0.22
0.93
2015
 
2,970,352
155.3
0.31
0.92
2016
 
2,980,602
155.8
0.35
0.92
2017
 
2,990,801
156.3
0.34
0.92
2018
 
2,997,271
156.7
0.22
0.91
2019
 
3,004,248
157.0
0.23
0.91
2020
 
3,014,195
157.6
0.33
0.91
2021
 
3,028,122
158.3
0.46
0.91
2022
 
3,045,637
159.2
0.58
0.91
Source: Calculations by the Arkansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (AR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PSN
 
   

Interactive TableTip: To augment your analysis click on the column headers in the following table to rank and/or sort the data.

   
 
United States:
Population, 1969-2022
 
1969
 
201,298,000
100.0
N
1970
 
203,798,722
101.2
1.24
1971
 
206,817,509
102.7
1.48
1972
 
209,274,882
104.0
1.19
1973
 
211,349,205
105.0
0.99
1974
 
213,333,635
106.0
0.94
1975
 
215,456,585
107.0
1.00
1976
 
217,553,859
108.1
0.97
1977
 
219,760,875
109.2
1.01
1978
 
222,098,244
110.3
1.06
1979
 
224,568,579
111.6
1.11
1980
 
227,224,719
112.9
1.18
1981
 
229,465,744
114.0
0.99
1982
 
231,664,432
115.1
0.96
1983
 
233,792,014
116.1
0.92
1984
 
235,824,907
117.2
0.87
1985
 
237,923,734
118.2
0.89
1986
 
240,132,831
119.3
0.93
1987
 
242,288,936
120.4
0.90
1988
 
244,499,004
121.5
0.91
1989
 
246,819,222
122.6
0.95
1990
 
249,622,814
124.0
1.14
1991
 
252,980,941
125.7
1.35
1992
 
256,514,224
127.4
1.40
1993
 
259,918,588
129.1
1.33
1994
 
263,125,821
130.7
1.23
1995
 
266,278,393
132.3
1.20
1996
 
269,394,284
133.8
1.17
1997
 
272,646,925
135.4
1.21
1998
 
275,854,104
137.0
1.18
1999
 
279,040,168
138.6
1.15
2000
 
282,162,411
140.2
1.12
2001
 
284,968,955
141.6
0.99
2002
 
287,625,193
142.9
0.93
2003
 
290,107,933
144.1
0.86
2004
 
292,805,298
145.5
0.93
2005
 
295,516,599
146.8
0.93
2006
 
298,379,912
148.2
0.97
2007
 
301,231,207
149.6
0.96
2008
 
304,093,966
151.1
0.95
2009
 
306,771,529
152.4
0.88
2010
 
309,378,433
153.7
0.85
2011
 
311,841,632
154.9
0.80
2012
 
314,344,331
156.2
0.80
2013
 
316,735,375
157.3
0.76
2014
 
319,270,047
158.6
0.80
2015
 
321,829,327
159.9
0.80
2016
 
324,367,742
161.1
0.79
2017
 
326,623,063
162.3
0.70
2018
 
328,542,157
163.2
0.59
2019
 
330,233,102
164.1
0.51
2020
 
331,511,512
164.7
0.39
2021
 
332,031,554
164.9
0.16
2022
 
333,287,557
165.6
0.38
Source: Calculations by the Arkansas Regional Economic Analysis Project (AR-REAP)
with data provided by the U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of Economic Analysis
November 2023
REAP_PI_CA1400_100_PN
 
   
Copyright © 2023. Pacific Northwest Regional Economic Analysis Project (PNREAP). All Rights Reserved.

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