Hempstead County, Arkansas: Difference between revisions

Latest revision as of 03:36, 28 April 2025

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Hempstead County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 20,065,<ref name="qf22">Template:Cite web</ref> down from 22,609 at the 2010 census.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> The county seat is Hope.<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> Hempstead County is Arkansas's fourth county, formed on December 15, 1818, alongside Clark and Pulaski counties. The county is named for Edward Hempstead, a delegate to the U.S. Congress from the Missouri Territory, which included present-day Arkansas at the time.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

The 42nd United States President, Bill Clinton, who served from 1993 to 2001, was born in the county seat of Hope on August 19, 1946.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2025, Clinton is the only President to have been born in Arkansas.

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 (1.8%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> Hempstead County is alternately considered as part of the greater regions of South Arkansas or Southwest Arkansas.

Major highways

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Adjacent counties

Pike County (north)
Nevada County (east)
Lafayette County (south)
Miller County (southwest)
Little River County (west)
Howard County (northwest)

Demographics

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File:USA Hempstead County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg

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

2020 census

Hempstead County racial composition<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Race	Num.	Perc.
White (non-Hispanic)	10,558	52.62%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)	5,644	28.13%
Native American	81	0.4%
Asian	88	0.44%
Pacific Islander	5	0.02%
Other/Mixed	736	3.67%
Hispanic or Latino	2,953	14.72%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 20,065 people, 8,094 households, and 5,711 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,<ref name="GR8">Template:Cite web</ref> there were 23,587 people, 8,959 households, and 6,378 families residing in the county. The population density was Template:Convert. There were 10,178 housing units at an average density of Template:Convert. The racial makeup of the county was 63.28% White, 30.36% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.17% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 4.17% from other races, and 1.59% from two or more races. 8.25% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,959 households, out of which 33.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 51.40% were married couples living together, 15.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.80% 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 2.60 and the average family size was 3.09.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 27.30% under the age of 18, 9.60% from 18 to 24, 27.20% from 25 to 44, 21.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.10% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 93.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $28,622, and the median income for a family was $34,082. Males had a median income of $25,830 versus $17,383 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,103. About 16.00% of families and 20.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 29.20% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

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 Hempstead County Quorum Court has eleven 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>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Hempstead County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf</ref>
Position	Officeholder	Party
County Judge	Jerry T. Crane	Republican
County Clerk	Karen Smith	Republican
Circuit Clerk	Gail Wolfengarger	Democratic
Sheriff/Collector	James Singleton	Democratic
Treasurer	Judy Lee Flowers	Democratic
Assessor	Renee Gilbert	Republican
Coroner	David W. Peters	Republican

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 7 Republicans and 3 Democrats, with one seat vacant due to no filings. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:<ref name=":0" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name=":1">Template:Cite web</ref>

District 1: James Griffin (D) of Hope
District 2: (seat currently Vacant)
District 3: Doris Brown (D) of Hope
District 4: Ed B. Darling (R) of Hope
District 5: Victor Ford (R)
District 6: Troy K. Lerew (R) of Hope (seat currently Vacant)
District 7: Steve Atchley (R) of Hope
District 8: C. David Clayton (R) of Hope
District 9: Jessie Henry (D)
District 10: Jay Lathrop (R) of Nashville
District 11: B. Keith Steed (R)

Additionally, the townships of Hempstead 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 name=":1" />

Bodcaw: David Keith Cummings (R)
Bois D'Arc: Maurice Henry (D)
Deroan: Reyn Brown (R)
Garland: Randall Hatfield (R)
Ozan: Becky Medlen-Billings (R)
Spring Hill: Jimmy F. Singleton (R)
Wallaceburg: Thomas Luke Everett (R)
Watercreek: Frankie Ingersoll (R)

Politics

Starting in 2008, voters of Hempstead County have shifted to the political right in US presidential elections. That said, the city of Hope is still very Democratic as of the 2020 election.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>