| County: | Polk County |
| State: | Arkansas |
| Founded Year: | 1844 |
| Founded Date: | November 30 |
| Seat Wl: | Mena |
| Largest City Wl: | Mena |
| Area Total Sq Mi: | 862 |
| Area Land Sq Mi: | 858 |
| Area Water Sq Mi: | 4.8 |
| Area Percentage: | 0.6% |
| Population As Of: | 2020 |
| Population Total: | 19221 |
| Population Density Sq Mi: | auto |
| Ex Image: | Polk Co. Courthouse.JPG |
| Ex Image Cap: | Polk County Courthouse in Mena |
| District: | 4th |
| Time Zone: | Central |
| Named For: | James K. Polk |
Polk County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 19,221.[1] The county seat is Mena.[2] Polk County is Arkansas's 48th county, formed on November 30, 1844; it was named for James K. Polk, 11th President of the United States.
Formerly an alcohol prohibition or dry county. However, following a historic mid-term election, Polk County is now a wet county.[3]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of, of which is land and (0.6%) is water.[4]
| Number | Percentage | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 16,092 | 83.72% | |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 39 | 0.2% | |
| Native American | 335 | 1.74% | |
| Asian | 100 | 0.52% | |
| Pacific Islander | 9 | 0.05% | |
| Other/Mixed | 1,368 | 7.12% | |
| Hispanic or Latino | 1,278 | 6.65% |
As of the 2000 census,[5] there were 20,229 people, 8,047 households, and 5,793 families residing in the county. The population density was 24/mi2. There were 9,236 housing units at an average density of 11/mi2. The racial makeup of the county was 94.69% White, 0.16% Black or African American, 1.49% Native American, 0.21% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.72% from other races, and 1.67% from two or more races. 3.50% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,047 households, out of which 31.90% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 60.40% were married couples living together, 8.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.00% were non-families. 25.00% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.30% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.49 and the average family size was 2.97.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.60% under the age of 18, 7.90% from 18 to 24, 25.00% from 25 to 44, 24.50% from 45 to 64, and 17.00% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 97.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.00 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,180, and the median income for a family was $31,379. Males had a median income of $23,397 versus $17,294 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,063. 18.20% of the population and 14.00% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 23.50% were under the age of 18 and 16.20% were 65 or older.
As of 2010 Polk County had a population of 20,662. Of this population 89.77% were non-Hispanic whites, 0.31% were blacks, 1.76% Native Americans, 0.45% Asians, 2.03% non-Hispanics reporting one or more race and 5.76% Hispanic or Latino.
Since 1952, Polk County has been heavily Republican, only voting for the Democratic nominee for president three times since then. It last voted for the Democratic nominee for president in 1992, when it gave Arkansas governor Bill Clinton 43.8 percent of the vote. After this, the county trended rapidly towards Republicans, with the Republican margin of victory increasing in every subsequent election. In 2020, the county gave Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump 82.9 percent of the vote, the highest ever vote share for a Republican presidential candidate in the county, and Democratic nominee Joe Biden 14.7 percent of the vote, the lowest ever vote share for a Democratic presidential candidate in the county.
Polk County is the setting for Stephen Hunter's fictional Bob Lee Swagger series, the most notable being Black Light, as well as the place where Joel B Reed's fictional character, Jazz Phillips, of the Jazz Phillips mystery series, grew up.