Polk County, AR

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Population

20,212

0.384% decline

Median Age

43.8


Median Household Income

$33,870

2.01% growth

Poverty Rate

26.6%


Number of Employees

7,222

0.585% growth

Median Property Value

$87,100

3.81% growth

About

Economy

Health

Diversity

Education

Housing & Living

About

In 2017, Polk County, AR had a population of 20.2k people with a median age of 43.8 and a median household income of $33,870. Between 2016 and 2017 the population of Polk County, AR declined from 20,290 to 20,212, a -0.384% decrease and its median household income grew from $33,202 to $33,870, a 2.01% increase.

The population of Polk County, AR is 88% White Alone, 6.44% Hispanic or Latino, and 3.12% Two or More Races. N/A% of the people in Polk County, AR speak a non-English language, and 97.1% are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Polk County, AR are University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain (273 degrees awarded in 2017).

The median property value in Polk County, AR is $87,100, and the homeownership rate is 76.3%. Most people in Polk County, AR commute by Drove Alone, and the average commute time is 22.4 minutes. The average car ownership in Polk County, AR is 2 cars per household.

Photo by Jack Gray

United StatesArkansas

Economy

The economy of Polk County, AR employs 7.22k people. The largest industries in Polk County, AR are Manufacturing (1,116 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,033 people), and Retail Trade (940 people), and the highest paying industries are Information ($68,542), Transportation & Warehousing ($51,023), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,333).

Median household income in Polk County, AR is $33,870. Males in Polk County, AR have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $38,953. The income inequality in Polk County, AR (measured using the Gini index) is 0.453, which is lower than than the national average.

Wages

Median Household Income

$33,870

2017 value

± $2,290

2.01%

1 Year Growth

± 9.07%

Households in Polk County, AR have a median annual income of $33,870, which is less than the median annual income of $61,937 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $33,202 in 2016, which represents a 2.01% annual growth.

Look at the chart to see how the median household income in Polk County, AR compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Wage by Gender in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Arkansas.

$53,721

Average Male Salary

± $1,816

$38,953

Average Female Salary

± $1,246

In 2017, full-time male employees in Arkansas made 1.38 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the gender-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Arkansas by number of full-time employees.

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Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Arkansas.

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity

  1. Asian

    $55,861 ± $11,571

  2. White

    $43,596 ± $1,206

  3. American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races

    $38,912 ± $29,718

In 2017 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Arkansas workers was Asian. These workers were paid 1.28 times more than White workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Arkansas by number of full-time employees.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Polk County, AR is from Arkansas.

0.453

2017 Wage GINI

0.453

2016 Wage GINI

In 2017, the income inequality in Arkansas was 0.453 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0272% decline from 2016 to 2017, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even.

The 2017 the GINI for Arkansas was lower than than the national average of 0.479. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Arkansas in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Arkansas across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Income by Location

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Highest Median Household Income (Total)

  1. Census Tract 9503

  2. Census Tract 9501

  3. Census Tract 9505

In 2017, the tract with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Polk County, AR was Census Tract 9503 with a value of $36,792, followed by Census Tract 9501 and Census Tract 9505, with respective values of $35,791 and $33,750.

The following map shows all of the tracts in Polk County, AR colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

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Poverty by Age and Gender

Females 18 - 24

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

26.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Polk County, AR (5.33k out of 20.1k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 13.1%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 6 - 11.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

  1. White

    4,618 ± 410

  2. Hispanic

    481 ± 120

  3. Two Or More

    274 ± 122

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Polk County, AR is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Occupations

Employment by Occupations

7.22k

2017 Value

± 524

0.585%

1 Year growth

± 10.1%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, AR grew at a rate of 0.585%, from 7.18k employees to 7.22k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Polk County, AR, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (896 people), Production Occupations (802 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (722 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Polk County, AR.

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Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Polk County, AR, by number of employees, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (896 people), Production Occupations (802 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (722 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, AR has an unusually high number of residents working as Farming, Fishing, & Forestry Occupations (3.44 times higher than expected), Production Occupations (1.92 times), and Construction & Extraction Occupations (1.83 times).

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Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Polk County, AR, by median earnings, are Health Diagnosing & Treating Practitioners & Other Technical Occupations ($42,386), Legal Occupations ($41,528), and Management Occupations ($41,477).

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Industries

Employment by Industries

7.22k

2017 Value

± 524

0.585%

1 Year growth

± 10.1%

From 2016 to 2017, employment in Polk County, AR grew at a rate of 0.585%, from 7.18k employees to 7.22k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Polk County, AR, are Manufacturing (1,116 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,033 people), and Retail Trade (940 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Polk County, AR, though some of these residents may live in Polk County, AR and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Most Common

The most common industries in Polk County, AR, by number of employees, are Manufacturing (1,116 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (1,033 people), and Retail Trade (940 people).

