Bordering states
Arkansas vs Louisiana
Short answer
- AR
- 3,088,354
- LA
- 4,597,740
The two states, county by county
Both maps share one density scale, so the same shade means the same number of people per square mile on either side of the border. Darker counties are denser. Select a county to open its page.
Arkansas
Louisiana
- < 19
- < 28
- < 42
- < 95
- ≥ 95
Side by side
| Measure | Arkansas | Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Residents, 2024 | 3,088,354 | 4,597,740 |
| Rank by population | 33rd | 25th |
| Land, sq mi | 51,992 | 43,213 |
| People per sq mi | 59.4 | 106.4 |
| County-equivalents | 75 | 64 |
| Median county residents | 18,130 | 31,591 |
| Median county income | $50,387 | $53,035 |
| Most populous county | Pulaski County | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| Largest county by land | Union County | Vernon Parish |
| Capital | Little Rock | Baton Rouge |
| Daylight at capital, June 21 | 14 h 29 min | 14 h 07 min |
| Census division | West South Central | West South Central |
Population and density
Louisiana has 4,597,740 residents, 49% more than Arkansas's 3,088,354. Arkansas ranks 33rd and Louisiana 25th of the 50 states and DC. Louisiana is the more crowded, with 106.4 people per square mile against 59.4, 79% more.
Land area
Arkansas has 51,992 square miles of land, 20% more than Louisiana's 43,213. The largest county-equivalent in Arkansas is Union County at 1,039 square miles; in Louisiana it is Vernon Parish at 1,327.
Counties
Arkansas is divided into 75 county-equivalents and Louisiana into 64, so an average Arkansas county covers 693 square miles against 675. The typical county in Arkansas has 18,130 residents, against 31,591 in Louisiana. The most populous are Pulaski County (401,209) and East Baton Rouge Parish (453,022).
10 county names appear on both sides of the border: Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Madison, Ouachita, Union, Washington. Use the FIPS code, not the name, when joining data across the two states.
Household income
The median county in Louisiana has a household income of $53,035, 5% above Arkansas's $50,387. The highest county incomes are Benton County ($92,632) in Arkansas and Ascension Parish ($89,558) in Louisiana, from SAIPE 2023.
Capitals and daylight
Little Rock and Baton Rouge are 303 miles apart in a straight line; from Little Rock the initial bearing is 167°, SSE. On June 21, 2026, Little Rock gets 14 h 29 min of daylight and Baton Rouge 14 h 07 min; on December 21 the figures are 9 h 49 min and 10 h 11 min. Month by month tables are on the Little Rock and Baton Rouge daylight pages.
Where they sit
Both are in the Census West South Central division of the South region. By county internal points, Arkansas spans 1 UTM zone and Louisiana 2.
Questions people ask
Which is bigger, Arkansas or Louisiana?
Arkansas, with 51,992 square miles of land against 43,213, 1.20 times as large.
Which has more people, Arkansas or Louisiana?
Louisiana has 4,597,740 residents, 49% more than Arkansas's 3,088,354.
How far is Little Rock from Baton Rouge?
303 miles in a straight line, heading SSE (167°) from Little Rock.
Do Arkansas and Louisiana have counties with the same name?
Yes, 10: Franklin, Grant, Jackson, Jefferson, Lafayette, Lincoln, Madison, Ouachita, Union, Washington.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
- 01Census Vintage 2024 county population estimates
- 02Census 2024 Gazetteer, counties
- 03Census SAIPE 2023 state and county estimates
- 04Census Bureau regions and divisions of the United States (last verified 2026-09-30)
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.