Arkansas is divided into 75 counties, each with its own unique geographic and economic characteristics. Pulaski County, home to the capital city, Little Rock, is the most populous and a center for government and healthcare. Benton County and Washington County, located in Northwest Arkansas, are rapidly growing due to the presence of Walmart and the University of Arkansas. Counties like Mississippi and Craighead are vital for agricultural production, including rice and soybeans, while Garland County is known for tourism due to Hot Springs National Park. These counties collectively shape Arkansas’s economic landscape, supporting a blend of agriculture, industry, education, and tourism.
| S.N. | County | FIPS Code | County Seat | Est. | Population | Area (sq mi) | Area (km2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas County | 1 | Stuttgart, DeWitt | December 13, 1813 | 19,019 | 1,033.79 | 2,678 |
| 2 | Ashley County | 3 | Hamburg | November 30, 1848 | 21,853 | 939.08 | 2,432 |
| 3 | Baxter County | 5 | Mountain Home | March 24, 1873 | 41,513 | 586.74 | 1,520 |
| 4 | Benton County | 7 | Bentonville | September 30, 1836 | 221,339 | 884.86 | 2,292 |
| 5 | Boone County | 9 | Harrison | April 9, 1869 | 36,903 | 601.82 | 1,559 |
| 6 | Bradley County | 11 | Warren | December 18, 1840 | 11,508 | 654.38 | 1,695 |
| 7 | Calhoun County | 13 | Hampton | December 6, 1850 | 5,368 | 632.54 | 1,638 |
| 8 | Carroll County | 15 | Berryville, Eureka Springs | November 1, 1833 | 27,446 | 638.81 | 1,655 |
| 9 | Chicot County | 17 | Lake Village | October 15, 1823 | 11,800 | 690.88 | 1,789 |
| 10 | Clark County | 19 | Arkadelphia | December 15, 1818 | 22,995 | 882.6 | 2,286 |
| 11 | Clay County | 21 | Piggott, Corning | March 24, 1873 | 16,083 | 641.42 | 1,661 |
| 12 | Cleburne County | 23 | Heber Springs | February 20, 1883 | 25,970 | 591.91 | 1,533 |
| 13 | Cleveland County | 25 | Rison | April 17, 1873 | 8,689 | 598.8 | 1,551 |
| 14 | Columbia County | 27 | Magnolia | December 17, 1852 | 24,552 | 766.86 | 1,986 |
| 15 | Conway County | 29 | Morrilton | October 20, 1825 | 21,273 | 566.66 | 1,468 |
| 16 | Craighead County | 31 | Jonesboro, Lake City | February 19, 1859 | 96,443 | 712.98 | 1,847 |
| 17 | Crawford County | 33 | Van Buren | October 18, 1820 | 61,948 | 604.2 | 1,565 |
| 18 | Crittenden County | 35 | Marion | October 22, 1825 | 50,902 | 636.74 | 1,649 |
| 19 | Cross County | 37 | Wynne | November 15, 1862 | 17,870 | 622.33 | 1,612 |
| 20 | Dallas County | 39 | Fordyce | January 1, 1845 | 8,116 | 668.16 | 1,731 |
| 21 | Desha County | 41 | Arkansas City | December 12, 1838 | 13,008 | 819.52 | 2,123 |
| 22 | Drew County | 43 | Monticello | November 26, 1846 | 18,509 | 835.65 | 2,164 |
| 23 | Faulkner County | 45 | Conway | April 12, 1873 | 113,237 | 664.01 | 1,720 |
| 24 | Franklin County | 47 | Ozark, Charleston | December 19, 1837 | 18,125 | 619.69 | 1,605 |
| 25 | Fulton County | 49 | Salem | December 21, 1842 | 12,245 | 620.32 | 1,607 |
| 26 | Garland County | 51 | Hot Springs | April 5, 1873 | 96,024 | 734.57 | 1,903 |
| 27 | Grant County | 53 | Sheridan | February 4, 1869 | 17,853 | 633.01 | 1,639 |
| 28 | Greene County | 55 | Paragould | November 5, 1833 | 42,090 | 579.65 | 1,501 |
| 29 | Hempstead County | 57 | Hope | December 15, 1818 | 22,609 | 741.36 | 1,920 |
| 30 | Hot Spring County | 59 | Malvern | November 2, 1829 | 32,923 | 622.16 | 1,611 |
| 31 | Howard County | 61 | Nashville | April 17, 1873 | 13,789 | 595.2 | 1,542 |
| 32 | Independence County | 63 | Batesville | October 20, 1820 | 36,647 | 771.57 | 1,998 |
| 33 | Izard County | 65 | Melbourne | October 27, 1825 | 13,696 | 584.02 | 1,513 |
| 34 | Jackson County | 67 | Newport | November 5, 1829 | 17,997 | 641.45 | 1,661 |
| 35 | Jefferson County | 69 | Pine Bluff | November 2, 1829 | 77,435 | 913.7 | 2,366 |
