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Independence County, Arkansas

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Template:Infobox U.S. county

Independence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,938.[1] The county seat is Batesville.[2] Independence County is Arkansas's ninth county, formed on October 20, 1820, from a portion of Lawrence County and named in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence.[3] It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

The Batesville, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Independence County.

Geography

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According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 772 square miles (2,000 km2), of which 764 square miles (1,980 km2) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km2) (1.0%) is water.[4]

List of highways

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Adjacent counties

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Demographics

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Template:US Census population

2020 census

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As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 37,938. The median age was 38.8 years. 24.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 17.9% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.2 males age 18 and over.[5][6]

The racial makeup of the county was 84.6% White, 2.2% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 5.1% from some other race, and 6.4% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 8.6% of the population.[6]

28.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 71.2% lived in rural areas.[7]

There were 14,934 households in the county, of which 31.5% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.9% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 25.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 28.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[5]

There were 16,667 housing units, of which 10.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 68.3% were owner-occupied and 31.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.2%.[5]

2000 census

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As of the 2000 census,[8] there were 34,233 people, 13,467 households, and 9,669 families residing in the county. The population density was 45 people per square mile (17 people/km2). There were 14,841 housing units at an average density of 19 units per square mile (7.3 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 94.91% White, 2.04% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,467 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,920, and the median income for a family was $38,444. Males had a median income of $27,284 versus $20,086 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,163. About 9.90% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

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Government

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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 Independence County Quorum Court has eleven members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief executive 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.[9][10]

File:Batesville AR Courthouse Wikipedia 2-2025.jpg
Independence County Courthouse in Batesville, 2-2025. The Batesville Confederate Monument, seen on the right-hand side, is on the National Register of Historic Places listings in Independence County, Arkansas
Independence County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials[11][12][13]
Position Officeholder Party
County Judge Kevin Jeffery Republican
County Clerk Tracey Nast Mitchell Republican
Circuit Clerk Greg Wallis Republican
Sheriff Shawn Stephens Republican
Treasurer Bob Treadway Republican
Collector Paul Albert Republican
Assessor Diane Tucker Republican
Coroner Randell Crabtree Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 11 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:[14][15]

  • District 1: Timothy Stewart (R) of Batesville.
  • District 2: Johnny McMullin (R) of Locust Grove.
  • District 3: Brent Henderson (R) of Pleasant Plains.
  • District 4: Charles Bradley Covington (R) of Batesville.
  • District 5: Bill Lindsey (R) of Newark.
  • District 6: Tammy Pearce (R) of Batesville.
  • District 7: Jason W. Jones (R) of Batesville.
  • District 8: Kenny Hurley (R) of Cushman.
  • District 9: Johnathan Abbott (R) of Batesville.
  • District 10: Charles Jordan (R) of Batesville.
  • District 11: Dennis Stephens (R) of Batesville.

Additionally, the townships of Independence 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.[16] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[17]

  • Barren: Barry E. Wilkes (R)
  • Big Bottom-Wycough-Logan: Jeffrey Tate (R)
  • Cushman-Union: Gary Franks (R)
  • Dota: Ronald Laslo (R)
  • Greenbrier: Aaron Moody (R)
  • Hill: Joe Shaw (R)
  • Liberty: Billy E. Meeks (R)
  • McHue: Anthony Mesa (R)
  • Moorefield: Michael Mundy (R)
  • Rosie: Chad Webb (R)
  • Ruddell: Brenda Bittle (R)
  • Salado: David H. Payne (R)
  • Washington: Stephen Davis (R)

