RANK #207 / 1001 NAT · #2 / 13 AR · POP 64,131
1YR FORECAST: +1.9%
5YR OUTLOOK: +21%
Mount Nebo State Park, Arkansas's second oldest state park, offers a distinctive draw to Pope County, featuring 32.6 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails and panoramic views of the Arkansas River Valley. Located in west-central Arkansas, Russellville, the county seat, sits roughly halfway between Little Rock and Fort Smith. The community provides access to Lake Dardanelle, a 34,300-acre reservoir on the Arkansas River, known for fishing and boating. The northern portion of the county is largely covered by the Ozark National Forest, contributing to the area's natural amenities and outdoor recreation opportunities. Pope County offers a lifestyle that blends outdoor access with community amenities. The county is home to Arkansas Tech University in Russellville, which contributes to the local economy and cultural landscape. The public schools in Pope County are rated above average. Major employers include Arkansas Nuclear One, the state's only nuclear power plant, and Arkansas Tech University. Recent economic developments include discussions around a proposed casino, which has generated both support and controversy regarding its potential impact on jobs and tourism.
Pope County is one of 75 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of +3.4% runs above the profile's typical +0.8%.
See all 75 Affordable Slow Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Moderate climate & terrain
Below national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 7.8x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Pope County stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 79/100, Pope County sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. and median household income stands at $57,344 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in AR.
Housing in Pope County is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $170,100 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.34, with rents averaging $859/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Population and employment in Pope County are both close to flat — population +0.5% YoY and jobs -0.1%. Home values shifted +3.4% over the past 12 months. A steady-state county, neither expanding quickly nor shrinking.
In significant numbers — 5.64% of Pope County's current population relocated from another state, well above the national norm. That level of in-migration usually signals a county where jobs, affordability, or quality of life are pulling people in from elsewhere.