| 36 | Johnson County | 71 | Clarksville | November 16, 1833 | 25,540 | 682.74 | 1,768 |
| 37 | Lafayette County | 73 | Lewisville | October 15, 1827 | 7,645 | 545.07 | 1,412 |
| 38 | Lawrence County | 75 | Walnut Ridge | January 15, 1815 | 17,415 | 592.34 | 1,534 |
| 39 | Lee County | 77 | Marianna | April 17, 1873 | 10,424 | 619.47 | 1,604 |
| 40 | Lincoln County | 79 | Star City | March 28, 1871 | 14,134 | 572.17 | 1,482 |
| 41 | Little River County | 81 | Ashdown | March 5, 1867 | 13,171 | 564.87 | 1,463 |
| 42 | Logan County | 83 | Booneville, Paris | March 22, 1871 | 22,353 | 731.5 | 1,895 |
| 43 | Lonoke County | 85 | Lonoke | April 16, 1873 | 68,356 | 802.43 | 2,078 |
| 44 | Madison County | 87 | Huntsville | September 30, 1836 | 15,717 | 837.06 | 2,168 |
| 45 | Marion County | 89 | Yellville | November 3, 1835 | 16,653 | 640.39 | 1,659 |
| 46 | Miller County | 91 | Texarkana | April 1, 1820 | 43,462 | 637.48 | 1,651 |
| 47 | Mississippi County | 93 | Blytheville, Osceola | November 1, 1833 | 46,480 | 919.73 | 2,382 |
| 48 | Monroe County | 95 | Clarendon | November 2, 1829 | 8,149 | 621.41 | 1,609 |
| 49 | Montgomery County | 97 | Mount Ida | December 9, 1842 | 9,487 | 800.29 | 2,073 |
| 50 | Nevada County | 99 | Prescott | March 20, 1871 | 8,997 | 620.78 | 1,608 |
| 51 | Newton County | 101 | Jasper | December 14, 1842 | 8,330 | 823.18 | 2,132 |
| 52 | Ouachita County | 103 | Camden | November 29, 1842 | 26,120 | 739.63 | 1,916 |
| 53 | Perry County | 105 | Perryville | December 18, 1840 | 10,445 | 560.47 | 1,452 |
| 54 | Phillips County | 107 | Helena | May 1, 1820 | 21,757 | 727.29 | 1,884 |
| 55 | Pike County | 109 | Murfreesboro | November 1, 1833 | 11,291 | 613.88 | 1,590 |
| 56 | Poinsett County | 111 | Harrisburg | February 28, 1838 | 24,583 | 763.39 | 1,977 |
| 57 | Polk County | 113 | Mena | November 30, 1844 | 20,662 | 862.42 | 2,234 |
| 58 | Pope County | 115 | Russellville | November 2, 1829 | 61,754 | 830.79 | 2,152 |
| 59 | Prairie County | 117 | Des Arc, DeValls Bluff | October 25, 1846 | 8,715 | 675.76 | 1,750 |
| 60 | Pulaski County | 119 | Little Rock | December 15, 1818 | 382,748 | 807.84 | 2,092 |
| 61 | Randolph County | 121 | Pocahontas | October 29, 1835 | 17,969 | 656.04 | 1,699 |
| 62 | St. Francis County | 123 | Forrest City | October 13, 1827 | 28,258 | 642.4 | 1,664 |
| 63 | Saline County | 125 | Benton | November 2, 1835 | 107,118 | 730.46 | 1,892 |
| 64 | Scott County | 127 | Waldron | November 5, 1833 | 11,233 | 898.09 | 2,326 |
| 65 | Searcy County | 129 | Marshall | December 13, 1838 | 8,195 | 668.51 | 1,731 |
| 66 | Sebastian County | 131 | Fort Smith, Greenwood | January 6, 1851 | 125,744 | 546.04 | 1,414 |
| 67 | Sevier County | 133 | De Queen | October 17, 1828 | 17,058 | 581.35 | 1,506 |
| 68 | Sharp County | 135 | Ash Flat | July 18, 1868 | 17,264 | 606.35 | 1,570 |
| 69 | Stone County | 137 | Mountain View | April 21, 1873 | 12,394 | 609.43 | 1,578 |
| 70 | Union County | 139 | El Dorado | November 2, 1829 | 41,639 | 1,055.27 | 2,733 |
| 71 | Van Buren County | 141 | Clinton | November 11, 1833 | 17,295 | 724.32 | 1,876 |
| 72 | Washington County | 143 | Fayetteville | October 17, 1828 | 203,065 | 951.72 | 2,465 |
| 73 | White County | 145 | Searcy | October 23, 1835 | 77,076 | 1,042.36 | 2,700 |
| 74 | Woodruff County | 147 | Augusta | November 26, 1862 | 7,260 | 594.05 | 1,539 |
| 75 | Yell County | 149 | Dardanelle, Danville | December 5, 1840 | 22,185 | 948.84 | 2,457 |
Arkansas is composed of 75 counties, each contributing to the state’s diverse economy, geography, and culture. These counties range from densely populated urban centers like Pulaski County to rural agricultural hubs such as Mississippi County. This overview highlights the unique characteristics, economic contributions, and geographic features of key Arkansas counties, providing a comprehensive understanding of their role in shaping the state.
