Newport is a city in and the

county seat A county seat is an administrative center, seat of government, or capital city of a county or civil parish. The term is in use in Canada, China, Hungary, Romania, Taiwan, and the United States. The equivalent term shire town is used in the US st ...

of Jackson County, Arkansas, United States located on the White River northeast of

Little Rock ( The "Little Rock") , government_type = Council-manager , leader_title = Mayor , leader_name = Frank Scott Jr. , leader_party = D , leader_title2 = Council , leader_name2 ...

. The population was 7,879 at the 2010 census. Newport is home to a campus of the

Arkansas State University Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage la ...

system, with particular focus on training in transportation careers. Newport is known as the town in which

Sam Walton Samuel Moore Walton (March 29, 1918 – April 5, 1992) was an American business magnate best known for founding the retailers Walmart and Sam's Club, which he started in 1962 and 1983 respectively. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. grew to be the world's l ...

owned a

Ben Franklin Benjamin Franklin ( April 17, 1790) was an American polymath who was active as a writer, scientist, inventor, statesman, diplomat, printer, publisher, and political philosopher. Encyclopædia Britannica, Wood, 2021 Among the leading intel ...

store prior to starting

Wal-Mart Walmart Inc. (; formerly Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.) is an American multinational retail corporation that operates a chain of hypermarkets (also called supercenters), discount department stores, and grocery stores from the United States, headquarter ...

. Newport has ten properties listed on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and , or 1.92%, is water.

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the

Köppen Climate Classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...

system, Newport has a

humid subtropical climate A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...

, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the

2020 United States census The United States census of 2020 was the twenty-fourth decennial United States census. Census Day, the reference day used for the census, was April 1, 2020. Other than a pilot study during the 2000 census, this was the first U.S. census to of ...

, there were 8,005 people, 2,261 households, and 1,234 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the census of 2000, the city's residents comprised 7,811 people in 2,690 households 1,702 families. The population density was . There were 3,118 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 56.57%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no hue). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully reflect and scatter all the visible wavelengths of light. White on ...

, 41.76%

Black Black is a color which results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without hue, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness. Black and white have o ...

African American African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

, 0.27% Native American, 0.33%

Asian Asian may refer to: * Items from or related to the continent of Asia: ** Asian people, people in or descending from Asia ** Asian culture, the culture of the people from Asia ** Asian cuisine, food based on the style of food of the people from Asi ...

, 0.01%

Pacific Islander Pacific Islanders, Pasifika, Pasefika, or rarely Pacificers are the peoples of the list of islands in the Pacific Ocean, Pacific Islands. As an ethnic group, ethnic/race (human categorization), racial term, it is used to describe the original p ...

, 0.28% from

other races Other often refers to: * Other (philosophy), a concept in psychology and philosophy Other or The Other may also refer to: Film and television * ''The Other'' (1913 film), a German silent film directed by Max Mack * ''The Other'' (1930 film), a ...

, and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.13% of the population were

Hispanic The term ''Hispanic'' ( es, hispano) refers to people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or Hispanidad. The term commonly applies to countries with a cultural and historical link to Spain and to Vic ...

Latino Latino or Latinos most often refers to: * Latino (demonym), a term used in the United States for people with cultural ties to Latin America * Hispanic and Latino Americans in the United States * The people or cultures of Latin America; ** Latin A ...

of any race. There were 2,690 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90. 19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 16.7% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males. The

median income The median income is the income amount that divides a population into two equal groups, half having an income above that amount, and half having an income below that amount. It may differ from the mean (or average) income. Both of these are ways of ...

for a household in the city was $26,853, and the median per capita income was $13,867. About 23.6% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.6% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.

Government and infrastructure

The Grimes Unit and the

McPherson Unit McPherson Unit is a prison for women of the Arkansas Department of Correction, located in Newport, Arkansas, off Arkansas Highway 384, east of central Newport. Established in 1998, the prison houses the state's death row for women.Haddigan, ...

, prisons of the

Arkansas Department of Correction The Arkansas Department of Corrections (DOC), formerly the Arkansas Department of Correction, is the state law enforcement agency that oversees inmates and operates state prisons within the U.S. state of Arkansas. DOC consists of two divisions, t ...

, are located in Newport, off

Arkansas Highway 384 Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the South Central United States. It is bordered by Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, and Texas and Oklahoma to the west. Its name is from the Osage ...

, east of central Newport. The prison houses the state's death row for women.Haddigan, Michael.
They Kill Women, Don't They?
''

Arkansas Times ''Arkansas Times'', a weekly alternative newspaper based in Little Rock, Arkansas, is a publication that has circulated more than 40 years, originally as a magazine. Founded as a small magazine on newsprint in 1977 by publisher Alan Leveritt, i ...

''. April 9, 1999. Retrieved August 15, 2010. The

United States Postal Service The United States Postal Service (USPS), also known as the Post Office, U.S. Mail, or Postal Service, is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for providing postal service in the U ...

operates the Newport Post Office.Post Office Location – NEWPORT
."

. Retrieved November 22, 2010.

Education

Elementary and secondary education

Newport is supported with public education from the Newport School District, including Newport High School.

Postsecondary education

The main campus of the two-year community college, Arkansas State University-Newport is located here.

