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With over 2,810,872 people, Arkansas ranks 32nd in population among the United States. The largest
cities in the Natural State are Little Rock, with over 184,000 people, Fort Smith, Fayetteville,
Springdale, Jonesboro, North Little Rock, and Pine Bluff.
Arkansas historically relied heavily upon cotton as a commodity. While still important, cotton has
been supplanted in the state’s agricultural wealth by soybeans and rice. Other important farm
products include poultry and eggs, sorghum, cattle, hogs, and milk. Catfish are also important.
The Natural State’s mineral wealth includes bromine and bromine compounds, petroleum, natural gas,
vanadium, barite, ceramic clay, chalk, gypsum, limestone, manganese, titanium, zinc, coal, and
bauxite. Timber is an important natural resource; Arkansas has 17.2 million acres (69,606 square
kilometers or 6,960,593 hectares) of forest land.
Other vital industries include the manufacturing of electric equipment, fabricated metal products,
food processing, chemicals, paper goods, furniture, machinery, and automobile and airplane parts.
With regards to Arkansas’ cost of living, in 2005 the Natural State had a median household income
of $34,999 and a per capita personal income (PCPI) of $26,681. The average annual growth rate of PCPI
between 1995 and 2005 was 4.0 percent, compared to the average annual rate of 4.1 percent for the
nation. Arkansas has a home ownership rate of 69.2 percent. The unemployment rate is 5.3 percent.
Arkansas levies a sales tax of 6.0 percent, with food and prescription drugs exempt; the upper bracket
of personal income tax is at 6.0 percent.
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