Poinsett County, Arkansas
Poinsett County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 22,965.[1] The county seat is Harrisburg.[2] Poinsett County is included in the Jonesboro–Paragould Combined Statistical Area.
History
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 | This section relies largely or entirely on a single source. (April 2026) |
Poinsett County was formed on February 28, 1838, and named for Joel Roberts Poinsett, U.S. Secretary of War. County business was initially conducted in the county judge's home until first court was held in Bolivar, upon completion of a courthouse in 1839. In 1859, the county seat was moved to the more centrally located town of Harrisburg, where it still remains. Poinsett County acquired its current boundaries in the years following this change, as portions were assigned to newly organized counties.[3]
The northern portion became Craighead County, and the south portion became Cross County. Sunken lands were added to eastern Poinsett County during this time, including Lepanto and Marked Tree.
The Civil War devastated the county financially. It did not recover until the railroads were constructed into the area, giving farmers a new avenue to market their crops, and the timber industry developed. The Texas and St. Louis Railway completed track through Weiner and the St. Louis and Iron Mountain Railway ran through the center of the county in 1882. The Kansas City, Ft. Scott, and Gulf Railroad opened service in east Poinsett County the following year. Shipping timber had become feasible and was undertaken throughout northeast Arkansas following the completion of railroads. Farmers used the railroads to ship their cotton and farm animals to new markets. Many small railroad towns boomed during this period. Despite this uplift, the county's population mostly consisted of poor sharecroppers and tenant farmers, with an elite class of white landowners.
Poinsett County was the hardest hit county by the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927, which flooded thousands of fields and destroyed homes countywide. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union was founded in 1935 in Tyronza during the Great Depression. The organization was an interracial union to improve the pay and working conditions of poor sharecroppers. It met violent resistance from white planters, with union leaders and members attacked and some killed throughout its areas of organizing in Arkansas and Mississippi. The Southern Tenant Farmers Union Museum in Tyronza is operated by Arkansas State University.
Geography
[edit | edit source]According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 764 square miles (1,980 km2), of which 758 square miles (1,960 km2) is land and 5.2 square miles (13 km2) (0.7%) is water.[4] Located in Arkansas's northeast corner, the county is bisected by Crowley's Ridge and the L'Anguille River which both pass north–south through the county.[5] The soils in the eastern part of the county have been deposited by the Mississippi River and are mostly used for cotton farming. Western Poinsett County is generally dedicated to rice fields. Lake Poinsett State Park is centrally located within the county.[6]
Major highways
[edit | edit source]- File:I-555 (AR 1961).svg Interstate 555
- File:US 49 (AR).svg U.S. Highway 49
- File:US 63 (AR).svg U.S. Highway 63
- File:Arkansas 1.svg Highway 1
- File:Arkansas 14.svg Highway 14
- File:Arkansas 18.svg Highway 18
- File:Arkansas 69.svg Highway 69
- File:Arkansas 75.svg Highway 75
- File:Arkansas 118.svg Highway 118
- File:Arkansas 135.svg Highway 135
- File:Arkansas 136.svg Highway 136
- File:Arkansas 140.svg Highway 140
- File:Arkansas 149.svg Highway 149
- File:Arkansas 158.svg Highway 158
- File:Arkansas 163.svg Highway 163
- File:Arkansas 198.svg Highway 198
- File:Arkansas 214.svg Highway 214
- File:Arkansas 308.svg Highway 308
- File:Arkansas 322.svg Highway 322
- File:Arkansas 373.svg Highway 373
- File:Arkansas 463.svg Highway 463
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Adjacent counties
[edit | edit source]- Craighead County (north)
- Mississippi County (east)
- Crittenden County (southeast)
- Cross County (south)
- Jackson County (west)
Demographics
[edit | edit source]2020 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 22,965. The median age was 41.0 years. 23.7% of residents were under the age of 18 and 18.6% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.1 males age 18 and over.[7][8]
The racial makeup of the county was 84.4% White, 7.8% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.3% Asian, less than 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 2.0% from some other race, and 5.1% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.6% of the population.[8]
31.5% of residents lived in urban areas, while 68.5% lived in rural areas.[9]
There were 9,254 households in the county, of which 30.9% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 43.2% were married-couple households, 20.0% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 30.1% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.5% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[7]
There were 10,327 housing units, of which 10.4% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 63.9% were owner-occupied and 36.1% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.3% and the rental vacancy rate was 10.2%.[7]
2000 census
[edit | edit source]As of the 2000 census,[10] there were 25,614 people, 10,026 households, and 7,228 families residing in the county. The population density was 34 inhabitants per square mile (13/km2). There were 11,051 housing units at an average density of 15 per square mile (5.8/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.98% White, 7.13% Black or African American, 0.23% Native American, 0.16% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 1.43% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 10,026 households, out of which 32.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.60% were married couples living together, 13.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.90% were non-families. 24.80% 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 2.52 and the average family size was 2.99.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.10% under the age of 18, 8.90% from 18 to 24, 27.10% from 25 to 44, 23.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 94.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.30 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $26,558, and the median income for a family was $32,257. Males had a median income of $26,633 versus $19,199 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,087. About 17.60% of families and 21.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.60% of those under age 18 and 20.50% of those age 65 or over.
