Editing Howard County, Arkansas

{{short description|County in Arkansas, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox U.S. county
 | county               = Howard County
 | state                = Arkansas
 | ex image             = Howard County Courthouse, 1 of 3.jpg
 | ex image size        = 220px
 | ex image cap         = [[Howard County Courthouse (Nashville, Arkansas)|Howard County Courthouse]] in [[Nashville, Arkansas]]
 | seal                 = 
 | founded year         = 1873
 | founded date         = April 17
 | seat wl              = Nashville
 | largest city wl      = Nashville
 | area_total_sq_mi     = 595
 | area_land_sq_mi      = 589
 | area_water_sq_mi     = 6.8
 | area percentage      = 1.1%
 | population_as_of     = 2020
 | population_total     = 12785
 | pop_est_as_of        = 2023
 | population_est       = 12533 {{loss}}
 | population_density_sq_mi = auto
 | district             = 4th
 | time zone            = Central
|website=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/howard/}}

'''Howard County''' is a [[County (United States)|county]] located in the U.S. state of [[Arkansas]]. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the population was 12,785.<ref>{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Howard County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Howard_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05061|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 20, 2023}}</ref> The [[county seat]] is [[Nashville, Arkansas|Nashville]].<ref name="GR6">{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }}</ref> Howard County is Arkansas's 74th county, formed on April 17, 1873, and named for James Howard,<ref>{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n161 162]}}</ref> a state senator. It is a [[dry county]].

==Geography==
According to the [[U.S. Census Bureau]], the county has a total area of {{convert|595|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|589|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.8|sqmi}} (1.1%) is water.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}</ref>

===Major highways===
*[[Image:US 70.svg|20px]] [[U.S. Route 70 in Arkansas|U.S. Highway 70]]
*[[Image:US 278.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 278 (Arkansas)|U.S. Highway 278]]
*[[Image:US 371.svg|25px]] [[U.S. Highway 371 (Arkansas)|U.S. Highway 371]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 26.svg|20px]] [[Highway 26 (Arkansas)|Highway 26]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 27.svg|20px]] [[Highway 27 (Arkansas)|Highway 27]]
*[[Image:Arkansas 84.svg|20px]] [[Highway 84 (Arkansas)|Highway 84]]

===Adjacent counties===
*[[Polk County, Arkansas|Polk County]] (north)
*[[Montgomery County, Arkansas|Montgomery County]] (northeast)
*[[Pike County, Arkansas|Pike County]] (east)
*[[Hempstead County, Arkansas|Hempstead County]] (southeast)
*[[Little River County, Arkansas|Little River County]] (southwest)
*[[Sevier County, Arkansas|Sevier County]] (west)

===National protected area===
* [[Ouachita National Forest]] (part)

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1880= 9917
|1890= 13789
|1900= 14076
|1910= 16898
|1920= 18565
|1930= 17489
|1940= 16621
|1950= 13342
|1960= 10878
|1970= 11412
|1980= 13459
|1990= 13569
|2000= 14300
|2010= 13789
|2020= 12785
|estyear=2023
|estimate=12533
|estref=<ref name="USCensusEst2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 30, 2024}}</ref>
|align-fn=center
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref><br />1790–1960<ref>{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> 1900–1990<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref><br />1990–2000<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 26, 2015}}</ref> 2010<ref name="QF">{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05061.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 21, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607032528/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05061.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}</ref>
}}

[[Image:USA Howard County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg|thumb|left|150px|Age pyramid Howard County<ref>Based on [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]] data</ref>]]

===2020 census===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"
|+Howard County racial composition<ref>{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05061&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 30, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Race
!scope="col"| Number
!scope="col"| Percentage
|-
!scope="row"| [[White (U.S. Census)|White]] (non-Hispanic)
| 7,982
| 62.43%
|-
!scope="row"| [[African American (U.S. Census)|Black or African American]] (non-Hispanic)
| 2,626
| 20.54%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Native American (U.S. Census)|Native American]]
| 82
| 0.64%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Asian (U.S. Census)|Asian]]
| 62
| 0.48%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Pacific Islander (U.S. Census)|Pacific Islander]]
| 4
| 0.03%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Race (United States Census)|Other/Mixed]]
| 512
| 4.0%
|-
!scope="row"| [[Hispanic (U.S. Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Latino (U.S. Census)|Latino]]
| 1,517
| 11.87%
|}
As of the [[2020 United States census]], there were 12,785 people, 5,142 households, and 3,503 families residing in the county.

