Desha County, Arkansas

Major highways

• Future Interstate 69
• U.S. Highway 65
• U.S. Highway 165
• U.S. Highway 278
• Highway 1
• Highway 4
• Highway 138

Adjacent counties

• Arkansas County (north)
• Phillips County (northeast)
• Bolivar County, Mississippi (east)
• Chicot County (south)
• Drew County (southwest)
• Lincoln County (northwest)

National protected area

• White River National Wildlife Refuge (part)

2020 census

As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 11,395. The median age was 40.7 years. 24.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 19.1% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 90.1 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 86.3 males age 18 and over.^[12][13]

The racial makeup of the county was 42.5% White, 47.4% Black or African American, 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 4.6% from some other race, and 4.5% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 6.8% of the population.^[13]

37.8% of residents lived in urban areas, while 62.2% lived in rural areas.^[14]

There were 4,891 households in the county, of which 30.3% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 35.7% were married-couple households, 21.4% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 38.0% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 34.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.3% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.^[12]

There were 5,795 housing units, of which 15.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 57.1% were owner-occupied and 42.9% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.8% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.0%.^[12]

2000 census

As of the 2000 census,^[15] there were 15,341 people, 5,922 households, and 4,192 families residing in the county. The population density was 20 people per square mile (7.7 people/km²). There were 6,663 housing units at an average density of 9 units per square mile (3.5 units/km²). The racial makeup of the county was 50.50% White, 46.33% Black or African American, 0.35% Native American, 0.30% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 1.73% from other races, and 0.76% from two or more races. 3.16% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 5,922 households, out of which 34.60% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 46.50% were married couples living together, 19.90% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.20% were non-families. 26.90% of all households were made up of individuals, and 12.70% 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 3.10.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 28.90% under the age of 18, 9.00% from 18 to 24, 25.20% from 25 to 44, 22.70% from 45 to 64, and 14.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females, there were 87.60 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.90 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $24,121, and the median income for a family was $30,028. Males had a median income of $29,623 versus $18,913 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,446. About 23.60% of families and 28.90% of the population were below the poverty line, including 39.60% of those under age 18 and 24.00% of those age 65 or over.

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 Desha County Quorum Court has nine members. Presiding over quorum court meetings is the county judge, who serves as the chief operating 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.^[16][17]

The composition of the Quorum Court following the 2024 elections is 5 Democrats and 4 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:^[20]

• District 1: Troy Jackson Jr. (D)
• District 2: G. Lynn Weatherford (D)
• District 3: Patricia Watkins (D)
• District 4: Rick Helton (D)
• District 5: Hollis Mankin (R)
• District 6: Ken Holt (R)
• District 7: Rita K. Kolb (R)
• District 8: Dollie Ann Wilson (D)
• District 9: Norris Sims (R)

Additionally, the townships of Desha 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.^[21] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:^[20]

• Randolph: Dennis Blankenship (R)

Politics

Desha County had consistently voted Democratic, even as Arkansas as a whole has strongly shifted to the Republican Party and the margins in the county shrinking due to depopulation, voting for the Democratic nominee in every presidential election from 1972 to 2020. In 2020, Joe Biden became the first Democrat since Walter Mondale to fall under 50% in the county, winning a plurality. In 2024, Donald Trump became the first Republican since Richard Nixon in 1972 to win the county.

Cities

• Arkansas City (county seat)^[23]
• Dumas
• McGehee
• Mitchellville
• Tillar (partly in Drew County)
• Watson

Towns

• Reed

Census-designated place

• Halley

Unincorporated areas

• Back Gate
• Kelso
• Masonville
• McArthur
• Pea Ridge
• Pendleton
• Pickens
• Rohwer
• Snow Lake
• Yancopin

Historic community

• Napoleon

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 Desha County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. ^[24][25]