Cave City, Arkansas
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Cave City, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| Location of Cave City in Independence County and Sharp County, Arkansas. Location of Cave City in Independence County and Sharp County, Arkansas. | |
| Coordinates: 35°56′53″N 91°33′3″W / 35.94806°N 91.55083°WCoordinates: 35°56′53″N 91°33′3″W / 35.94806°N 91.55083°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State | Template:Country data Arkansas |
| Counties | Independence, Sharp |
| Townships | Barren (Independence) Cave (Sharp) |
| Settled | 1890 |
| Founded by | James Andrew Laman and John William Laman |
| Area | |
| • Total | Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp |
| • Land | Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp |
| • Water | Template:Infobox settlement/areadisp |
| Elevation | Template:Infobox settlement/lengthdisp |
| Population (2020) | |
| • Total | 1,922 |
| • Estimate (2025)[3] | 1,987 Template:Gain |
| • Density | Template:Infobox settlement/densdisp |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code | 72521 |
| Area code(s) | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-12280 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404007[2] |
| Website | www |
Cave City is a city in Independence and Sharp counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 1,922 at the 2020 U.S. Census. The city was named for a large cave underneath the Crystal River Tourist Camp, which is the oldest motor court in Arkansas.[4] Cave City is known for its award-winning "world's sweetest" watermelons and holds an annual watermelon festival in July.[5]
History
[edit | edit source]On March 14, 2025, a devastating EF3 tornado hit the city, causing severe and widespread damage to homes and businesses.[6] Mayor Jonas Anderson issued a state of emergency and a curfew during the overnight hours of March 15.[7][8] Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders visited Cave City the following morning as well to tour the damage.[9]
Geography
[edit | edit source]Cave City is located at 35°56′53″N 91°33′3″W / 35.94806°N 91.55083°W (35.948087, -91.550952).[10] The town is centered on, and partially located above, the Crystal River, an underground body of water located in the multi-room Crystal River Cave, for which the town is named. The beginning and ending of the water source has never been determined.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.2 square miles (3.1 km2), all land.
List of highways
[edit | edit source]- File:US 167 (AR).svg U.S. Highway 167
- File:Arkansas 58.svg Arkansas Highway 58
- File:Arkansas 230.svg Arkansas Highway 230
.svg){kind=link}
Demographics
[edit | edit source]2020 census
[edit | edit source]| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 1,711 | 89.02% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 53 | 2.76% |
| Native American | 16 | 0.83% |
| Asian | 8 | 0.42% |
| Other/Mixed | 81 | 4.21% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 53 | 2.76% |
As of the 2020 census, Cave City had a population of 1,922.[12] The median age was 37.1 years. 25.3% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.3% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 87.9 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 84.7 males age 18 and over.[13]
0.0% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[14]
There were 760 households in Cave City, including 554 families. Of all households, 35.4% had children under the age of 18 living in them, 39.2% were married-couple households, 17.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 35.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[13]
There were 854 housing units, of which 11.0% were vacant. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.1% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.4%.[13]
2000 census
[edit | edit source]At the 2000 census there were 1,904 people in 751 households, including 504 families, in the city. The population density was 752.7 inhabitants per square mile (290.6/km2). There were 838 housing units at an average density of 326.1 per square mile (125.9/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 0.3% Black, 96.9% white or European, 0.1% Asian, and 1.5% from two or more races. 2.5% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.[15]
Of the 751 households 34.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 49% were married couples living together, 14.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 32.9% were non-families. 29.6% of households were one person and 14.7% were one person aged 65 or older. The average household size was 2.45 and the average family size was 3.01.
The age distribution was 31.1% under the age of 18, 5.4% from 19 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.8% from 45 to 64, and 18% 65 or older. The median age was 35.8 years. For every 100 females, there were 79.9 males. 31.4% of the male population and 40.3% of females were 18 and over.
The median household income was $23,163 and the median family income was $27,292. Males had a median income of $21,397 versus $17,424 for females. The per capita income for the city was $11,925. About 17.0% of families and 21.3% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.3% of those under age 18 and 15.6% of those age 65 or over.
Education
[edit | edit source]Students in the area can attend the Cave City School District.
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 Template:GNIS
- ↑ "Vintage 2025 Total Population Estimates for Incorporated Places and Minor Civil Divisions; Housing Unit Estimates for the Nation, States and Counties". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2026.
- ↑ "Cave Courts Motel - The Oldest Motor Court in Arkansas". American Profile. December 23, 2000. Retrieved August 28, 2011.
- ↑ DeLano, Patti (2005). Off the Beaten Path, Arkansas (9th ed.). Guilford, Connecticut: Morris Book Publishing. ISBN 978-0-7627-4856-3. ISSN 1537-0550.
- ↑ Platt, Ainsley (March 15, 2025). "Cave City storm leaves critical businesses wrecked, full recovery uncertain". Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Retrieved April 12, 2026.
- ↑ Dehaghani, Daniella (March 15, 2025). "Cave City under state of emergency due to damage from Friday night storm". KARK. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ↑ Cave City mayor Jonas Anderson (March 15, 2025). "Tornado Recovery Update 3/15/2025 - 2:30am". Facebook. Cave City, Arkansas. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ↑ Arkansas governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders (March 15, 2025). "On the ground in Cave City this afternoon and thankful to see so many people taking care of one another. If you need assistance or want to help -". Facebook. Retrieved April 11, 2026.
- ↑ "US Gazetteer files: 2020, 2010, and 2000". United States Census Bureau. February 12, 2011. Retrieved April 23, 2011.
- ↑ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 13.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved April 30, 2026.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
Template:Independence County, Arkansas Template:Sharp County, Arkansas