===2000 census===
As of the [[2000 United States Census|2000 census]],<ref name="GR8">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=May 14, 2011|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref> there were 14,300 people, 5,471 households, and 3,922 families residing in the county. The [[population density]] was {{convert|24|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people&nbsp;|people}}. There were 6,297 housing units at an average density of {{convert|11|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units&nbsp;|units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 73.60% [[Race (United States Census)|White]], 21.86% [[Race (United States Census)|Black]] or [[Race (United States Census)|African American]], 0.41% [[Race (United States Census)|Native American]], 0.50% [[Race (United States Census)|Asian]], 0.01% [[Race (United States Census)|Pacific Islander]], 2.76% from [[Race (United States Census)|other races]], and 0.86% from two or more races. 5.08% of the population were [[Race (United States Census)|Hispanic]] or [[Race (United States Census)|Latino]] of any race. 4.75% reported speaking [[Spanish language|Spanish]] at home, while 1.73% speak [[German language|German]].<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&state_id=5&county_id=61&mode=geographic&order=r|title=Language Map Data Center|website=www.mla.org|access-date=August 28, 2018}}</ref>

There were 5,471 households, out of which 34.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.20% were [[Marriage|married couples]] living together, 12.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.30% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.55 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.90% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 27.80% from 25 to 44, 21.60% from 45 to 64, and 15.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 95.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.20 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,699, and the median income for a family was $34,510. Males had a median income of $28,086 versus $17,266 for females. The [[per capita income]] for the county was $15,586. About 11.90% of families and 15.50% of the population were below the [[poverty line]], including 20.10% of those under age 18 and 17.00% of those age 65 or over.

==Government==

=== 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 Howard County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the ''county judge'', who serves as the [[chief operating 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>{{Cite web |title=Quorum Courts |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/quorum-courts-6348/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Office of County Judge |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/office-of-county-judge-5720/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}</ref>
{| class="wikitable mw-collapsible"
|+Howard County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Howard {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/howard/ |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=www.arcounties.org}}</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
!Position
!Officeholder
!Party
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County Judge
|Brent Pinkerton
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|County Clerk
|Keri Teague
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#92C5DE;
|Circuit Clerk
|Angie Lewis
|Democratic
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Sheriff/Collector
|Bryan McJunkins
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Treasurer
|Sheri Mixon
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Assessor
|Cindy Butler
|Republican
|-style="background-color:#F48882;
|Coroner
|Matthew Smith
|Republican
|}
The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 5 Republicans, 2 Democrats, and 1 Independent, with one seat currently vacant. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Howard County, Arkansas, elections, 2024 |url=https://ballotpedia.org/Howard_County,_Arkansas,_elections,_2024 |access-date=2025-04-28 |website=Ballotpedia |language=en}}</ref>

* District 1: Kerry Strasner (I)
* District 2: Andy Hogg (R)
* District 3: D'Ann Rogers (R)
* District 4: Janet O'Neal (R)
* District 5: Jerry Harwell (R)
* District 6: Elizabeth McDaniel (R)
* District 7: (''seat currently Vacant'')
* District 8: Don W. Marks (D)
* District 9: Juanita Jackson (D)

=== Politics ===
Over the past few election cycles, Howard County has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democratic presidential candidate (as of 2024) to carry this county was Bill Clinton in 1996.
{{PresHead|place=Howard County, Arkansas|source=<ref name="DL">{{cite web|title=Dave Leip's Atlas of U.S. Presidential Elections|url=http://uselectionatlas.org/RESULTS/|access-date=November 18, 2016}}</ref>}}
<!-- PresRow should be {{PresRow|Year|Winning party|GOP vote #|Dem vote #|3rd party vote #|State}} -->
{{PresRow|2024|Republican|3,246|1,158|69|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2020|Republican|3,367|1,340|127|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2016|Republican|3,157|1,351|166|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2012|Republican|2,892|1,471|99|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2008|Republican|2,957|1,746|143|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2004|Republican|2,736|2,166|41|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|2000|Republican|2,326|2,063|70|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1996|Democratic|1,478|2,741|413|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1992|Democratic|1,728|2,764|483|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1988|Republican|2,510|1,818|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1984|Republican|3,079|1,746|7|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1980|Democratic|2,386|2,564|114|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1976|Democratic|1,575|3,207|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1972|Republican|2,682|1,069|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1968|American Independent|1,286|1,061|1,660|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1964|Republican|1,649|1,320|94|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1960|Democratic|1,225|1,366|144|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1956|Democratic|1,329|1,428|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1952|Democratic|944|1,492|7|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1948|Democratic|199|1,250|203|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1944|Democratic|576|1,538|4|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1940|Democratic|419|1,540|14|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1936|Democratic|275|1,437|5|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1932|Democratic|165|1,703|3|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1928|Democratic|763|1,055|9|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1924|Democratic|338|954|170|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1920|Democratic|1,208|1,452|28|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1916|Democratic|545|1,317|0|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1912|Democratic|321|760|253|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1908|Democratic|610|967|154|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1904|Democratic|500|644|137|Arkansas}}
{{PresRow|1900|Democratic|585|986|44|Arkansas}}
{{PresFoot|1896|Democratic|294|1,392|3|Arkansas}}

