Polk County, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
 Polk County Courthouse in Mena | |
 Location within the U.S. state ofArkansas | |
| 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 (2024) | 19,434 |
| • Density | 22.4/sq mi (8.65/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.
Pol County was formerly under an alcohol prohibition as adry county. However, following a historic mid-term election in 2022, 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% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 19,434 | [5] | 1.1% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[6] 1790–1960[7] 1900–1990[8] 1990–2000[9] 2010[10] | |||
As of the2020 census, the county had a population of 19,221. The median age was 45.2 years. 22.4% of residents were under the age of 18 and 23.4% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 96.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.3 males age 18 and over.[11][12]
The racial makeup of the county was 85.5%White, 0.2%Black or African American, 1.9%American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%Asian, <0.1%Native Hawaiian andPacific Islander, 3.2% from some other race, and 8.6% fromtwo or more races.Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.6% of the population.[12]
28.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 71.2% lived in rural areas.[13]
There were 7,992 households in the county, of which 27.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 50.0% were married-couple households, 19.1% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.6% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[11]
There were 9,612 housing units, of which 16.9% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 77.0% were owner-occupied and 23.0% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 12.7%.[11]
As of the2000 census,[14] 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.
The county government is a constitutional body granted specific powers by theConstitution of Arkansas and theArkansas Code. The quorum court is the legislative branch of the county government and controls all spending and revenue collection. Representatives are calledjustices 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 thecounty judge, who serves as thechief 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.[15][16]
| Position | Officeholder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Brandon Ellison | Republican |
| County Clerk | Lisa Standridge | Republican |
| Circuit Clerk | Michelle Heath Schnell | Republican |
| Sheriff/Collector | Scott Sawyer | Republican |
| Treasurer | Tanya Fretz | Republican |
| Assessor | Jovan Thomas | Independent |
| Coroner | Brian Bowser | Republican |
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:[17][18][19]
Additionally, the townships of Polk County are entitled to elect their own respective constables, as set forth by theConstitution of Arkansas. Constables are largely of historical significance as they were used to keep the peace in rural areas when travel was more difficult.[20] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[19]
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. | % | |
| 1896 | 51 | 4.78% | 1,004 | 94.10% | 12 | 1.12% |
| 1900 | 411 | 29.63% | 922 | 66.47% | 54 | 3.89% |
| 1904 | 476 | 40.44% | 528 | 44.86% | 173 | 14.70% |
| 1908 | 628 | 37.88% | 824 | 49.70% | 206 | 12.42% |
| 1912 | 162 | 11.08% | 694 | 47.47% | 606 | 41.45% |
| 1916 | 448 | 26.51% | 1,242 | 73.49% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 1,173 | 46.27% | 1,208 | 47.65% | 154 | 6.07% |
| 1924 | 502 | 31.49% | 863 | 54.14% | 229 | 14.37% |
| 1928 | 1,022 | 53.34% | 870 | 45.41% | 24 | 1.25% |
| 1932 | 223 | 11.90% | 1,568 | 83.67% | 83 | 4.43% |
| 1936 | 537 | 30.95% | 1,170 | 67.44% | 28 | 1.61% |
| 1940 | 585 | 31.49% | 1,255 | 67.55% | 18 | 0.97% |
| 1944 | 764 | 43.09% | 999 | 56.35% | 10 | 0.56% |
| 1948 | 554 | 25.89% | 1,417 | 66.21% | 169 | 7.90% |
| 1952 | 1,756 | 55.91% | 1,379 | 43.90% | 6 | 0.19% |
| 1956 | 1,832 | 58.29% | 1,287 | 40.95% | 24 | 0.76% |
| 1960 | 1,882 | 51.82% | 1,635 | 45.02% | 115 | 3.17% |
| 1964 | 2,022 | 43.88% | 2,575 | 55.88% | 11 | 0.24% |
| 1968 | 2,094 | 40.30% | 1,290 | 24.83% | 1,812 | 34.87% |
| 1972 | 3,609 | 74.83% | 1,120 | 23.22% | 94 | 1.95% |
| 1976 | 2,432 | 40.76% | 3,505 | 58.75% | 29 | 0.49% |
| 1980 | 3,993 | 58.51% | 2,617 | 38.35% | 214 | 3.14% |
| 1984 | 5,181 | 70.15% | 2,101 | 28.45% | 104 | 1.41% |
| 1988 | 4,099 | 62.15% | 2,390 | 36.24% | 106 | 1.61% |
| 1992 | 2,757 | 38.20% | 3,162 | 43.81% | 1,298 | 17.99% |
| 1996 | 2,852 | 42.70% | 2,824 | 42.28% | 1,003 | 15.02% |
| 2000 | 4,600 | 63.95% | 2,315 | 32.18% | 278 | 3.86% |
| 2004 | 5,192 | 66.57% | 2,473 | 31.71% | 134 | 1.72% |
| 2008 | 5,473 | 71.25% | 1,957 | 25.48% | 251 | 3.27% |
| 2012 | 5,955 | 77.08% | 1,556 | 20.14% | 215 | 2.78% |
| 2016 | 6,618 | 80.40% | 1,212 | 14.72% | 401 | 4.87% |
| 2020 | 7,035 | 82.86% | 1,246 | 14.68% | 209 | 2.46% |
| 2024 | 6,987 | 84.30% | 1,145 | 13.82% | 156 | 1.88% |
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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.[22][23]
Places adjacent to Polk County, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
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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