Polk County, Arkansas

Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,221. The county seat is Mena. Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844; it was named for James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States.

Wet County

Formerly an alcohol prohibition or dry county. However, following a historic mid-term election, Polk County is now a wet county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.6%) is water.

Major highways

* Future Interstate 49
* U.S. Highway 59
* U.S. Highway 71
* U.S. Highway 270
* U.S. Highway 278
* Highway 4
* Highway 8
* Highway 84
* Highway 88

Transit

*Jefferson Lines

Adjacent counties

* Scott County (north)
* Montgomery County (east)
* Pike County (southeast)
* Howard County (southeast)
* Sevier County (south)
* McCurtain County, Oklahoma (southwest)
* Le Flore County, Oklahoma (northwest)

National protected area

* Ouachita National Forest (part)

Demographics

2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,221 people, 8,243 households, and 5,672 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 94.69% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 1.49% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 3.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,047 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $25,180, and the median income for a family was $31,379. Males had a median income of $23,397 versus $17,294 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,063. 18.20% of the population and 14.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 23.50% were under the age of 18 and 16.20% were 65 or older.

As of 2010 Polk County had a population of 20,662. Of this population 89.77% were non-Hispanic whites, 0.31% were blacks, 1.76% Native Americans, 0.45% Asians, 2.03% non-Hispanics reporting one or more race and 5.76% Hispanic or Latino.

Government

Government

The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by the Constitution of Arkansas and the Arkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are called ''justices of the peace'' and are elected from county districts every even-numbered year. The number of districts in a county vary from nine to fifteen, and district boundaries are drawn by the county election commission. The Polk County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the chief operating officer of the county. The county judge is elected at-large and does not vote in quorum court business, although capable of vetoing quorum court decisions.

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans and 2 Independents. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:

* District 1: Chris Daniel (I)
* District 2: Jeremy Jones (R)
* District 3: Levi Ellison (R)
* District 4: James P. Looney (R)
* District 5: Troy Lunsford (R)
* District 6: Tommy Floyd (R)
* District 7: Tawana L. Gilbert (R)
* District 8: Terry Scott (I)
* District 9: Mitchell Ray Tidwell (R)

Additionally, the townships of Polk County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by the Constitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult. The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:

* Gap Springs: John Deming (R)
* Mountain: Donald D. Davis (R)
* Potter: Eddie Price (R)

Politics

Since 1952, Polk County has been heavily Republican, only voting for the Democratic nominee for president three times since then. It last voted for the Democratic nominee for president in 1992, when it gave Arkansas governor Bill Clinton 43.8 percent of the vote. After this, the county trended rapidly towards Republicans, with the Republican margin of victory increasing in every subsequent election. In 2020, the county gave Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump 82.9 percent of the vote, the highest ever vote share for a Republican presidential candidate in the county, and Democratic nominee Joe Biden 14.7 percent of the vote, the lowest ever vote share for a Democratic presidential candidate in the county.

Popular culture

Polk County is the setting for Stephen Hunter's fictional Bob Lee Swagger series, the most notable being ''Black Light'', as well as the place where Joel B Reed's fictional character, Jazz Phillips, of the Jazz Phillips mystery series, grew up.

Communities

Cities

*Mena (county seat)
* Wickes

Towns

*Cove
* Grannis
* Hatfield
* Vandervoort

Census-designated places

* Acorn
* Board Camp

Other unincorporated communities

* Ink

Townships

* Acorn (small part of Mena)
* Big Fork
* Cedar
* Center (most of Mena)
* Cove ( Hatfield)
* Eagle
* Faulkner
* Freedom
* Fulton
* Gap Springs
* Mill Creek
* Mountain
* Ouachita
* Ozark ( Grannis, Wickes)
* Potter (small part of Mena)
* Rich Mountain
* White (Cove, Vandervoort)

See also

* List of lakes in Polk County, Arkansas
* National Register of Historic Places listings in Polk County, Arkansas
* Osro Cobb

References

External links

Polk County, Arkansas
entry on the Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture

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1844 establishments in Arkansas
Populated places established in 1844