Lavaca ( ) is a city in

Sebastian County Sebastian County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 127,799, making it the fourth-most populous county in Arkansas. The county has two county seats, Greenwood and Fort Smith. Sebastia ...

Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

, United States. It is part of the

Fort Smith, Arkansas Fort Smith is the List of municipalities in Arkansas, third-most populous city in Arkansas, United States, and one of the two county seats of Sebastian County, Arkansas, Sebastian County. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the pop ...

Oklahoma Oklahoma ( ; Choctaw language, Choctaw: , ) is a landlocked U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Texas to the south and west, Kansas to the north, Missouri to the northea ...

Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 Census the population was 2,514. Lavaca was incorporated in 1919.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , all land.

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,450 people, 951 households, and 693 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of the

census A census (from Latin ''censere'', 'to assess') is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording, and calculating population information about the members of a given Statistical population, population, usually displayed in the form of stati ...

of 2000, there were 1,825 people, 674 households, and 529 families residing in the city. The population density was . There were 718 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the city was 95.12%

White White is the lightest color and is achromatic (having no chroma). It is the color of objects such as snow, chalk, and milk, and is the opposite of black. White objects fully (or almost fully) reflect and scatter all the visible wa ...

, 0.16%

Black Black is a color that results from the absence or complete absorption of visible light. It is an achromatic color, without chroma, like white and grey. It is often used symbolically or figuratively to represent darkness.Eva Heller, ''P ...

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, 1.26% Native American, 1.21% from other races, and 2.25% from two or more races. 2.14% of the population were

Hispanic The term Hispanic () are people, Spanish culture, cultures, or countries related to Spain, the Spanish language, or broadly. In some contexts, Hispanic and Latino Americans, especially within the United States, "Hispanic" is used as an Ethnici ...

or Latino of any race. There were 674 households, out of which 41.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 65.6% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 9.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 21.5% were non-families. 18.7% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.71 and the average family size was 3.09. In the city, the population was spread out, with 28.9% under the age of 18, 9.2% from 18 to 24, 34.6% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 8.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 92.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.3 males. The median income for a household in the city was $39,427, and the median income for a family was $43,542. Males had a median income of $28,684 versus $22,500 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $15,917. About 7.5% of families and 8.5% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line, or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 11.2% of those under age 18 and 10.3% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Elementary and secondary education

Public education for early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is provided primarily by the Lavaca School District, which leads to graduation from Lavaca High School. Lavaca High School was nationally recognized as a Bronze Medalist in the Best High Schools Report 2012 developed by '' U.S. News & World Report''. The district has undertaken construction projects to build a new school facilities for the high, middle and elementary schools. In 2010, the Lavaca Performing Arts Center was completed on the campus of Lavaca High School and is available to the city for community events.

Public libraries

The Scott Sebastian Regional Library system based in Greenwood maintains the Lavaca Branch Library that contains books, magazines, newspapers and multimedia.

References

External links

City of Lavaca
* Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry
Lavaca (Sebastian County)
{{authority control Cities in Arkansas Cities in Sebastian County, Arkansas Fort Smith metropolitan area Populated places established in 1919