Lonoke, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
 Downtown Lonoke | |
 Location of Lonoke in Lonoke County, Arkansas. | |
  Lonoke Location within thecontiguous United States of America | |
| Coordinates:34°47′3″N91°54′3″W / 34.78417°N 91.90083°W /34.78417; -91.90083 | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| County | Lonoke |
| Township | Lonoke |
| Incorporated | January 22, 1872; 154 years ago (1872-01-22) |
| Named after | "Lone Oak" |
| Government | |
| • Type | Mayor–Council |
| • Mayor | (I) |
| • Council | Lonoke City Council |
| Area | |
• City | 4.90 sq mi (12.70 km2) |
| • Land | 4.81 sq mi (12.45 km2) |
| • Water | 0.097 sq mi (0.25 km2) |
| Elevation | 233 ft (71 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 4,276 |
• Estimate (2024) | 4,287 |
| • Density | 889.5/sq mi (343.45/km2) |
| • Metro | 610,518 (Little Rock/North Little Rock |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (CST) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 72086 |
| Area code | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-41420 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404954[2] |
| Major airport | LIT |
| Website | cityoflonoke |
Lonoke (/ˈloʊnoʊk/) is the third most populous city inLonoke County, Arkansas, United States, and serves as itscounty seat. As of the2020 census, Lonoke had a population of 4,276.[3] It is part of theLittle Rock-North Little Rock-Conway metropolitan area.
 | This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(June 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
Union Army troops advanced through CentralArkansas during theAmerican Civil War. The town of Brownsville was burned to the ground by Union forces after the retreat of Confederate forces westward toLittle Rock. After the war, it was decided by the city leaders of Brownsville that a new town should be formed by the nearby railroad so that those who wished to stay could do so.[4]
According to local legend, the town was named for a largered oak tree that was found while trees were being chopped down in order to build houses. The official name of the city was originally Lone Oak. However, due to a misprint in theLonoke Democrat newspaper, the town's name was printed as Lonoak. Eventually, this misspelling became further misspelled as Lonoke.
The town of Lonoke was very slow to grow. Lonoke maintained a sustainable population through the support of its agricultural based economy untilWorld War II. Because of thebaby boom, Lonoke's population began to reach higher numbers. Furthermore, Lonoke became a sort ofsuburban area of Little Rock due to the implementation of theInterstate Highway System and the construction of Interstate 40.
In recent years, the population of Lonoke has remained in the area of about 4,000 people. As the Little Rockmetropolitan area continues to grow, Lonoke's population is expected to grow as well as Lonoke is becoming more suitable as a suburban area.[5]
Eberts Field, used by theUnited States Army for pilot training duringWorld War I andWorld War II, was located near Lonoke.
Lonoke is in central Lonoke County.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 4.6 square miles (12 km2), of which 4.3 square miles (11 km2) is land and 0.3 square miles (0.78 km2) (6.07%) is water.
Lonoke is governed by amayor-council form of city government, in which a mayor, other city administrators, and an eight-member city council are all regularly elected. The city is divided into eight districts (analogous towards in other cities), each represented on the council by an alderman. In addition to the mayor, the city's clerk, treasurer, attorney and district judge are also popularly elected.[6]
| This sectiondoes notcite anysources. Please helpimprove this section byadding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged andremoved.(June 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this message) |
By 1879, the town of Lonoke had grown large enough to recognize the need for free public education. Since the state provided only limited funding, the citizens of Lonoke raised an additional $10,000 through private contributions. Together with the state funds, this money made it possible to start a free public school in the town, offering classes for ten months each year.[7]
The city of Lonoke lackspost secondary institutions due to its small population and rural nature. However, Lonoke does feature a public school district that includes a primary, elementary, middle, and high school. According to the National Institute for Higher Education, Lonoke High School has an average ACT score of 22. However, over 89% of the graduating class of high school from 1987 to 2007 has been accepted to an institution of higher education. Of those 89%, approximately 45% have attendedArkansas State University Beebe.
In addition to its public school system, Lonoke is home to the main campus of the Lonoke Exceptional School, which offers learning opportunities for children and adults with various developmental disabilities. The school has served Lonoke and surrounding areas since 1972; its main campus in downtown Lonoke was built in 1991.
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 659 | — | |
| 1890 | 858 | 30.2% | |
| 1900 | 951 | 10.8% | |
| 1910 | 1,547 | 62.7% | |
| 1920 | 1,711 | 10.6% | |
| 1930 | 1,674 | −2.2% | |
| 1940 | 1,715 | 2.4% | |
| 1950 | 1,556 | −9.3% | |
| 1960 | 2,359 | 51.6% | |
| 1970 | 3,140 | 33.1% | |
| 1980 | 4,128 | 31.5% | |
| 1990 | 4,022 | −2.6% | |
| 2000 | 4,287 | 6.6% | |
| 2010 | 4,245 | −1.0% | |
| 2020 | 4,276 | 0.7% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 4,287 | 0.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[8] | |||
| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 2,664 | 62.3% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 1,152 | 26.94% |
| Native American | 8 | 0.19% |
| Asian | 31 | 0.72% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 169 | 3.95% |
| Hispanic orLatino | 251 | 5.87% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 4,276 people, 1,676 households, and 1,075 families residing in the city.
As of the 2000census,[10] there were 4,287 people, 1,595 households, and 1,092 families residing in the city. The population density was 990.0 inhabitants per square mile (382.2/km2). There were 1,703 housing units at an average density of 393.3 per square mile (151.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 73.29%White, 23.40%Black orAfrican American, 0.77%Native American, 0.33%Asian, 0.05%Pacific Islander, 0.98% fromother races, and 1.19% from two or more races. 1.84% of the population wereHispanic orLatino of any race.
There were 1,595 households, out of which 33.4% had children under the living with them, 50.4% weremarried couples living together, 14.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.5% were non-families. 28.5% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.53 and the average family size was 3.14.
In the city, the population was spread out, with 26.3% under the, 8.7% from 18 to 24, 25.8% from 25 to 44, 21.5% from 45 to 64, and 17.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 88.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.4 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,558, and the median income for a family was $44,423. Males had a median income of $34,315 versus $22,642 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $15,598. About 11.9% of families and 15.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 16.6% of those under age 18 and 19.5% of those age 65 or over.
Media from Commons
Travel information from WikivoyageMunicipalities and communities ofLonoke County, Arkansas,United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Unincorporated communities | ||
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| International | |
|---|---|
| National | |
| Other | |
