Transportation

MTP Chapter 2

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September 25, 2025

Central Arkansas Snapshot

Chapter 2 of Transforming Mobility provides a snapshot into Central Arkansas—its population, economy, transportation system, land use, and equity concerns. Understanding the current state of our region is essential for benchmarking progress, outlining needs, and identifying challenges and opportunities for growth. This MTP, and the planning documents appended herein, have been written with the data in mind. Chapter 2 sheds light on and informs policy decisions in Chapters 3 and 4.

POPULATION

Central Arkansas is…
Growing. But slowly. And older.

 

Central Arkansas’ median age in 2022: 38

 








Historically, the growth in the adult and child populations have easily outpaced any growth in the senior population. However, Baby Boomers have flipped the script. By 2030, the number of seniors will match the number of children in the region. Meanwhile, the number of people in prime working age and the total population will stay largely flat. The slowdown in forecasted regional growth past 2030 is based on declining fertility, slightly increasing death rates due to aging of the population, and a continuation of observed 2010–2015 migration patterns.






















graph-Arkansas population change by ethnicity


Central Arkansas is consistent with national trends showing growth among Hispanic residents and people of color. The most striking change between 2010 and 2020 was a more than tripling of the regional population identifying as “two or more races” on the Census. The large growth in the percent of people identifying as multiracial in the 2020 Census was consistent with a national trend.





Source: Decennial census 1990-2020.










						

						
					

				


									

						
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