Politics

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United States presidential election results for Independence County, Arkansas[18][19]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No.  % No.  % No.  %
1836 113 45.75% 134 54.25% 0 0.00%
1840 370 65.14% 198 34.86% 0 0.00%
1844 278 45.35% 335 54.65% 0 0.00%
1848 422 50.84% 408 49.16% 0 0.00%
1852 452 42.48% 612 57.52% 0 0.00%
1856 0 0.00% 860 58.42% 612 41.58%
"text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/Constitutional Union |1860 0 0.00% 281 14.82% 1,615 85.18%
1868 566 45.53% 677 54.47% 0 0.00%
1872 810 56.21% 631 43.79% 0 0.00%
1876 436 25.03% 1,306 74.97% 0 0.00%
1880 495 24.92% 1,463 73.67% 28 1.41%
1884 686 26.35% 1,917 73.65% 0 0.00%
1888 324 9.62% 1,789 53.10% 1,256 37.28%
1892 868 28.89% 1,792 59.63% 345 11.48%
1896 567 21.19% 2,089 78.06% 20 0.75%
1900 782 32.72% 1,526 63.85% 82 3.43%
1904 736 39.85% 1,052 56.96% 59 3.19%
1908 948 35.72% 1,529 57.61% 177 6.67%
1912 412 18.73% 1,225 55.68% 563 25.59%
1916 762 27.72% 1,987 72.28% 0 0.00%
1920 1,077 39.74% 1,546 57.05% 87 3.21%
1924 534 26.15% 1,313 64.30% 195 9.55%
1928 1,150 43.10% 1,511 56.63% 7 0.26%
1932 371 13.20% 2,427 86.34% 13 0.46%
1936 685 24.53% 2,101 75.25% 6 0.21%
1940 928 28.82% 2,276 70.68% 16 0.50%
1944 1,192 40.00% 1,779 59.70% 9 0.30%
1948 855 24.15% 2,340 66.08% 346 9.77%
1952 2,499 49.95% 2,485 49.67% 19 0.38%
1956 2,333 49.82% 2,316 49.46% 34 0.73%
1960 2,639 49.90% 2,487 47.02% 163 3.08%
1964 2,470 35.49% 4,455 64.01% 35 0.50%
1968 2,782 35.48% 2,289 29.19% 2,770 35.33%
1972 5,076 65.74% 2,630 34.06% 15 0.19%
1976 2,878 28.79% 7,116 71.17% 4 0.04%
1980 5,076 45.63% 5,683 51.08% 366 3.29%
1984 7,428 62.36% 4,415 37.07% 68 0.57%
1988 6,637 59.22% 4,523 40.36% 48 0.43%
1992 4,232 32.96% 7,083 55.16% 1,525 11.88%
1996 4,021 34.58% 6,240 53.66% 1,367 11.76%
2000 6,145 53.00% 5,146 44.39% 303 2.61%
2004 7,430 57.11% 5,443 41.83% 138 1.06%
2008 8,255 67.12% 3,688 29.99% 356 2.89%
2012 8,728 70.40% 3,281 26.47% 388 3.13%
2016 9,936 72.98% 2,881 21.16% 797 5.85%
2020 11,250 77.52% 2,806 19.34% 456 3.14%
2024 11,023 78.67% 2,689 19.19% 299 2.13%
2016 1 33.33% 1 33.33% 1 33.33%


Over the past few election cycles Independence County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2024) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.

Communities

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Cities

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Towns

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Census-designated places

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Other unincorporated communities

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Townships

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File:Independence County Arkansas 2010 Township Map large.jpg
Townships in Independence County, Arkansas as of 2010

Template:Arkansas Townships About [20][21]

Source:[22]

See also

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References

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  1. ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Independence County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Archived from the original on May 31, 2011. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Gannett, Henry (1905). The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States. Govt. Print. Off. pp. 165.
  4. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 26, 2015.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  6. ↑ 6.0 6.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  7. ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
  8. ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  10. ↑ "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  11. ↑ "County Government | Independence County". www.independencecounty.com. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  12. ↑ "Independence | Association of Arkansas Counties". www.arcounties.org. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  13. ↑ "2022 General Election: County, District Officials" (PDF). www.arcounties.org. Association of Arkansas Counties. June 27, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Independence County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  15. ↑ "Quorum Court | Independence County". www.independencecounty.com. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  16. ↑ "What is a Constable?". What is a Constable?. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  17. ↑ "Independence County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 1, 2025.
  18. ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
  19. ↑ "Our Campaigns". Retrieved June 22, 2025.
  20. ↑ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Independence County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  21. ↑ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on May 28, 2014. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
  22. ↑ "Summary Population and Housing Characteristics, CPH-1-5, Arkansas" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. September 2012. Retrieved May 31, 2014. 2010 Census of Population and Housing

Template:Geographic Location

Template:Independence County, Arkansas Template:Arkansas

Coordinates: 35°43′23″N 91°31′14″W / 35.72306°N 91.52056°W / 35.72306; -91.52056

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