Sharp County, Arkansas
County in Arkansas, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Sharp County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,271.[1] The county seat is Ash Flat.[2] The county was formed on July 18, 1868, and named for Ephraim Sharp, a state legislator from the area.
Sharp County, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
| |
 Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas | |
| Coordinates: 36°09′21″N 91°30′18″W | |
| Country |  United States |
| State |  Arkansas |
| Founded | July 18, 1868 |
| Named after | Ephraim Sharp |
| Seat | Ash Flat |
| Largest city | Cherokee Village |
| Area | |
• Total | 606 sq mi (1,570 km2) |
| • Land | 604 sq mi (1,560 km2) |
| • Water | 2.0 sq mi (5.2 km2) 0.3% |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 17,271 |
• Estimate (2024) | 18,130  |
| • Density | 28.6/sq mi (11.0/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
| Congressional district | 1st |
| Website | sharpcounty |
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 606 square miles (1,570 km2), of which 604 square miles (1,560 km2) is land and 2.0 square miles (5.2 km2) (0.3%) is water.[3]
Major highways
Adjacent counties
- Oregon County, Missouri (north)
- Randolph County (northeast)
- Lawrence County (southeast)
- Independence County (south)
- Izard County (southwest)
- Fulton County (northwest)
Demographics
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1870 | 5,400 | — | |
| 1880 | 9,047 | 67.5% | |
| 1890 | 10,418 | 15.2% | |
| 1900 | 12,199 | 17.1% | |
| 1910 | 11,688 | −4.2% | |
| 1920 | 11,132 | −4.8% | |
| 1930 | 10,715 | −3.7% | |
| 1940 | 11,497 | 7.3% | |
| 1950 | 8,999 | −21.7% | |
| 1960 | 6,319 | −29.8% | |
| 1970 | 8,233 | 30.3% | |
| 1980 | 14,607 | 77.4% | |
| 1990 | 14,109 | −3.4% | |
| 2000 | 17,119 | 21.3% | |
| 2010 | 17,264 | 0.8% | |
| 2020 | 17,271 | 0.0% | |
| 2024 (est.) | 18,130 | [4] | 5.0% |
| U.S. Decennial Census[5] 1790–1960[6] 1900–1990[7] 1990–2000[8] 2010[9] | |||
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 17,271. The median age was 48.4 years. 20.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 26.0% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 97.4 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 95.5 males age 18 and over.[10][11]
| Race | Percentage |
|---|---|
| White | 91.9% |
| Black or African American | 0.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 0.7% |
| Asian | 0.3% |
| Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander | 0.1% |
| Some other race | 0.8% |
| Two or more races | 5.4% |
| Hispanic or Latino (of any race) | 2.1% |
<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.[12]
There were 7,356 households in the county, of which 25.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.8% were married-couple households, 19.3% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.9% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 30.8% of all households were made up of individuals and 16.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.[10]
There were 9,499 housing units, of which 22.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 76.3% were owner-occupied and 23.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 3.7% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.3%.[10]
2000 census
As of the 2000 census,[13] there were 17,119 people, 7,211 households, and 5,141 families residing in the county. The population density was 28 people per square mile (11 people/km2). There were 9,342 housing units at an average density of 16 units per square mile (6.2 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 97.14% White, 0.49% Black or African American, 0.68% Native American, 0.12% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.16% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. 0.98% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 7,211 households, out of which 25.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.90% were married couples living together, 8.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.70% were non-families. 25.60% 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 2.34 and the average family size was 2.79.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 21.90% under the age of 18, 6.30% from 18 to 24, 22.80% from 25 to 44, 25.50% from 45 to 64, and 23.60% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females there were 92.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.20 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $25,152, and the median income for a family was $29,691. Males had a median income of $23,329 versus $16,884 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,143. About 13.20% of families and 18.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.40% of those under age 18 and 13.20% of those age 65 or over.
Government
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 Sharp County Quorum Court has nine 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.[14][15]
| Position | Officeholder | Party |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge | Mark Counts | Republican |
| County/Circuit Clerk | Alisa Black | Republican |
| Sheriff | Shane Russell | Republican |
| Treasurer | Wanda Girtman | Republican |
| Collector | Michelle Daggett | Republican |
| Assessor | Kathy Nix | Republican |
| Coroner | Renee Clay-Circle | Republican |
The composition of the Quorum Court after the 2024 elections is 9 Republicans. Justices of the Peace (members) of the Quorum Court following the elections are:[16][18][19]
- District 1: Kevin C. Dienst (R)
- District 2: Briana M. Dilorio (R)
- District 3: Joey Barnes (R)
- District 4: Roy Murphy (R)
- District 5: Tommy Estes (R)
- District 6: Jackie Pickett (R)
- District 7: Buell Wilkes (R)
- District 8: Jeral Hastings (R)
- District 9: Zack Baxter (R)
Additionally, the townships of Sharp 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.[20] The township constables as of the 2024 elections are:[18]
- District 1: Ashton Hester (R)
- District 2: George Jackson (R)
- District 3: David L. Gruger (R)
- District 4: Phillip Pickett (R)
- District 5: Kelly Newcom (R)
- District 6: Luke Vander Vort (R)
Politics
In recent years, Sharp County has trended heavily towards the Republican Party. The last Democrat to carry the county was Arkansas-native Bill Clinton in 1996. Since then, Democratic vote shares have plummeted, with Joe Biden in 2020 losing the county by a 4-to-1 margin to Republican Donald Trump, despite winning the national election.
| Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
| 1896 | 230 | 14.23% | 1,383 | 85.58% | 3 | 0.19% |
| 1900 | 394 | 26.84% | 1,059 | 72.14% | 15 | 1.02% |
| 1904 | 288 | 28.29% | 671 | 65.91% | 59 | 5.80% |
| 1908 | 317 | 23.05% | 970 | 70.55% | 88 | 6.40% |
| 1912 | 114 | 10.75% | 681 | 64.25% | 265 | 25.00% |
| 1916 | 251 | 20.52% | 972 | 79.48% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1920 | 400 | 26.42% | 995 | 65.72% | 119 | 7.86% |
| 1924 | 210 | 21.11% | 729 | 73.27% | 56 | 5.63% |
| 1928 | 501 | 38.24% | 808 | 61.68% | 1 | 0.08% |
| 1932 | 142 | 9.57% | 1,334 | 89.89% | 8 | 0.54% |
| 1936 | 289 | 23.40% | 934 | 75.63% | 12 | 0.97% |
| 1940 | 433 | 28.17% | 1,099 | 71.50% | 5 | 0.33% |
| 1944 | 664 | 35.08% | 1,217 | 64.29% | 12 | 0.63% |
| 1948 | 295 | 20.30% | 1,078 | 74.19% | 80 | 5.51% |
| 1952 | 655 | 38.60% | 1,039 | 61.23% | 3 | 0.18% |
| 1956 | 645 | 40.31% | 927 | 57.94% | 28 | 1.75% |
| 1960 | 911 | 51.01% | 807 | 45.18% | 68 | 3.81% |
| 1964 | 1,215 | 39.88% | 1,810 | 59.40% | 22 | 0.72% |
| 1968 | 1,136 | 32.83% | 1,025 | 29.62% | 1,299 | 37.54% |
| 1972 | 2,677 | 69.71% | 1,154 | 30.05% | 9 | 0.23% |
| 1976 | 2,151 | 37.85% | 3,532 | 62.15% | 0 | 0.00% |
| 1980 | 3,420 | 53.30% | 2,774 | 43.24% | 222 | 3.46% |
| 1984 | 4,392 | 63.38% | 2,492 | 35.96% | 46 | 0.66% |
| 1988 | 3,623 | 54.79% | 2,955 | 44.69% | 34 | 0.51% |
| 1992 | 2,486 | 34.55% | 3,761 | 52.27% | 949 | 13.19% |
| 1996 | 2,635 | 37.80% | 3,573 | 51.26% | 762 | 10.93% |
| 2000 | 3,698 | 51.89% | 3,236 | 45.41% | 192 | 2.69% |
| 2004 | 4,097 | 54.85% | 3,265 | 43.71% | 108 | 1.45% |
| 2008 | 4,535 | 62.53% | 2,436 | 33.59% | 281 | 3.87% |
| 2012 | 4,921 | 67.57% | 2,092 | 28.72% | 270 | 3.71% |
| 2016 | 5,407 | 74.59% | 1,472 | 20.31% | 370 | 5.10% |
| 2020 | 5,938 | 78.48% | 1,398 | 18.48% | 230 | 3.04% |
| 2024 | 5,978 | 80.38% | 1,316 | 17.70% | 143 | 1.92% |
Communities
Cities
- Ash Flat (county seat)
- Cave City
- Cherokee Village
- Hardy
- Highland
- Horseshoe Bend
Towns
Census-designated place
Unincorporated communities
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 Sharp County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. [22][23]
- Big Creek
- Cave (Cave City)
- Cherokee (most of Cherokee Village, small part of Highland)
- Davidson
- East Sullivan
- Hardy (most of Hardy)
- Highland (most of Highland)
- Jackson (Williford)
- Lave Creek
- Lower North
- Morgan
- North Big Rock
- North Lebanon
- Ozark
- Piney Fork (Evening Shade)
- Richwoods (part of Ash Flat, small part of Horseshoe Bend)
- Scott
- South Big Rock
- South Union
- Strawberry
- Upper North
- Washington
- West Sullivan (most of Sideny)
Sharp County was featured on the PBS program Independent Lens for its 1906 "banishment" of all of its Black residents."[24]