The population and steets of Arkansas City, Kansas are a bit surprising for a city that is so small. This city, located in southern Kansas, is near the Oklahoma state line. While many desirable American cities report high population growth and real estate values, the city of Arkansas City, Kansas, is the worst. In fact, the city has lost 2.4 percent of its population in the last five years. Moreover, a typical home in Arkansas City is only worth $69,400. Many people here are struggling to make ends meet. About 12.8% of the population of this city lives below the poverty line.
The rent burden is a statistic that shows how much of an individual's income is spent on renting housing. It is helpful in estimating housing affordability in the city. In Arkansas City, the rent burden is 28.4%, lower than the state's average of 29.6%. Nearby cities like Lake Village and DeWitt have rent burdens of 27.9 percent and 28.4%, respectively. However, joblessness is a serious issue in Arkansas City. In the last five years, 10.2% of workers in this area were unemployed, much higher than the state average of 3.6%.
According to the 2000 U.S. Census, ninety-seven percent of the people in Arkansas City are U.S. citizens. This is down from 97.6 percent in 2018. However, there is a significant population of military personnel in the city. A large percentage of residents here hail from the United States and served during the Vietnam War. Despite this, the population of Arkansas City, Kansas is still largely white and non-hispanic.