Faulkner County, Arkansas Explained

County:Faulkner County
State:Arkansas
Flag:Flag_of_Faulkner_County,_Arkansas.svg
Seal:Faulkner County, Arkansas official seal.png
Founded:April 12, 1873
Seat Wl:Conway
Largest City Wl:Conway
Area Total Sq Mi:664
Area Land Sq Mi:648
Area Water Sq Mi:16
Area Percentage:2.4%
Population As Of:2020
Population Total:123498
Population Density Sq Mi:auto
Web:www.faulknercounty.org
Ex Image:FaulknerCountyCourthouse.jpg
Ex Image Cap:Faulkner County Courthouse
District:2nd
Time Zone:Central
Named For:Sandford C. Faulkner

Faulkner County is a county located in the Central Arkansas region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 123,498, making it the fifth most populous of Arkansas's 75 counties.[1] The county seat and largest city is Conway.[2] Faulkner County was created on April 12, 1873, one of nine counties formed during Reconstruction, and is named for Sandford C. Faulkner, better known as Sandy Faulkner, a popular figure in the state at the time.

Located at the intersection of the Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley, the county was sparsely populated for much of its early years. Largely a county of rural settlements, growth came slowly following the Civil War and Reconstruction. The college known today as University of Central Arkansas was established in 1907, but population continued to grow slowly. The growth of Little Rock and the construction of Interstate 40 have made Conway and other parts of Faulkner County into bedroom communities for the state capitol. Today Faulkner County is included in the Central Arkansas metro area, with Conway as a principal city.

History

Eponym

Faulkner County was formed from parts of Conway and Pulaski counties on April 12, 1873, and is named after Sandford C. Faulkner, a planter, raconteur, and fiddle player known for his popular folk tale Arkansas Traveler (folklore) from the early-19th century.[3] The story later was performed by Mose Case in the mid-19th century as a folk song "Arkansas Traveler", the official historic song of the U.S. state of Arkansas since 1987.[4]

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (2.4%) is water.[5]

Major highways

Transit

Adjacent counties

Demographics

2020 census

Race!scope="col"
NumberPercentage
White (non-Hispanic)92,57374.96%
Black or African American (non-Hispanic)14,27411.56%
Native American5620.46%
Asian1,4611.18%
Pacific Islander610.05%
Other/Mixed7,7776.3%
Hispanic or Latino6,7905.5%
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 123,498 people, 47,389 households, and 31,590 families residing in the county.

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census,[6] there were 86,014 people, 31,882 households, and 22,444 families residing in the county. The population density was 133sp=usNaNsp=us. There were 34,546 housing units at an average density of 53/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 88.33% White, 8.48% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.72% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.68% from other races, and 1.23% from two or more races. 1.75% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 31,882 households, out of which 35.70% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.70% were married couples living together, 10.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.60% were non-families. 22.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.90% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.04.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 15.30% from 18 to 24, 30.10% from 25 to 44, 19.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.50 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $38,204, and the median income for a family was $45,946. Males had a median income of $32,288 versus $24,428 for females. The per capita income for the county was $35,159.[7] About 7.90% of families and 12.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.90% of those under age 18 and 12.00% of those age 65 or over.

Government

Over the past few election cycles Faulkner county has trended heavily towards the GOP. The last Democrat (as of 2020) to carry this county was Arkansas native Bill Clinton in 1996.

Education

Public education

Publicly funded education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by:

Private education

Privately funded education for elementary and secondary school students is provided by:

Communities

Cities

Towns

Townships

[8] [9]

Source:

See also

External links

35.16°N -92.3136°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census - Geography Profile: Faulkner County, Arkansas. United States Census Bureau. January 19, 2023.
  2. Web site: Find a County . June 7, 2011 . National Association of Counties . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx . May 31, 2011 .
  3. Book: Pope, William F. . Early Days in Arkansas: Being for the Most Part the Personal Recollections of an Old Settler . 1895 . F. W. Allsopp . 978-0-89308-071-6 . 230–233 . en.
  4. Book: The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States . Govt. Print. Off. . Gannett, Henry . 1905 . 124.
  5. Web site: 2010 Census Gazetteer Files. United States Census Bureau. August 26, 2015. August 22, 2012.
  6. Web site: U.S. Census website . . May 14, 2011 .
  7. Web site: Local Area Personal Incomes. Bureau of Economic Analysis. Bureau of Economic Analysis. February 6, 2018.
  8. U. S. Census Bureau . 2011 Boundary and Annexation Survey (BAS): Faulkner County, AR . https://web.archive.org/web/20121019124017/http://www2.census.gov/geo/pvs/bas/bas11/st05_ar/cou/c05045_faulkner/BAS11C20504500000_000.pdf . dead . October 19, 2012 . August 4, 2011 .
  9. Web site: Arkansas: 2010 Census Block Maps - County Subdivision . . May 28, 2014.