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Most Specialized

Compared to other counties, Polk County, AR has an unusually high number of Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting (3.5 times higher than expected), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction (1.61 times), and Manufacturing (1.53 times) industries.

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Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Polk County, AR, by median earnings, are Information ($68,542), Transportation & Warehousing ($51,023), and Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($48,333).

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Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Arkansas to other states, or from other states to Arkansas.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

  1. Coal-n.e.c.

    $29.2B

  2. Meat/seafood

    $19.1B

  3. Mixed freight

    $9.32B

In 2015, the top outbound Arkansas product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $29.2B, followed by Meat/seafood ($19.1B) and Mixed freight ($9.32B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Arkansas products.

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Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Arkansas state.

$166B

2020 Value

$228B

Projected 2045 Value

37.4% growth

In 2020, total outbound Arkansas trade was $166B. This is expected to increase 37.4% to $228B by 2045.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Arkansas trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

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Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Arkansas to other states, or from other states to Arkansas.

Most Common Trade Partners

  1. Mississippi

    $14.7B

  2. Texas

    $12.5B

  3. Missouri

    $8.78B

In 2015, the top outbound Arkansas domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Mississippi with $14.7B, followed by Texas with $12.5B and Missouri and $8.78B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Arkansas shares with each state (excluding itself).

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Health

85.9% of the population of Polk County, AR has health coverage, with 24.1% on employee plans, 28.5% on Medicaid, 15.5% on Medicare, 14.4% on non-group plans, and 3.31% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in the county of Polk County, AR was $7,408 in 2014. This is a 6.91% increase from the previous year ($6,929).

Primary care physicians in Polk County, AR see 1348 patients per year on average, which represents a 13.4% decrease from the previous year (1556 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2882 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 1552 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Jefferson County has the highest prevalence of diabetes (17.2%). Additionally, St. Francis County has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (44.5%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,348 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio

Primary care physicians in Polk County, AR see an average of 1,348 patients per year. This represents a 13.4% decrease from the previous year (1,556 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Polk County, AR in comparison to neighboring states.

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Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

  1. West Virginia

    8.26% of the population affected

  2. Arkansas

    8.13% of the population affected

  3. New Hampshire

    7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

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Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

  1. Mississippi

    19.2% of adults

  2. Texas

    17.9% of adults

  3. Louisiana

    17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

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Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Arkansas.

$7,408

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care 

$3,906

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,108

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$9,479

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Arkansas (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 6.91%, from $6,929 to $7,408.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

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Health Care Coverage

14.1%

Uninsured

24.1%

Employer Coverage

28.5%

Medicaid

15.5%

Medicare

14.4%

Non-Group

3.31%

Military or VA

Between 2016 and 2017, the percent of uninsured citizens in Polk County, AR declined by 6.02% from 15% to 14.1%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Polk County, AR changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Risks

Data available at the county level.

Most at risk counties

  1. Jefferson County

    17.2% prevalence

  2. Monroe County

    17.1% prevalence

  3. St. Francis County

    16.6% prevalence

Jefferson County has the highest prevalence of diabetes in Arkansas, at 17.2%.

The following map shows the prevalence of diabetes in Arkansas by county over multiple years.

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Diversity

Polk County, AR is home to a population of 20.2k people, from which 97.1% are citizens. As of 2017, 4% of Polk County, AR residents were born outside of the country (809 people).

The ethnic composition of the population of Polk County, AR is composed of 17.8k White Alone residents (88%), 1.3k Hispanic or Latino residents (6.44%), 631 Two or More Races residents (3.12%), 221 American Indian & Alaska Native Alone residents (1.09%), 102 Black or African American Alone residents (0.505%), 98 Asian Alone residents (0.485%), 66 Some Other Race Alone residents (0.327%), and 0 Native Hawaiian & Other Pacific Islander Alone residents (0%).

Age

Age by Nativity

44

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.5

39

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 5.6

In 2017, the median age of all people in Polk County, AR was 43.8. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 44, were generally older than than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 39. But people in Polk County, AR are getting getting younger. In 2016, the average age of all Polk County, AR residents was 44.

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Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4%

2017 Foreign-Born Population

809 people

3.73%

2016 Foreign-Born Population

756 people

As of 2017, 4% of Polk County, AR residents (809 people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2016, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Polk County, AR was 3.73%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Polk County, AR compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Arkansas.

Most Common Origin

  1. Mexico

    62,950 ± 6,094 people

  2. El Salvador

    12,524 ± 2,742 people

  3. India

    8,219 ± 2,223 people

In 2017, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Arkansas was Mexico, the natal country of 62,950 Arkansas residents, followed by El Salvador with 12,524 and India with 8,219.