Government
[edit | edit source]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 Poinsett 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.[11][12]
| Position | Officeholder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | J.C. Carter | Republican |
| County Clerk | Teresa Rouse | Republican |
| Circuit Clerk | Misty Russell | Republican |
| Sheriff/Collector | Kevin Molder | Republican |
| Treasurer | Tammie Stanford | Republican |
| Assessor | Josh Bradley | Republican |
| Coroner | Butch Davis | Republican |
The composition of the Quorum Court after the 2024 elections is 10 Republicans and 1 Democrat. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:[13][16][17]
- District 1: Randy L. Jones (R)
- District 2: Elizabeth Thweatt Schwarz (D)
- District 3: Hunter Jones (R)
- District 4: Ron Martin (R)
- District 5: James Baker (R)
- District 6: Larry Fowler (R)
- District 7: Donnie Taylor (R)
- District 8: Jordan A. Looney (R)
- District 9: Jerry Carter (R)
- District 10: Steve Jernigan (R)
- District 11: Harold Blackwood (R)
Additionally, the townships of Poinsett 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.[18] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[16]
- Scott: Thomas Carlock (Ind.)
- Tyronza: Scottie Blagg (R)
- Willis: Rodney Stotts (R)
Poinsett County generally voted Democratic until, in 2008, it voted Republican for only the third time in the past century; in the four elections since then it has also gone Republican.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 130 | 18.26% | 572 | 80.34% | 10 | 1.40% |
| 1900 | 180 | 25.64% | 520 | 74.07% | 2 | 0.28% |
| 1904 | 310 | 33.37% | 599 | 64.48% | 20 | 2.15% |
| 1908 | 462 | 35.13% | 843 | 64.11% | 10 | 0.76% |
| 1912 | 205 | 18.96% | 593 | 54.86% | 283 | 26.18% |
| 1916 | 511 | 30.33% | 1,174 | 69.67% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 633 | 32.93% | 1,201 | 62.49% | 88 | 4.58% |
| 1924 | 393 | 22.81% | 1,182 | 68.60% | 148 | 8.59% |
| 1928 | 1,182 | 33.60% | 2,324 | 66.06% | 12 | 0.34% |
| 1932 | 252 | 5.44% | 4,312 | 93.01% | 72 | 1.55% |
| 1936 | 563 | 13.90% | 3,457 | 85.38% | 29 | 0.72% |
| 1940 | 670 | 13.91% | 4,138 | 85.90% | 9 | 0.19% |
| 1944 | 311 | 11.04% | 2,506 | 88.93% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1948 | 435 | 11.75% | 2,415 | 65.24% | 852 | 23.01% |
| 1952 | 2,010 | 31.80% | 4,303 | 68.07% | 8 | 0.13% |
| 1956 | 2,117 | 35.25% | 3,817 | 63.55% | 72 | 1.20% |
| 1960 | 2,430 | 44.64% | 2,817 | 51.75% | 197 | 3.62% |
| 1964 | 3,031 | 34.92% | 5,635 | 64.93% | 13 | 0.15% |
| "text-align:center;" Template:Party shading/American Independent |1968 | 2,140 | 27.14% | 1,672 | 21.20% | 4,074 | 51.66% |
| 1972 | 7,010 | 77.91% | 1,908 | 21.20% | 80 | 0.89% |
| 1976 | 2,726 | 28.50% | 6,835 | 71.45% | 5 | 0.05% |
| 1980 | 4,040 | 44.01% | 4,894 | 53.31% | 246 | 2.68% |
| 1984 | 5,622 | 58.64% | 3,906 | 40.74% | 59 | 0.62% |
| 1988 | 3,644 | 48.16% | 3,873 | 51.19% | 49 | 0.65% |
| 1992 | 2,425 | 28.29% | 5,341 | 62.31% | 805 | 9.39% |
| 1996 | 2,034 | 27.39% | 4,686 | 63.09% | 707 | 9.52% |
| 2000 | 2,988 | 41.30% | 4,102 | 56.70% | 145 | 2.00% |
| 2004 | 3,555 | 46.03% | 4,069 | 52.69% | 99 | 1.28% |
| 2008 | 4,903 | 61.84% | 2,742 | 34.59% | 283 | 3.57% |
| 2012 | 4,974 | 65.79% | 2,390 | 31.61% | 196 | 2.59% |
| 2016 | 5,502 | 71.25% | 1,880 | 24.35% | 340 | 4.40% |
| 2020 | 5,918 | 78.69% | 1,424 | 18.93% | 179 | 2.38% |
| 2024 | 5,731 | 80.96% | 1,235 | 17.45% | 113 | 1.60% |
| 2016 | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% | 1 | 33.33% |
Education
[edit | edit source]Public education
[edit | edit source]Early childhood, elementary and secondary education is available from four school districts listed from largest to smallest based on student population:
- Trumann School District based in Trumann with four facilities serving more than 1,600 students.