==Communities==

===Cities===
*[[Dierks, Arkansas|Dierks]]
*[[Mineral Springs, Arkansas|Mineral Springs]]
*[[Nashville, Arkansas|Nashville]] (county seat)

===Towns===
*[[Tollette, Arkansas|Tollette]]

===Census-designated places===
*[[Center Point, Howard County, Arkansas|Center Point]]
*[[Saratoga, Arkansas|Saratoga]]

===Other unincorporated communities===
* [[Athens, Arkansas|Athens]]
* [[Corinth, Howard County, Arkansas|Corinth]]
* [[Midway, Howard County, Arkansas|Midway]]
* [[Mineola, Arkansas|Mineola]]
* [[Okay, Arkansas|Okay]]
* [[Schaal, Arkansas|Schaal]]
* [[Umpire, Arkansas|Umpire]]

===Historic communities===
*[[Allbrook, Arkansas|Allbrook]]
*[[Antimony, Arkansas|Antimony]]
*[[Baker Springs]]
*[[Carl, Arkansas|Carl]]
*[[Cowling, Arkansas|Cowling]]
*[[Dial, Arkansas|Dial]]
*[[Eldridge, Arkansas|Eldridge]]
*[[Euclid, Arkansas|Euclid]]
*[[Galena, Arkansas|Galena]]
*[[Henry, Arkansas|Henry]]
*[[Howe, Arkansas|Howe]]
*[[Markham, Arkansas|Markham]]
*[[Martha, Arkansas|Martha]]
*[[Minnie, Arkansas|Minnie]]
*[[New Moon, Arkansas|New Moon]]
*[[Pates, Arkansas|Pates]]
*[[Picayune, Arkansas|Picayune]]
*[[Rosadale]]

===Townships===
{{Arkansas Townships About|County = Howard}}
<ref>{{Cite map
 |publisher   = U. S. Census Bureau
 |title       = 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Howard County, AR
 |url         = http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05061_howard/BAS11C20506100000_000.pdf
 |access-date  = August 23, 2011
 |url-status     = dead
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20121019170418/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05061_howard/BAS11C20506100000_000.pdf
 |archive-date = October 19, 2012
}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.census.gov/geo/maps-data/maps/block/2010/cousub/dc10blk_st05_cousub.html#H | title = Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision | publisher = [[United States Census Bureau]] | access-date = May 29, 2014}}</ref>

{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* Blackland
* Blue Bayou
* Blue Ridge
* Brewer
* Buck Range
* Burg
* Center Point
* Clay
* County Line
* Dillard
* Duckett
* Franklin
* Holly Creek
* Madison ([[Dierks, Arkansas|Dierks]])
* Mineral Springs ([[Mineral Springs, Arkansas|Mineral Springs]])
* Mountain
* Muddy Fork
* Nashville ([[Nashville, Arkansas|Nashville]])
* Saline
* Saratoga
* Tollette ([[Tollette, Arkansas|Tollette]]) --- township completely inside Blackland Township
* Umpire
{{div col end}}

==See also==
* [[List of lakes in Howard County, Arkansas]]
* [[National Register of Historic Places listings in Howard County, Arkansas]]

==References==
<references />

{{Geographic Location
| Centre = Howard County, Arkansas
| North = [[Polk County, Arkansas|Polk County]]
| Northeast =
| East = [[Pike County, Arkansas|Pike County]]
| Southeast = [[Hempstead County, Arkansas|Hempstead County]]
| South =
| Southwest = [[Little River County, Arkansas|Little River County]]
| West = [[Sevier County, Arkansas|Sevier County]]
| Northwest =
}}
{{Howard County, Arkansas}}
{{Arkansas}}

{{coord|34|08|10|N|93|59|14|W|region:US-AR_type:adm2nd_source:dewiki|display=title}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Howard County, Arkansas| ]]
[[Category:1873 establishments in Arkansas]]
[[Category:Populated places established in 1873]]