Polk County | |
|---|---|
 Polk County Courthouse in Mena | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofArkansas | |
 Arkansas's location within theU.S. | |
| Coordinates:34°30′07″N94°14′27″W / 34.501944444444°N 94.240833333333°W /34.501944444444; -94.240833333333 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | November 30, 1844 |
| Named after | James K. Polk |
| Seat | Mena |
| Largest city | Mena |
| Area | |
• Total | 862 sq mi (2,230 km2) |
| • Land | 858 sq mi (2,220 km2) |
| • Water | 4.8 sq mi (12 km2) 0.6% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 19,221 |
• Estimate (2023) | 19,436 |
| • Density | 22/sq mi (8.6/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 4th |
Polk County is acounty located in theU.S. state ofArkansas. As of the2020 census, the population was 19,221.[1] Thecounty seat isMena.[2] Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844; it was named forJames K. Polk, 11thPresident of the United States.
Formerly an alcohol prohibition ordry county. However, following a historic mid-term election,Polk County is now awet county.[3]
According to theU.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 862 square miles (2,230 km2), of which 858 square miles (2,220 km2) is land and 4.8 square miles (12 km2) (0.6%) is water.[4]
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1850 | 1,263 | — | |
| 1860 | 4,262 | 237.5% | |
| 1870 | 3,376 | −20.8% | |
| 1880 | 5,857 | 73.5% | |
| 1890 | 9,283 | 58.5% | |
| 1900 | 18,352 | 97.7% | |
| 1910 | 17,216 | −6.2% | |
| 1920 | 16,412 | −4.7% | |
| 1930 | 14,857 | −9.5% | |
| 1940 | 15,832 | 6.6% | |
| 1950 | 14,182 | −10.4% | |
| 1960 | 11,981 | −15.5% | |
| 1970 | 13,297 | 11.0% | |
| 1980 | 17,007 | 27.9% | |
| 1990 | 17,347 | 2.0% | |
| 2000 | 20,229 | 16.6% | |
| 2010 | 20,662 | 2.1% | |
| 2020 | 19,221 | −7.0% | |
| 2023 (est.) | 19,436 | [5] | 1.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8] 1990–2000[9] 2010[10] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 16,092 | 83.72% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 39 | 0.2% |
| Native American | 335 | 1.74% |
| Asian | 100 | 0.52% |
| Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 1,368 | 7.12% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 1,278 | 6.65% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 19,221 people, 8,243 households, and 5,672 families residing in the county.
As of the2000 census,[13] there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. Thepopulation density was 24 people per square mile (9.3 people/km2). There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4.2/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.69%White, 0.16%Black orAfrican American, 1.49%Native American, 0.21%Asian, 0.06%Pacific Islander, 1.72% fromother races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 3.50% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 8,047households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% weremarried 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. Theper capita income for the county was $14,063. 18.20% of the population and 14.00% of families were below thepoverty line. Out of the total people living inpoverty, 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.
Since 1952, Polk County has been heavilyRepublican, only voting for theDemocratic nominee for president three times since then. It last voted for the Democratic nominee for president in 1992, when it gave Arkansas governorBill 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 nomineeDonald Trump 82.9 percent of the vote, the highest ever vote share for a Republican presidential candidate in the county, and Democratic nomineeJoe Biden 14.7 percent of the vote, the lowest ever vote share for a Democratic presidential candidate in the county.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 2024 | 6,987 | 84.30% | 1,145 | 13.82% | 156 | 1.88% |
| 2020 | 7,035 | 82.86% | 1,246 | 14.68% | 209 | 2.46% |
| 2016 | 6,618 | 80.40% | 1,212 | 14.72% | 401 | 4.87% |
| 2012 | 5,955 | 77.08% | 1,556 | 20.14% | 215 | 2.78% |
| 2008 | 5,473 | 71.25% | 1,957 | 25.48% | 251 | 3.27% |
| 2004 | 5,192 | 66.57% | 2,473 | 31.71% | 134 | 1.72% |
| 2000 | 4,600 | 63.95% | 2,315 | 32.18% | 278 | 3.86% |
| 1996 | 2,852 | 42.70% | 2,824 | 42.28% | 1,003 | 15.02% |
| 1992 | 2,757 | 38.20% | 3,162 | 43.81% | 1,298 | 17.99% |
| 1988 | 4,099 | 62.15% | 2,390 | 36.24% | 106 | 1.61% |
| 1984 | 5,181 | 70.15% | 2,101 | 28.45% | 104 | 1.41% |
| 1980 | 3,993 | 58.51% | 2,617 | 38.35% | 214 | 3.14% |
| 1976 | 2,432 | 40.76% | 3,505 | 58.75% | 29 | 0.49% |
| 1972 | 3,609 | 74.83% | 1,120 | 23.22% | 94 | 1.95% |
| 1968 | 2,094 | 40.30% | 1,290 | 24.83% | 1,812 | 34.87% |
| 1964 | 2,022 | 43.88% | 2,575 | 55.88% | 11 | 0.24% |
| 1960 | 1,882 | 51.82% | 1,635 | 45.02% | 115 | 3.17% |
| 1956 | 1,832 | 58.29% | 1,287 | 40.95% | 24 | 0.76% |
| 1952 | 1,756 | 55.91% | 1,379 | 43.90% | 6 | 0.19% |
| 1948 | 554 | 25.89% | 1,417 | 66.21% | 169 | 7.90% |
| 1944 | 764 | 43.09% | 999 | 56.35% | 10 | 0.56% |
| 1940 | 585 | 31.49% | 1,255 | 67.55% | 18 | 0.97% |
| 1936 | 537 | 30.95% | 1,170 | 67.44% | 28 | 1.61% |
| 1932 | 223 | 11.90% | 1,568 | 83.67% | 83 | 4.43% |
| 1928 | 1,022 | 53.34% | 870 | 45.41% | 24 | 1.25% |
| 1924 | 502 | 31.49% | 863 | 54.14% | 229 | 14.37% |
| 1920 | 1,173 | 46.27% | 1,208 | 47.65% | 154 | 6.07% |
| 1916 | 448 | 26.51% | 1,242 | 73.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 162 | 11.08% | 694 | 47.47% | 606 | 41.45% |
| 1908 | 628 | 37.88% | 824 | 49.70% | 206 | 12.42% |
| 1904 | 476 | 40.44% | 528 | 44.86% | 173 | 14.70% |
| 1900 | 411 | 29.63% | 922 | 66.47% | 54 | 3.89% |
| 1896 | 51 | 4.78% | 1,004 | 94.10% | 12 | 1.12% |
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Polk County is the setting forStephen Hunter's fictionalBob Lee Swagger series, the most notable beingBlack Light, as well as the place where Joel B Reed's fictional character, Jazz Phillips, of the Jazz Phillips mystery series, grew up.
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, theUnited States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Polk County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/orcensus-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.[15][16]
Places adjacent to Polk County, Arkansas | |
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Municipalities and communities ofPolk County, Arkansas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDPs | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
34°30′07″N94°14′27″W / 34.50194°N 94.24083°W /34.50194; -94.24083
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