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Citizenship

97.1%

2017 Citizenship

97.3%

2016 Citizenship

As of 2017, 97.1% of Polk County, AR residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2016, the percentage of US citizens in Polk County, AR was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Polk County, AR compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Race and Ethnicity

Most Common

  1. White Alone

    17.8k ± 71

  2. Hispanic or Latino

    1.3k ± 249

  3. Two or More Races

    631 ± 116

In 2017, there were 13.7 times more White Alone residents (17.8k people) in Polk County, AR than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.3k Hispanic or Latino and 631 Two or More Races residents, the second and third most common racial or ethnic groups.

The following bar chart shows the 8 races and ethnicities represented in Polk County, AR as a share of the total population.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

  1. Vietnam

    893 ± 157

  2. Gulf War (1990s)

    199 ± 92

  3. Gulf War (2001-)

    142 ± 85

Polk County, AR has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 4.49 times greater than any other conflict.

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Education

In 2017, universities in Polk County, AR awarded 273 degrees. The student population of Polk County, AR is skewed towards women, with 293 male students and 645 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Polk County, AR are White (248 and 90.8%), followed by American Indian or Alaska Native (8 and 2.93%), Hispanic or Latino (7 and 2.56%), and Two or More Races (4 and 1.47%).

The largest universities in Polk County, AR by number of degrees awarded are University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain (273 and 100%).

The most popular majors in Polk County, AR are General Studies (36 and 13.2%), Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant (34 and 12.5%), and Welding Technology (25 and 9.16%).

The median tuition costs in Polk County, AR are $N/A for private four year colleges, and $N/A and $N/A respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

  1. Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant

    34 degrees awarded

  2. Tool & Die Technology

    22 degrees awarded

  3. Welding Technology

    18 degrees awarded

In 2015, the most common concentation for < 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate recipients in Polk County, AR was Nursing Assistant & Patient Care Assistant with 34 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a < 1 Year Postsecondary Certificate from schools in Polk County, AR according to their major.

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Universities

University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

273 degrees awarded

$N/A

Median In-State Public

$N/A

Median Private

In 2017, the Polk County, AR institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Arkansas Community College Rich Mountain with 273 degrees awarded.

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Student Gender for Common Institutions

86

Degrees Awarded to Men

187

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2017, 86 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Polk County, AR, which is 0.46 times less than the 187 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the gender disparity between the institutions in Polk County, AR by degrees awarded.

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Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

  1. White

    248 degrees awarded

  2. American Indian or Alaska Native

    8 degrees awarded

  3. Hispanic or Latino

    7 degrees awarded

In 2017 the majority of degrees awarded at institutions in Polk County, AR were to White students. These 248 degrees mean that there were 31 times more White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, American Indian or Alaska Native, with 8 degrees awarded.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Polk County, AR was $87,100 in 2017, which is 0.379 times smaller than the national average of $229,700. Between 2016 and 2017 the median property value increased from $83,900 to $87,100, a 3.81% increase. The homeownership rate in Polk County, AR is 76.3%, which is higher than the national average of 63.9%. People in Polk County, AR have an average commute time of 22.4 minutes, and they commute by Drove Alone. Car ownership in Polk County, AR is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$87,100

2017 Median

± $4,860

$83,900

2016 Median

± $5,931

In 2017, the median property value in Polk County, AR grew to to $87,100 from the previous year's value of $83,900.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Polk County, AR compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, AR the largest share of households have a property value in the $100k - $125k range.

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Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$33,870

Median Household Income

± $2,290

8.06k

Number of Households

± 542

In 2017, the median household income of the 8.06k households in Polk County, AR grew to $33,870 from the previous year's value of $33,202.

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, AR distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $15k - $20k range.

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Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Polk County, AR distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Polk County, AR the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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Rent vs Own

76.3%

2017 Homeownership

77%

2016 Homeownership

In 2017, 76.3% of the housing units in Polk County, AR were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 77%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 63.9%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Polk County, AR compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Commute Time

22.4 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Polk County, AR have a shorter commute time (22.4 minutes) than the normal US worker (25.1 minutes). Additionally, 5.38% of the workforce in Polk County, AR have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Polk County, AR compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Commuter Transportation

Most Common Method of Travel

  1. Drove Alone

    77%

  2. Carpooled

    18%

  3. Worked At Home

    2.54%

In 2017, the most common method of travel for workers in Polk County, AR was Drove Alone (77%), followed by those who Carpooled (18%) and those who Worked At Home (2.54%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Polk County, AR distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Polk County, AR have 2 cars, followed by 3 cars.

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