Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety6#14,741/15,637
Economy15#13,219/15,631
Housing64#5,414/14,977
Health7#14,472/15,609
Healthcare15#13,265/15,650
Environment33#10,281/15,453
Education61#6,086/15,649
Infrastructure7#14,597/15,650
Community22#12,282/15,651
Leisure & amenities40#9,457/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Clinton, Arkansas ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “Van Buren County value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Arkansas 4.1%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Students per teacher · low10.1×
98/100Arkansas 12.5×United States 15.2×2024National Center for Education StatisticsVan Buren County value
Effective property tax rate · low0.42%
93/100Arkansas 0.56%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090
Social associations · high14.9 /10k
91/100Arkansas 11.7 /10kUnited States 9.1 /10k2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteVan Buren County value
Public libraries · high1.9 /10k
90/100Arkansas 0.7 /10kUnited States 0.5 /10k2024Institute of Museum and Library ServicesVan Buren County value
Drinking water violations · low0
86/100Arkansas 1United States 02024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteVan Buren County value

Weaknesses

Violent crime rate · high728 /100k
2/100Arkansas 532 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2025Federal Bureau of InvestigationVan Buren County value
Average weekly wage · low$879
4/100Arkansas $1,176United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsVan Buren County value
Broadband subscriptions · low80.7%
5/100Arkansas 86.7%United States 91.0%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B28002
Food environment index · low6.2
5/100Arkansas 4.6United States 7.62019 & 2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteVan Buren County value
Primary care shortage · high18.0
5/100Arkansas 12.9United States 6.2Oct 2026Health Resources and Services AdministrationVan Buren County value
Physical inactivity · high37.1%
5/100Arkansas 34.4%United States 26.5%2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteModel-based estimate

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

Child poverty rateImproving
47.0% (2015-2019) → 21.3% (2020-2024)
−26 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 16.8% → 15.5%
Rent-burdened householdsWorsening
41.1% (2015-2019) → 63.7% (2020-2024)
+23 pts5 yearsCensus table B25070US 49.6% → 51.1%
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
64.8% (2015-2019) → 80.7% (2020-2024)
+16 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Bachelor's degree or higherImproving
11.8% (2015-2019) → 20.2% (2020-2024)
+8.4 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Unemployment rateImproving
8.1% (2015-2019) → 0.0% (2020-2024)
−8.1 pts5 yearsCensus table B23025US 3.7% → 4.0%
Poverty rateImproving
27.5% (2015-2019) → 20.0% (2020-2024)
−7.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B17001US 12.3% → 12.1%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Clinton, Arkansas improved on 3 of 13 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 9 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved3

Uninsured−6.8 points16.4% → 9.7%
Bachelor's++8.4 points11.8% → 20.2%
Broadband+16 points64.8% → 80.7%

Declined1

Rent / income+4.1 points27.4% → 31.5%

All 13 measures

Change of every measure of Clinton, Arkansas between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	22.4 min2015-2019	25.8 min2020-2024	+3.4 min	Within the margin of error	17%
Bachelor's degree or higher	11.8%2015-2019	20.2%2020-2024	+8.4 points	Improved	85%
Broadband subscriptions	64.8%2015-2019	80.7%2020-2024	+16 points	Improved	82%
Effective property tax rate	0.51%2015-2019	0.42%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	33%
High school diploma or higher	81.9%2015-2019	85.4%2020-2024	+3.5 points	Within the margin of error	73%
Home price to income ratio	3.2×2015-2019	3.0×2020-2024	−0.2×	Within the margin of error	86%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4292015-2019	0.4062020-2024	−0.023	Within the margin of error	70%
Median household income	$35,9652015-2019	$42,9462020-2024	+19%	Within the margin of error	32%
Poverty rate	27.5%2015-2019	20.0%2020-2024	−7.5 points	Within the margin of error	88%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Rent as share of income	27.4%2015-2019	31.5%2020-2024	+4.1 points	Declined	26%
Rent-burdened households	41.1%2015-2019	63.7%2020-2024	+23 points	Within the margin of error	7%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	16.4%2015-2019	9.7%2020-2024	−6.8 points	Improved	91%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 14640 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Clinton, Arkansas five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Clinton, Arkansas in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Clinton, Arkansas itself moved −4.1 points in standing on average over the same 10 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

2,509 residents (±49)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: 40–49 men (−5.2 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