Pulaski County, with Little Rock as its county seat, is Arkansas’s most populous county, with over 392,000 residents. As the location of the state capital, Pulaski County serves as Arkansas’s center for government and healthcare. The county hosts significant healthcare institutions like the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) and Baptist Health, which are among the top employers in the region. Additionally, Pulaski County has a strong finance sector, with major financial institutions headquartered in Little Rock. Its annual economic output contributes substantially to Arkansas’s GDP.
Located in the northwest corner of Arkansas, Benton County is one of the fastest-growing counties in the United States. The presence of Walmart headquarters in Bentonville has spurred significant economic growth and population increase. Benton County’s economy is heavily influenced by retail, logistics, and supplier networks associated with Walmart, contributing billions of dollars to the state economy. The county is also a regional hub for technology and corporate services, attracting talent and resources from across the nation.
Washington County, home to Fayetteville and the University of Arkansas, has a diverse economy driven by education, healthcare, and technology. With a population of over 245,000, it is the second-most populous county in Arkansas. The University of Arkansas is a major employer and educational institution, contributing to research, development, and workforce training. The county is known for its strong tech industry presence and is an essential part of the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area.
Craighead County, located in northeast Arkansas, is a major agricultural and industrial center. The county seat, Jonesboro, is known for Arkansas State University (ASU), which drives education and healthcare in the area. Craighead County has a robust agricultural sector, producing significant quantities of rice, soybeans, and cotton. Manufacturing and distribution are also prominent, with many companies taking advantage of the region’s central location and transportation infrastructure.
Mississippi County, bordering the Mississippi River, is one of Arkansas’s leading agricultural regions. The county is particularly known for its rice and soybean production, which contributes significantly to the state’s economy. Additionally, Mississippi County has a growing steel industry, with major companies like Nucor Steel operating large-scale production facilities. This combination of agriculture and manufacturing makes Mississippi County a key player in Arkansas’s economy.
Garland County, located in central Arkansas, is home to the city of Hot Springs and Hot Springs National Park. The county’s economy relies heavily on tourism, with visitors drawn to the area’s natural hot springs, historic bathhouses, and recreational opportunities. Hot Springs hosts various cultural events and attracts over 1.5 million visitors annually, making tourism a primary economic driver. Garland County also has a strong healthcare sector, serving both residents and tourists.
Faulkner County, with Conway as its county seat, is a growing center for education and technology. Faulkner County is home to three major colleges: the University of Central Arkansas (UCA), Hendrix College, and Central Baptist College. This concentration of educational institutions fuels the local economy and creates a highly educated workforce. Faulkner County has also attracted technology and telecommunications industries, benefiting from its proximity to Little Rock and an expanding infrastructure.
Jefferson County, located in the southeastern part of the state, has an economy based on agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. The county seat, Pine Bluff, is home to the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB), a historically black college that plays a key role in the region’s educational and economic landscape. Jefferson County also has a growing biotechnology sector, with research initiatives focused on agriculture and natural sciences.
Union County, located in southern Arkansas, is known for its oil production and chemical manufacturing industries. The county’s largest city, El Dorado, is home to several oil companies and refineries. Union County has historically been an oil production hub since the discovery of oil fields in the 1920s, and it continues to be a significant part of Arkansas’s energy sector. Additionally, the county has a strong timber industry, taking advantage of the abundant forest resources in the region.
Saline County, located southwest of Little Rock, is a growing suburban area with a mix of residential, healthcare, and retail industries. The county seat, Benton, and nearby Bryant are rapidly expanding due to the proximity to the capital region. Saline County has seen increased investment in healthcare and retail, with new shopping centers, medical facilities, and residential developments supporting the local economy.
Carroll County, situated in the northern Ozarks, has a diverse economy centered on tourism, agriculture, and small-scale manufacturing. Eureka Springs, known for its historic architecture and vibrant arts scene, is a major tourist destination within the county. The county also has active farming operations, producing beef, poultry, and hay. Tourism in Carroll County attracts thousands of visitors each year, supporting local businesses and artisans.
