By RICK KRON
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville is the most diverse city in the area and is still a town full of renters, according to the latest data released by the U.S. Census Bureau.
Sherwood has the most homeowners and Carlisle has the oldest population, while Austin has more Native Americans in its midst than African-Americans.
Percentagewise, Jacksonville also has the most empty or vacant homes.
And most area cities have slightly more female residents than male residents, with the exception of Ward.
U.S. Census figures show that Jacksonville has 10,936 occupied housing units and 49 percent, or 5,362 of them, are renter-occupied. Beebe is also split about half and half between owners and renters. Of Beebe’s 2,874 occupied homes, 45.1 percent, or 1,297, are rentals.
Carlisle has 36.4 percent of its homes occupied by renters, Ward stands at 34.1percent, Cabot is at 30.7 percent renter-occupied and Sherwood is 29.5 percent renter-occupied.
In Austin, just 17 percent of the homes are renter-occupied.In Jacksonville, 11.9 percent of all housing units are empty or vacant, according to the census bureau.
Ten percent of Ward’s housing is vacant, 8.7 percent of Carlisle’s housing units are empty, 7.7 percent of Beebe’s housing is vacant, 5.6 percent of Cabot’s housing units are empty, 5.5 percent of Sherwood’s housing is empty and 5.2 percent of Austin’s housing is empty.
Population patterns
Jacksonville’s population is listed at 28,364. The most populous age group is 20- to 24-year- olds, who make up 9.9 percent of the population. The median age of the city’s residents is 30.8. The population is 49.3 percent male and 50.7 percent female, meaning there are about 400 more women then men in the city.
The population is 57.7 percent white (the lowest among area cities), 32.7 black (the highest among area cities), 6.7 percent Hispanic, 4.1 percent are mixed race, 2.1 percent Asian and 0.6 percent Native American.
Cabot’s population is listed at 23,776 and the largest age group is in the 5- to 9-year-old range at nine percent of the total population. The median age of Cabot residents is 32.3.
The population is 48.3 percent males and 51.7 percent females, meaning there are 800 more women then men in the town.
The population is 93.1 percent white, 4.1 percent Hispanic, 2.2 percent are mixed race, 1.6 percent black, 1.5 percent Asian and 0.6 percent Native American.
Sherwood’s population is listed at 29,523 and the most populous group at 7.7 percent is 30- to 34-year-olds. The median age of Sherwood residents is 37. The population is 47.4 percent male and 52.6 percent female, meaning there are 1,500 more women then men in Cabot.
The population is 75.3 percent white, 18.5 black, 4 percent Hispanic, 2.4 percent are of a mixed race, 1.6 percent are Asian and 0.5 percent Native American.
Ward’s population is listed at 4,067 and the most populous group is 25- to 29-year-olds, at 11.9 percent of the total population. The median age of residents is 28.5. The population is 49.5 percent male and 50.5 percent females, meaning there are 40 more women than men in Ward.
The population is 94 percent white, 3.1 Hispanic, 2.7 percent mixed races, 1.2 percent Native American, 1.1 percent black and 0.6 percent Asian.
Austin’s population is listed at 2,038 and the most populous group is 20- to 25-year-olds, making up 15 percent of the total population.
The median age of Austin residents is 28.1, the youngest in the area. The population is 50.4 male and 49.6 female — the only city where the men outnumber the female. Overall, there are 18 more men than females in the town.
The population is 94.2 percent white (the largest percentage in the area), 4.3 percent Hispanic, 2.4 percent mixed race, two percent black, 0.4 percent Asian and 0.3 percent Native American.
Beebe’s population is listed at 7,315 and three groups are tied for most populous age group at eight percent each. Those groups are 15- to 19-year-olds, 20- to 24-year-olds, and 25- to 29-year-olds. The median age of Beebe residents is 32.4. The population is 48.1 percent male and 51.9 percent females, meaning there are 250 more women then men in the city.
The population is 89.5 percent white, 5.8 percent black, 2.6 Hispanic, 2.6 percent mixed race, one percent American Indian and 0.4 percent Asian.
Carlisle’s population is listed 2,214 and three groups tied for most populous at 7 percent each. Those groups are 5- to 9-year- olds, 10- to 14-year-olds and 45- and 49-year-olds. The median age of Carlisle residents is 41.7, the oldest in the area. The population is 46.3 percent male and 52.7 percent females, meaning 160 more women than men.
The population is 85.6 percent white, 12.5 percent black, 1.4 percent Hispanic, 0.9 percent mixed race, 0.2 percent Asian and 0.2 percent Native American.
