Arkansas

BASIC INFORMATION

2010 Census Population:	2,915,918 (32^rd)
Land Area:	52,035.5 square miles (27^th)
Density:	56.0 persons per square mile (34^th)
Capital:	Little Rock
Became a State:	June 15, 1836 (25^th)
Bordering States:	Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas
Abbreviation:	AR
ANSI Code:	05

Download 2010 Census Arkansas Profile [PDF]

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HISTORY

The United States acquired the area of Arkansas from France as part of the Louisiana Purchase in 1803. Arkansas Territory (spelled in the enabling act as Arkansaw) was organized from part of Missouri Territory on March 2, 1819, and included the greater part of Oklahoma, west to the 100th meridian. Arkansas Territory was reduced in area in 1824 and 1828 to generally assume the boundary of the present state. Arkansas was admitted to the Union on June 15, 1836, as the 25^th state.

Although the territory had not yet been established, census data are available for Arkansas beginning with the 1810 census (as part of Louisiana Territory). The 1810 and 1820 populations for Arkansas reflect the 1819 boundary of the territory, which included territory now in the state of Oklahoma. The population of the entire legally established Louisiana Territory (of which the area of Arkansas was a part) in 1810 was 20,845.

Data for the legally established state of Arkansas are available beginning with the 1840 census.

METROPOLITAN AND MICROPOLITAN STATISTICAL AREAS AND RELATED STATISTICAL AREAS

Arkansas has 8 metropolitan statistical areas, 14 micropolitan statistical areas, and 2 combined statistical areas.

COUNTIES

There are 75 counties in Arkansas. The governing body for each county consists of justices of the peace and a county judge.

COUNTY SUBDIVISIONS

There are 1,271 county subdivisions in Arkansas. There are 1,270 townships which are recognized as minor civil divisions (MCDs). Fort Chaffee in Sebastian County is an unorganized territory. All county subdivisions in Arkansas are nonfunctioning, nongovernmental entities.

PLACES

Arkansas has 541 places; 502 incorporated places and 39 census designated places (CDPs). The incorporated places consist of 311 cities (minimum population threshold of 500) and 191 towns (population less than 500). One town and four cities are each coextensive with a single township with the same name.

CENSUS TRACTS/BLOCK GROUPS/BLOCKS

Arkansas has 686 census tracts, 2,147 block groups, and 186,211 census blocks.

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS

For the 111^th Congress (January 2009-January 2011), Arkansas has four congressional districts. Beginning with the 113^th Congress (January 2013-January 2015), Arkansas will continue to have four congressional districts as a result of reapportionment based on the 2010 Census.

SCHOOL DISTRICTS

Arkansas has 251 unified school districts.

STATE LEGISLATIVE DISTRICTS

There are 35 state senate districts and 100 state house districts in Arkansas.

ZIP CODE TABULATION AREAS

There are 596 ZIP Code tabulation areas (ZCTAs) in Arkansas.

HISTORICAL CENTERS OF POPULATION

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/2010census/centerpop2010/historical/historical_cenpop_05.html

Year	North Latitude	West Longitude
2010⁶	35° 08′ 33″	92° 39′ 19″
2000⁶	35° 04′ 49″	92° 34′ 37″
1990⁵	35° 00′ 40″	92° 29′ 15″
1980⁴	34° 58′ 18″	92° 26′ 03″
1970³	34° 54′ 52″	92° 21′ 05″
1960³	34° 52′ 19″	92° 10′ 48″
1950³	34° 54′ 54″	92° 13′ 43″
1940²	34° 57′ 32″	92° 26′ 10″
1930²	34° 54′ 05″	92° 21′ 05″
1920¹	34° 55′ 14″	92° 20′ 48″
1910¹	34° 55′ 16″	92° 25′ 08″
1900¹	34° 56′ 18″	92° 28′ 27″
1890¹	34° 57′ 35″	92° 29′ 41″
1880¹	34° 55′ 41″	92° 30′ 25″

¹  Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1923
²  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, recomputation for historical county level data which relied upon aggregate county level population data with an estimated county centroid resulting in a possible error of up to one mile.
³  Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census, Centers of Population for States and Counties, 1974
⁴  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group/enumeration area data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁵  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division, recomputation from archived national block group data resulting in a possible error of up to 1,000 feet.
⁶  Source: U.S. Census Bureau, computation from national block-level data

MOST POPULOUS, LARGEST, AND DENSE AREAS

	Population		Land Area (square miles)		Population Density (Persons per square mile)
	Name	Population	Name	Area	Name	Density
County	Pulaski County	382,748	Union County	1,039.21	Pulaski County	503.8
Place
- Inc Place	Little Rock city	193,524	Little Rock city	119.2	Mitchellville city	2,754.3
- CDP	Hot Springs Village CDP	12,807	Hot Springs Village CDP	53.52	Rockwell CDP	1,204.3

LISTS OF ENTITIES

Metropolitan and Micropolitan Statistical Areas and Related Statistical Areas
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/cbsa10.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/guidestloc/files/csa10.txt

Counties
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/counties_list_05.txt

County Subdivisions
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/county_sub_list_05.txt

Places
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/2010_place_list_05.txt

Census Tracts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/census_tracts_list_05.txt

Congressional Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_cd111_national.txt

School Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_unsd_national.txt

State Legislative Districts
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldl_national.txt
http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_sldu_national.txt

ZIP Code Tabulation Areas

http://www.census.gov/geo/www/gazetteer/files/Gaz_zcta_national.txt