Cleburne County, Arkansas

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Cleburne County (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell, historically Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 24,711.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat and most populous city is Heber Springs.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> The county was formed on February 20, 1883, as the last of Arkansas's 75 counties to be formed. It is named for Confederate Major-General Patrick Cleburne.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> Cleburne is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (6.5%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> Much of the water area in the County includes Greers Ferry Lake, which extends westward into neighboring Van Buren County.

Major highways

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Arkansas Highway 225

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Adjacent counties

Stone County (north)
Independence County (northeast)
White County (southeast)
Faulkner County (southwest)
Van Buren County (west)

Demographics

Template:US Census population

File:USA Cleburne County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

Age pyramid Cleburne County<ref>Based on 2000 census data</ref>

2020 census

Cleburne County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Number	Percentage
White (non-Hispanic)	22,748	92.06%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	56	0.23%
Native American	112	0.45%
Asian	96	0.39%
Pacific Islander	11	0.04%
Other/Mixed	1,056	4.27%
Hispanic or Latino	632	2.56%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 24,711 people, 10,783 households, and 7,230 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 24,046 people, 10,190 households, and 7,408 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 13,732 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 98.20% White, 0.12% Black or African American, 0.47% Native American, 0.15% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.15% from other races, and 0.89% from two or more races. 1.17% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 10,190 households, out of which 26.30% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 61.70% were married couples living together, 7.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.30% were non-families. 24.40% 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 2.33 and the average family size was 2.74.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.30% under the age of 18, 6.60% from 18 to 24, 24.10% from 25 to 44, 26.90% from 45 to 64, and 21.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 93.90 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.50 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,531, and the median income for a family was $37,273. Males had a median income of $28,844 versus $19,672 for females. The per capita income for the county was $17,250. About 9.00% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.10% of those under age 18 and 11.90% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

Government

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 Cleburne 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Cleburne County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Eric Crosby	Republican
County Clerk	Sherry Logan	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Heather Smith	Republican
Sheriff	Chris Brown	Republican
Treasurer	Felicia Hipp	Republican
Collector	Connie Caldwell	Republican
Assessor	Rachelle Hipp Miller	Republican
Coroner	Waren Olmstead	Republican
Surveyor	Perry Sayles	(Unknown)

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:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District 1: Brian Moorehead (R)
District 2: Sam Henegar (R)
District 3: Stephen Beavers (R)
District 4: Linda Fletcher (R)
District 5: Alan Malone (R)
District 6: Chad Evans (R)
District 7: Jacque Martin (R)
District 8: Brent Foust (R)
District 9: Charles Tamburo (R)
District 10: Mark Baugh (R)
District 11: Jeremy Mcclung (R)

Additionally, the townships of Cleburne 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

District 1: Christopher Gracey (R)
District 2: Harold B. Williams (R)

Politics

Despite being a typical Solid South county for most of its history, voting overwhelmingly for Democratic candidates, Cleburne County has trended heavily towards the GOP in recent decades. As of 2024, the last Democrat to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.