Notable people

Commerce

Helen Walton Helen Robson Walton (December 3, 1919 – April 19, 2007) was an American philanthropist and prominent arts advocate, dedicated to her community in Bentonville, Arkansas where she instituted a committee for a national museum of arts. After 31 yea ...

, wife of Sam Walton *

, founder of Wal-Mart * S. Robson Walton, John T. Walton,

Jim Walton James Carr Walton (born June 7, 1948) is an American businessman, currently the heir to the fortune of Walmart, the world's largest retailer. As of October 2022, Walton was the seventeenth-richest person in the world, with a net worth of US$61 b ...

and Alice Walton, children of the Wal-Mart founder

Entertainment and literature

Sonny Burgess Albert Austin "Sonny" Burgess (May 28, 1929 – August 18, 2017) was an American rockabilly guitarist and singer. Biography Burgess was born on a farm near Newport, Arkansas to Albert and Esta Burgess. He graduated from Newport High School in ...

, rockabilly artist and a member of

Rockabilly Hall of Fame The Rockabilly Hall of Fame is an organization and website launched on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relating to the artists and personalities involved in rockabilly. Headquartered in Nashville, Tennesse ...

* Elizabeth Gregg Patterson, short fiction writer *

Mary Steenburgen Mary Nell Steenburgen (; born February 8, 1953) is an American actress, comedian, singer, and songwriter. After studying at New York's Neighborhood Playhouse in the 1970s, she made her professional acting debut in 1978 Western comedy film ''Goin' ...

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

-winning actress

Politics, military, and education

Mike Beebe Mickey Dale Beebe ( ; born December 28, 1946) is an American politician and attorney who served as the 45th governor of Arkansas from 2007 to 2015. He is a member of the Democratic Party. Born in Amagon, Arkansas, Beebe is a graduate of Arkansa ...

, former

Governor of Arkansas A governor is an administrative leader and head of a polity or political region, ranking under the head of state and in some cases, such as governors-general, as the head of state's official representative. Depending on the type of political r ...

Les Eaves Leslie Dale Eaves is an American politician. He served as a Republican member for the 46th district of the Arkansas House of Representatives. Eaves attended the Colorado State University, where he earned his degree in business administration. H ...

, member of the

Arkansas House of Representatives The Arkansas State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arkansas General Assembly, the state legislature of the US state of Arkansas. The House is composed of 100 members elected from an equal amount of constituencies across the ...

from White County; businessman in Newport * Kaneaster Hodges, Jr., appointed to succeed John McClellan as

United States Senator The United States Senate is the Upper house, upper chamber of the United States Congress, with the United States House of Representatives, House of Representatives being the Lower house, lower chamber. Together they compose the national Bica ...

upon McClellan's death in 1977 *

Paul K. Holmes III Paul Kinloch Holmes III (born November 10, 1951) is a Senior status, senior United States federal judge, United States district judge of the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. Early life and education Holmes was ...

, federal judge *

Ed Madden Ed Madden is an American poet, activist, and Director of Women's and Gender Studies at the University of South Carolina in the USA. He grew up in Newport, Arkansas, got his B.A. from nearby Harding University, and received his Ph.D. in literatur ...

, activist, poet, and professor at the University of South Carolina * J. Fred Parish, Arkansas state senator from 1933 to 1937 * Admiral Charles Ray, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard *

Martha Shoffner Martha Shoffner is the former state treasurer of Arkansas. A Democrat, she was first elected in 2006, taking office in January 2007. She was re-elected in 2010. History Shoffner was born and raised in Jackson County. Born to a farmer and a sc ...

, Treasurer of the State of Arkansas from 2007 to 2013 *

Robert L. Stanton Robert Lodowick Stanton D.D. (March 28, 1810 – May 23, 1885) was an American Presbyterian minister, educator and college administrator. He served as president of Miami University of Ohio from 1868 to 1871. He also served as president of Oa ...

, born and raised in Newport; he became a dentist and in 1932 the first African American to be elected to the Indiana State House on the Democratic Party ticket, serving two terms *

Dwight Tosh Dwight Crandall Tosh (born November 12, 1948) is a retired trooper of the Arkansas State Police from Jonesboro, Arkansas, who is a Republican member of the Arkansas House of Representatives for District 52 in Craighead Poinsett, Jackson, and ...

, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Jonesboro; former Newport resident and former state police officer * Jim Wood, Arkansas State Auditor from 2003 to 2011

Sports

* Dowell Loggains, NFL offensive coordinator,

New York Jets The New York Jets are a professional American football team based in the New York metropolitan area. The Jets compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The J ...

* Julius Pruitt, played for NFL's

Miami Dolphins The Miami Dolphins are a professional American football team based in the Miami metropolitan area. They compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member team of the league's American Football Conference (AFC) East division. The team pla ...

* Theo Young, played one season with

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

Pittsburgh Steelers The Pittsburgh Steelers are a professional American football team based in Pittsburgh. The Steelers compete in the National Football League (NFL) as a member club of the American Football Conference (AFC) North division. Founded in , the Steel ...

and is a college football coach

Folklore animals

* White River Monster

References

Institute of Southern Jewish Life The Goldring/Woldenberg Institute of Southern Jewish Life (ISJL) is a non-profit Jewish organization serving a thirteen-state southern region. Based in Jackson, Mississippi, the ISJL provides programming throughout the South. Overview Mission: ...

) {{authority control Cities in Jackson County, Arkansas Cities in Arkansas County seats in Arkansas