- Harrisburg School District based in Harrisburg with five facilities and serving more than 1,300 students.
- East Poinsett County School District based in Lepanto with three facilities serving more than 750 students.
- Marked Tree School District based in Marked Tree with three facilities serving more than 650 students.
Libraries
[edit | edit source]Poinsett County is served with central and branch libraries from two library systems, the Crowley Ridge Regional Library System and Trumann Library System.
Communities
[edit | edit source]
Cities
[edit | edit source]- Fisher
- Harrisburg (county seat)
- Lepanto
- Marked Tree
- Trumann
- Tyronza
- Weiner
Town
[edit | edit source]Census-designated place
[edit | edit source]Unincorporated communities
[edit | edit source]Townships
[edit | edit source]
Template:Arkansas Townships About [20][21]
- Boliver (Harrisburg)
- Dobson
- Greenfield
- Greenwood (Lepanto)
- Little River (Marked Tree)
- Lunsford
- Owen (Fisher, Waldenburg)
- Scott
- Tyronza (Tyronza)
- West Prairie (Weiner)
- Willis (Trumann)
See also
[edit | edit source]- Arkansas Highway 308 (1973–1979), former state highway southwest of Marked Tree
- List of lakes in Poinsett County, Arkansas
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Poinsett County, Arkansas
References
[edit | edit source] |
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Poinsett County, Arkansas. |
- ↑ "Census - Geography Profile: Poinsett County, Arkansas". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 21, 2023.
- ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
- ↑ "Poinsett County Sheriff AR". www.poinsettcountysheriff.org. Retrieved February 1, 2023.
- ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved August 27, 2015.
- ↑ Poinsett County, Arkansas (PDF) (Map). Cartography by Planning and Research Division. Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department. November 20, 2009. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 15, 2012. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
- ↑ "Lake Poinsett State Park" (PDF). Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism. 2005. Archived (PDF) from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved September 27, 2012.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 7.2 "2020 Decennial Census Demographic Profile (DP1)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 "2020 Decennial Census Redistricting Data (Public Law 94-171)". United States Census Bureau. 2021. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "2020 Decennial Census Demographic and Housing Characteristics (DHC)". United States Census Bureau. 2023. Retrieved December 27, 2025.
- ↑ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 14, 2011.
- ↑ "Quorum Courts". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Office of County Judge". Encyclopedia of Arkansas. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ 13.0 13.1 "Poinsett | Association of Arkansas Counties". www.arcounties.org. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "2022 General ElectionGeneral Election - County, District Officials" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on August 18, 2022.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 "Poinsett County, Arkansas, elections, 2024". Ballotpedia. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Election Night Reporting". results.enr.clarityelections.com. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "What is a Constable?". What is a Constable?. Retrieved April 12, 2025.
- ↑ "Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections". Retrieved November 18, 2016.
- ↑ 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Poinsett County, AR (PDF) (Map). U. S. Census Bureau. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 19, 2012. Retrieved August 6, 2011.
- ↑ "Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved May 29, 2014.
External links
[edit | edit source]Template:Poinsett County, Arkansas Template:Arkansas
Coordinates: 35°34′17″N 90°39′36″W / 35.57139°N 90.66000°W
- Use American English from June 2025
- Use mdy dates from April 2024
- Articles needing additional references from April 2026
- Coordinates not on Wikidata
- Poinsett County, Arkansas
- 1838 establishments in Arkansas
- Populated places in the United States established in 1838
- Jonesboro metropolitan area
- Jonesboro–Paragould combined statistical area