Crittenden County, Arkansas

Adjacent counties

National protected area

• Wapanocca National Wildlife Refuge

Racial and ethnic composition

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 48,163. The median age was 37.7 years. 26.2% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 88.8 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 84.3 males age 18 and over.^[21][22]

The racial makeup of the county was 40.0% White, 53.8% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 1.4% from some other race, and 3.8% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 3.0% of the population.^[22]

81.6% of residents lived in urban areas, while 18.4% lived in rural areas.^[23]

There were 18,885 households in the county, of which 34.1% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.1% were married-couple households, 20.2% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 38.4% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[21]

There were 21,291 housing units, of which 11.3% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 54.8% were owner-occupied and 45.2% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.^[21]

2010 census

As of the 2010 census, there were 50,902 people living in the county. 51.2% were Black or African American, 46.1% White, 0.6% Asian, 0.3% Native American, 0.8% of some other race and 1.1% of two or more races. 2.0% were Hispanic or Latino (of any race).

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,^[24] there were 50,866 people, 18,471 households, and 13,373 families living in the county. The population density was 83 inhabitants per square mile (32/km²). There were 20,507 housing units at an average density of 34 per square mile (13/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 50.91% White, 47.05% Black or African American, 0.24% Native American, 0.47% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.66% from other races, and 0.64% from two or more races. 1.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 18,471 households, out of which 37.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.80% were married couples living together, 21.30% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.60% were non-families. 23.70% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.72 and the average family size was 3.23.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 31.10% under the age of 18, 9.40% from 18 to 24, 29.10% from 25 to 44, 20.50% from 45 to 64, and 9.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 32 years. For every 100 females there were 91.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 85.00 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $30,109, and the median income for a family was $34,982. Males had a median income of $31,299 versus $21,783 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,424. About 21.00% of families and 25.30% of the population were below the poverty line, including 35.30% of those under age 18 and 23.70% of those age 65 or over.

Elementary and secondary education

Public school districts include:^[25]

• Earle School District, which operates Earle High School
• Marion School District, which operates Marion High School
• West Memphis School District, which operates Academies of West Memphis

Former school districts:^[26]

• Crawfordsville School District
• Hughes School District, which operated Hughes High School
• Turrell School District

The Old Earle High School is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Postsecondary education

Crittenden County is served by Arkansas State University Mid-South in West Memphis. The college offers bachelor's and master's degree programs in conjunction with Arkansas State University, The University of Arkansas, The University of Central Arkansas, Arkansas Tech University and Franklin University.^[27]

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 Crittenden County Quorum Court has eleven members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief executive 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.^[34][35]

The composition of the Quorum Court after the 2024 elections is 8 Democrats and 3 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:^[36][39][40]

• District 1: Vickie Miles (D)
• District 2: Albert Marconi (R)
• District 3: Stacy Allen (D)
• District 4: Tamara Hood (D)
• District 5: Marco McClendon (D)
• District 6: Thomas A. Dill (D)
• District 7: Rickey McCauley (D)
• District 8: Sidney Hardin (R)
• District 9: Kenneth Cross (D)
• District 10: Bradley Moore (R)
• District 11: Lisa Vickers O'Neil (D)

Additionally, the townships of Crittenden 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.^[41] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:^[40]

• Black Oak: Scott D. Fraley (D)
• Jackson: Steve Johnson (D)
• Jasper: Stanley Griffin (D)
• Lucas: Roy O. Harness III (D)
• Mississippi: Eddie West (D)

Politics

Crittenden County has been a longtime Democratic stronghold, which begins to be more relevant as the state of Arkansas becomes more entrenched in the Republican Party and Black voters in the Mississippi Delta have become one of the last bases of Democratic support in the state. While the county's closeness to the larger Memphis area has led to a relatively stable population, the sharp rightward turn of Arkansas politically has led to the margins in this county to shrink with each presidential election.

Major highways

• I-40
• I-55
• I-555
• US 61
• US 64
• US 70
• US 78
• US 79
• AR 38
• AR 42
• AR 50
• AR 77
• AR 118
• AR 131
• AR 147
• AR 149
• AR 184
• AR 191
• AR 218
• AR 816

Airports

Crittenden County is served by the West Memphis Municipal Airport (KAWM),^[44] a General Aviation facility with a Control Tower and Instrument Landing capabilities.^[45] General DeWitt Spain Airport is a civil aviation airport just north of downtown Memphis.

The Memphis International Airport is nearby and provides commercial aviation through numerous carriers and is the international cargo hub for FedEx.

Rail

Union Pacific operates a 600 Acre intermodal facility west of Marion, Arkansas.^[46] BNSF Railway also operates a yard in Marion.

Limited Passenger Rail is available on Amtrak at Memphis Central Station in nearby Memphis. The City of New Orleans runs twice daily on a north–south route from Chicago to New Orleans.^[47]

Water

Crittenden County and West Memphis jointly operate a port on the Mississippi River.^[48] The International Port of Memphis lies just across the Mississippi River via Interstate 55. The International Port of Memphis is the 4th largest inland port in the United States.^[49]

Cities

• Earle
• Marion (county seat)
• Turrell
• West Memphis

Towns

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 Crittenden County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. ^[50][51]

• Black Oak
• Bob Ward (Anthonyville, Edmondson, small part of Jennette)
• Fogleman (Gilmore, Turrell)
• Jackson (Crawfordsville, part of Marion, part of West Memphis small part of Jennette)
• Jasper (Sunset, most of Marion, part of West Memphis, small part of Clarkedale)
• Lucas (Horseshoe Lake)
• Mississippi (most of West Memphis, part of Marion)
• Mound City (part of Marion, part of West Memphis, small part of Clarkedale)
• Proctor (part of West Memphis)
• Tyronza (Earle, most of Jennette)
• Wappanocca (Jericho, most of Clarkedale)