# Jackson County, Arkansas

Jackson County is located in the Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The county is named for Andrew Jackson, a national hero during the War of 1812. By the county's formation in 1829, Jackson had become the seventh President of the United States. Jackson County is home to seven incorporated towns and four incorporated cities, including Newport, the largest city and county seat. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. Occupying 633.94 square miles (164,190 ha), Jackson County is the 41st largest county of the 75 in Arkansas. As of the 2020 Census, the county's population was 16,755. Based on population, the county is the 44th-largest county in Arkansas. Although terrain rises in the west, most of Jackson County is within the Arkansas Delta, characterized by largely flat terrain with fertile soils. Historically covered in forest, bayous and swamps, the area was cleared for agriculture by early settlers. It is drained by the White River. No Interstate highways are located in Jackson County, two United States highways (U.S. Route 67 (US 67) and US 167) and fifteen Arkansas state highways run in the county. A Union Pacific Railroad line also crosses the county.

## Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 642 square miles (1,660 km$^2$), of which 634 square miles (1,640 km$^2$) is land and 7.6 square miles (20 km$^2$) (1.2%) is water.

### Major highways

* Interstate 57
* U.S. Highway 67
* U.S. Highway 167
* Highway 14
* Highway 17
* Highway 18
* Highway 18 Spur
* Highway 33
* Highway 37
* Highway 42
* Highway 69
* Highway 69 Spur
* Highway 87
* Highway 145
* Highway 157
* Highway 224
* Highway 226
* Highway 367
* Highway 384
* Airport Highway 980

### Adjacent counties

* Lawrence County (north)
* Craighead County (northeast)
* Poinsett County (east)
* Cross County (southeast)
* Woodruff County (south)
* White County (southwest)
* Independence County (west)

### National protected area

* Cache River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

## Demographics
### 2020 census

Jackson County racial composition :
| Race | Number | Percentage |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 12,754 | 76.12% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,764 | 16.5% |
| Native American | 43 | 0.26% |
| Asian | 63 | 0.38% |
| Pacific Islander | 4 | 0.02% |
| Other/Mixed | 666 | 3.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 461 | 2.75% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 16,755 people, 6,137 households, and 3,758 families residing in the county.

### 2000 census

As of the 2000 census, there were 18,418 people, 6,971 households, and 4,830 families residing in the county. The population density was 29 people per square mile (11 people/km$^2$). There were 7,956 housing units at an average density of 13 units per square mile (5.0 units/km$^2$). The racial makeup of the county was 80.57% White, 17.56% Black or African American, 0.33% Native American, 0.18% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.40% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 1.27% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 6,971 households, out of which 27.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.20% were married couples living together, 13.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.70% were non-families. 27.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.20% under the age of 18, 11.50% from 18 to 24, 26.00% from 25 to 44, 23.80% from 45 to 64, and 16.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 91.20 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.80 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,081, and the median income for a family was $32,661. Males had a median income of $26,744 versus $17,830 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,564. About 13.20% of families and 17.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.00% of those under age 18 and 16.70% of those age 65 or over.

## Government and infrastructure

The Grimes Unit and the McPherson Unit, prisons of the Arkansas Department of Correction, are located in Newport, off of Arkansas Highway 384, 4 miles (6.4 km) east of central Newport. The prison houses the state's death row for women. The Jackson County Sheriff's Office is the primary county-wide law enforcement agency.

