Polk County, Arkansas
Encyclopedia
Polk County is a county
located in the U.S. state
of Arkansas
, one of twelve Polk Counties in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 20,662. The county seat
is Mena
. Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844, and named for James Polk
, President of the United States
. At that time, Polk was president elect. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county
. It 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.
of 2000, there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. The population density
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). 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 are 8,047 household
s out of which 31.90% have 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% are under the age of 18 and 16.20% are 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.
County (United States)
In the United States, a county is a geographic subdivision of a state , usually assigned some governmental authority. The term "county" is used in 48 of the 50 states; Louisiana is divided into parishes and Alaska into boroughs. Parishes and boroughs are called "county-equivalents" by the U.S...
located in the U.S. state
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
, one of twelve Polk Counties in the United States. As of 2010, the population was 20,662. The county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
is Mena
Mena, Arkansas
Mena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
. Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844, and named for James Polk
James K. Polk
James Knox Polk was the 11th President of the United States . Polk was born in Mecklenburg County, North Carolina. He later lived in and represented Tennessee. A Democrat, Polk served as the 17th Speaker of the House of Representatives and the 12th Governor of Tennessee...
, President of the United States
President of the United States
The President of the United States of America is the head of state and head of government of the United States. The president leads the executive branch of the federal government and is the commander-in-chief of the United States Armed Forces....
. At that time, Polk was president elect. It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county
Dry county
A dry county is a county in the United States whose government forbids the sale of alcoholic beverages. Some prohibit off-premises sale, some prohibit on-premises sale, and some prohibit both. Hundreds of dry counties exist across the United States, almost all of them in the South...
. It is the setting for Stephen Hunter
Stephen Hunter
Stephen Hunter is an American novelist, essayist, and Pulitzer Prize-winning film critic.-Life and career:Stephen Hunter was born in Kansas City, Missouri, and grew up in Evanston, Illinois. His father was Charles Francis Hunter, a Northwestern University speech professor who was killed in 1975....
's fictional Bob Lee Swagger
Bob Lee Swagger
Bob Lee Swagger is a fictional character created by Stephen Hunter. He is the protagonist in a series of books that relate his life after and during the Vietnam War—Point of Impact, Black Light, Time to Hunt, The 47th Samurai, Night of Thunder, I, Sniper and, most recently Dead Zero...
series, the most notable being Black Light
Black Light (Novel)
-Plot summary:There are two interconnected plots that unfold simultaneously in this novel; one is set in the present, and deals with Bob Lee Swagger and Russ Pewtie, while the other is set in 1955, and deals with Bob Lee's father, Earl, and the events leading up to his death.This book catches the...
, as well as the place where Joel B Reed's fictional character, Jazz Phillips, of the Jazz Phillips mystery series, grew up.
Geography
According to the 2000 census, the county has a total area of 862.42 square miles (2,233.7 km²), of which 859.38 square miles (2,225.8 km²) (or 99.65%) is land and 3.04 square miles (7.9 km²) (or 0.35%) is water.Major highways
U.S. Highway 59/U.S. Highway 71
U.S. Highway 270
U.S. Highway 278
Highway 4
Highway 8
Highway 84
Highway 88
Adjacent counties
- Scott County (north)
- Montgomery CountyMontgomery County, ArkansasMontgomery County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 9,487. The county seat is Mount Ida. Montgomery County is Arkansas's 45th county, formed on December 9, 1842, and named after Richard Montgomery, an American Revolutionary War...
(east) - Howard CountyHoward County, ArkansasHoward County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of 2010, the population was 13,789. The county seat is Nashville. Howard County is Arkansas's 74th county, formed on April 17, 1873, and named for James Howard, a state senator...
(southeast) - Sevier County (south)
- McCurtain CountyMcCurtain County, OklahomaMcCurtain County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of 2010, the population was 33,151. Its county seat is Idabel.-Geography:...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(southwest) - Le Flore CountyLe Flore County, OklahomaLe Flore County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. It is part of the Fort Smith, Arkansas-Oklahoma Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of 2000, the population was 48,109. Its county seat is Poteau. The United States District Court for the Eastern District of Oklahoma is the federal...
, OklahomaOklahomaOklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
(northwest)
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 24 people per square mile (9/km²). There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of 11 per square mile (4/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 94.69% White
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.16% Black
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or African American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.49% Native American
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.21% Asian
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 0.06% Pacific Islander
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, 1.72% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 1.67% from two or more races. 3.50% of the population were Hispanic
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
or Latino
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
of any race.
There are 8,047 household
Household
The household is "the basic residential unit in which economic production, consumption, inheritance, child rearing, and shelter are organized and carried out"; [the household] "may or may not be synonymous with family"....
s out of which 31.90% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
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
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
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
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
, 23.50% are under the age of 18 and 16.20% are 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.
Cities and towns
|
Hatfield, Arkansas Hatfield is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hadfield is located at .... Mena, Arkansas Mena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to... |
Vandervoort, Arkansas Vandervoort is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 120 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Vandervoort is located at .... Wickes, Arkansas Wickes is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 675 at the 2000 census.Near Wickes is the Boggs Springs Youth Encampment of the American Baptist Association, a retreat of Missionary Baptist churches.... |
Townships
- Acorn (small part of MenaMena, ArkansasMena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
) - Big Fork
- Cedar
- Center (most of MenaMena, ArkansasMena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
) - Cove (HatfieldHatfield, ArkansasHatfield is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 402 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Hadfield is located at ....
) - Eagle
- Faulkner
- Freedom
- Fulton
- Gap Springs
- Mill Creek
- Mountain
- Ouachita
- Ozark (GrannisGrannis, ArkansasGrannis is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 575 at the 2000 census.Near Grannis is the Boggs Springs Youth Encampment of the American Baptist Association, a retreat of Missionary Baptist churches.-Geography:...
, WickesWickes, ArkansasWickes is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 675 at the 2000 census.Near Wickes is the Boggs Springs Youth Encampment of the American Baptist Association, a retreat of Missionary Baptist churches....
) - Potter (small part of MenaMena, ArkansasMena is a city in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. It is also the county seat of Polk County.It was founded by Arthur Edward Stilwell during the building of the Kansas City, Pittsburg and Gulf Railroad . It was Stilwell who decided Mena would be the name of this new town along the route to...
) - Rich Mountain
- White (CoveCove, ArkansasCove is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 383 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Cove is located at ....
, VandervoortVandervoort, ArkansasVandervoort is a town in Polk County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 120 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Vandervoort is located at ....
)