2,509 residents (±49)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

White90%2,260
Black0.6%†16
Hispanic or Latino7.9%†197

Education

1,678 residents (±146)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

No high school diploma15%†245
High school or GED44%730
Some college17%†284

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

1,095 households (±130)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Under $25k24%†268
$25k–50k29%†323
$50k–75k21%†234
$75k–100k11%†116
$100k–150k13%†138
$150k–200k0.8%†9
$200k or more0.6%†7

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

1,095 households (±130)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Own61%673
Rent39%†422

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

413 households (±144)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Under $75068%†281
$750–1,00023%†96
$1,000–1,5008.7%†36

Home values

673 homes (±115)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Under $150k55%368
$150k–250k28%†187
$250k–400k15%†98

Age of homes

1,342 homes (±147)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

2010 or later12%†165
2000–200911%†144
1980–199924%†323

Size of homes

1,342 homes (±147)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Studio3.5%†47
1 bedroom16%†217
2 bedrooms26%†350

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

951 workers (±146)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Drive alone74%706
Carpool21%†200
Public transit0.0%0
Walk1.8%†17
Bike0.0%0
Work from home2.4%†23
Other0.5%†5

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

928 workers (±150)

Clinton, Arkansas
Arkansas share

Under 15 min60%559
15–29 min13%†121
30–44 min3.4%†32

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of Van Buren County, the county holding most of Clinton's residents.

Van Buren County has 319 employer establishments, 197 for every 10,000 residents (0.79× the US rate of 248; 0.86× Arkansas's), with 3,279 paid employees at an average annual pay of $34,814. The Census Bureau also counts 1,383 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 319; 1,383 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 197; US 248 · Arkansas 229
Paid employees: 3,279
Average annual pay: $34,814; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Van Buren County by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Religious organizations	24	14.8	2.67×More than typical	69	$19,493	—
Specialty trade contractors	23	14.2	0.92×About typical	101	$48,505	173
Ambulatory health care services	21	13	0.62×Fewer than typical	123	$66,667	58
Truck transportation	19	11.7	2.32×More than typical	175	$47,034	62
Restaurants and other eating places	18	11.1	0.61×Fewer than typical	372	$16,868	13
Insurance agencies and brokerages	12	7.4	1.69×More than typical	57	$56,333	15
Building equipment contractors	11	6.8	1.13×About typical	47	$51,213	38
Gasoline stations	11	6.8	2.10×More than typical	135	$22,711	—
Construction of buildings	10	6.2	0.82×About typical	66	$38,773	83
Banks and credit unions	9	5.6	1.72×Too few to compare	49	$50,408	—
Full-service restaurants	9	5.6	0.72×Too few to compare	80	$23,350	5
Lessors of real estate	8	4.9	0.40×Too few to compare	5	$34,600	108

Rank places for an industry Open Van Buren County

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 16,175 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

In FY2026, an estimated $0 of federal contract obligations were for work performed in Clinton, Arkansas: $0 per resident (US $1,995).

Obligations: $0
Per resident: $0; US $1,995
Sole-source: —; US 30%
Single offer: —; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

2KFY2017
2KFY2018
2.7KFY2019
3.3KFY2020
2.7KFY2021
2.7KFY2022
169.9FY2023
989.1FY2024

What was bought

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 6, 2026, loaded Oct 6, 2026.

How this is estimated

Agencies report each contract action's place of performance as a county and a ZIP code. A ZIP code's money is split among the cities it covers by the share of its land inside each (Census 2020 ZIP code tabulation areas); the part outside city limits stays with the county.

The place of performance is what the contracting agency reports, often the contractor's office rather than where the work happens.
Shares are of land, not of people or businesses: a ZIP code that is mostly rural land but has its offices in town gives the town less than it should.
ZIP codes that are not mapped areas (post office boxes, the unique ZIP codes of large federal sites and companies) stay with their county, unless one city covers nearly all of it.
Counts of actions and awards include those only partly in Clinton, Arkansas, so they do not add up across cities.

Clinton, Arkansas's figures are part of those of Van Buren County, AR ($11.1K in FY2026), never added to them: 0.0% of that total.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Clinton is mostly in Van Buren County.

See federal money in Van Buren County

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Clinton, Arkansas is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

J. French HillR-AR-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 97%Missed 1.2%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

Van Buren County13100% of residents

Other cities and towns in Van Buren County

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

JSON · /api/v1/places/0514260