### Politics

United States presidential election results for Jackson County, Arkansas :
| Year | Republican | Republican | Democratic | Democratic | Third party(ies) | Third party(ies) |
| Year | No. | % | No. | % | No. | % |
| 2024 | 3,509 | 73.49% | 1,183 | 24.77% | 83 | 1.74% |
| 2020 | 3,593 | 70.58% | 1,365 | 26.81% | 133 | 2.61% |
| 2016 | 3,267 | 63.36% | 1,583 | 30.70% | 306 | 5.93% |
| 2012 | 3,072 | 57.45% | 2,095 | 39.18% | 180 | 3.37% |
| 2008 | 3,118 | 55.86% | 2,207 | 39.54% | 257 | 4.60% |
| 2004 | 2,624 | 42.19% | 3,515 | 56.52% | 80 | 1.29% |
| 2000 | 2,280 | 37.55% | 3,651 | 60.13% | 141 | 2.32% |
| 1996 | 1,525 | 23.46% | 4,304 | 66.22% | 671 | 10.32% |
| 1992 | 1,864 | 24.77% | 4,944 | 65.71% | 716 | 9.52% |
| 1988 | 3,049 | 41.90% | 4,199 | 57.71% | 28 | 0.38% |
| 1984 | 3,901 | 48.88% | 4,038 | 50.60% | 42 | 0.53% |
| 1980 | 3,191 | 39.49% | 4,651 | 57.55% | 239 | 2.96% |
| 1976 | 1,783 | 21.64% | 6,456 | 78.36% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1972 | 4,196 | 66.73% | 2,092 | 33.27% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1968 | 1,356 | 19.56% | 2,051 | 29.59% | 3,525 | 50.85% |
| 1964 | 2,141 | 31.36% | 4,651 | 68.12% | 36 | 0.53% |
| 1960 | 1,986 | 38.50% | 2,860 | 55.44% | 313 | 6.07% |
| 1956 | 1,323 | 26.14% | 3,699 | 73.09% | 39 | 0.77% |
| 1952 | 1,516 | 25.62% | 4,401 | 74.38% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1948 | 338 | 10.34% | 2,696 | 82.45% | 236 | 7.22% |
| 1944 | 414 | 15.15% | 2,318 | 84.85% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1940 | 382 | 14.54% | 2,223 | 84.59% | 23 | 0.88% |
| 1936 | 327 | 13.19% | 2,151 | 86.77% | 1 | 0.04% |
| 1932 | 193 | 7.09% | 2,521 | 92.58% | 9 | 0.33% |
| 1928 | 698 | 31.24% | 1,527 | 68.35% | 9 | 0.40% |
| 1924 | 392 | 25.44% | 1,069 | 69.37% | 80 | 5.19% |
| 1920 | 1,131 | 40.34% | 1,575 | 56.17% | 98 | 3.50% |
| 1916 | 476 | 26.05% | 1,351 | 73.95% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1912 | 543 | 31.94% | 837 | 49.24% | 320 | 18.82% |
| 1908 | 864 | 42.39% | 1,055 | 51.77% | 119 | 5.84% |
| 1904 | 677 | 47.28% | 746 | 52.09% | 9 | 0.63% |
| 1900 | 598 | 36.05% | 1,050 | 63.29% | 11 | 0.66% |
| 1896 | 588 | 26.95% | 1,585 | 72.64% | 9 | 0.41% |

## Communities
### Cities

* Campbell Station
* Diaz
* Grubbs
* Newport (county seat)
* Swifton
* Tuckerman

### Towns

* Amagon
* Beedeville
* Jacksonport
* Tupelo
* Weldon

### Unincorporated communities

* Balch
* Centerville
* Denmark
* Heffington
* Kenyon
* Macks
* Midway
* Olyphant
* Possum Grape

### Ghost towns

* Colerain
* Estico
* Mt. Pinson
* Myrickville
* Sneed

### Townships

Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Jackson County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township.
* Barren
* Bateman (contains part of Newport)
* Bird (contains most of Tuckerman)
* Breckinridge (contains Tupelo and Weldon)
* Bryan
* Cache
* Cow Lake (contains Beedeville)
* Glaize
* Glass (contains Swifton)
* Grubbs (contains Grubbs)
* Jefferson (contains Campbell Station and Jacksonport, part of Diaz and Tuckerman)
* Richwoods (contains Amagon)
* Union (contains most of Diaz and Newport)
* Village (contains part of Diaz and Newport)
Source:

## Government and politics

Jackson County is represented in the Arkansas State Senate by the Republican Ronald R. Caldwell, a real estate businessman from Wynne in Cross County.