Independence County, Arkansas#Micropolitan Statistical Area

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Independence County

| state = Arkansas

| ex image = Charles R. Handford House.jpg

| ex image size = 220px

| ex image cap = Historic Charles R. Handford House in Batesville.

| flag = Flag of Independence County, Arkansas.png

| seal = Seal of Independence County, Arkansas.png

| founded year = 1820

| founded date = October 20

| named for = United States Declaration of Independence

| seat wl = Batesville

| largest city wl = Batesville

| area_total_sq_mi = 772

| area_land_sq_mi = 764

| area_water_sq_mi = 7.6

| area percentage = 1.0%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 37938

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 38320 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| district = 1st

| web = http://www.independencecounty.com/

| time zone = Central

}}

Independence County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 37,938.{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Independence County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Independence_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05063|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 20, 2023}} The county seat is Batesville.{{cite web|url=http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |access-date=June 7, 2011 |title=Find a County |publisher=National Association of Counties |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110531210815/http://www.naco.org/Counties/Pages/FindACounty.aspx |archive-date=May 31, 2011 }} Independence County is Arkansas's ninth county, formed on October 20, 1820, from a portion of Lawrence County and named in commemoration of the Declaration of Independence.{{cite book | url=https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ | title=The Origin of Certain Place Names in the United States | publisher=Govt. Print. Off. | author=Gannett, Henry | year=1905 | pages=[https://archive.org/details/bub_gb_9V1IAAAAMAAJ/page/n154 165]}} It is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

The Batesville, AR Micropolitan Statistical Area includes all of Independence County.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|772|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|764|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|7.6|sqmi}} (1.0%) is water.{{cite web|url=http://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/counties_list_05.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=List of highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Sharp County (north)
Lawrence County (northeast)
Jackson County (east)
White County (south)
Cleburne County (southwest)
Stone County (west)
Izard County (northwest)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1830= 2031

|1840= 3669

|1850= 7767

|1860= 14307

|1870= 14566

|1880= 18086

|1890= 21961

|1900= 22557

|1910= 24776

|1920= 23976

|1930= 24225

|1940= 25643

|1950= 23488

|1960= 20048

|1970= 22723

|1980= 30147

|1990= 31192

|2000= 34233

|2010= 36647

|2020= 37938

|estyear=2023

|estimate=38320

|estref={{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/popest/data/tables.html|title=Annual Estimates of the Resident Population for Counties: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=March 30, 2024}}

|align-fn=center

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=U.S. Decennial Census|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=August 26, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 26, 2015}} 1900–1990{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/cencounts/ar190090.txt|title=Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990|publisher=United States Census Bureau|editor-last=Forstall|editor-first=Richard L.|date=March 27, 1995|access-date=August 26, 2015}}
1990–2000{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100327165705/http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/briefs/phc-t4/tables/tab02.pdf |archive-date=March 27, 2010 |url-status=live|title=Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000|publisher=United States Census Bureau|date=April 2, 2001|access-date=August 26, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05063.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 21, 2014|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607032704/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05063.html|archive-date=June 7, 2011}}

}}

Image:USA Independence County, Arkansas age pyramid.svg data]]

=2020 census=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" \|+Independence County racial composition{{Cite web\|title=Explore Census Data\|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05063&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2\|access-date=December 31, 2021\|website=data.census.gov}} !scope="col"\| Race !scope="col"\| Number !scope="col"\| Percentage
scope="row"\| White (non-Hispanic) \| 31,511 \| 83.06%
scope="row"\| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) \| 830 \| 2.19%
scope="row"\| Native American \| 133 \| 0.35%
scope="row"\| Asian \| 340 \| 0.9%
scope="row"\| Pacific Islander \| 30 \| 0.08%
scope="row"\| Other/Mixed \| 1,836 \| 4.84%
scope="row"\| Hispanic or Latino \| 3,258 \| 8.59%

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right"

|+Independence County racial composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05063&tid=DECENNIALPL2020.P2|access-date=December 31, 2021|website=data.census.gov}}

!scope="col"| Race

!scope="col"| Number

!scope="col"| Percentage

scope="row"| White (non-Hispanic)

| 31,511

| 83.06%

scope="row"| Black or African American (non-Hispanic)

| 830

| 2.19%

scope="row"| Native American

| 133

| 0.35%

scope="row"| Asian

| 340

| 0.9%

scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 30

| 0.08%

scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 1,836

| 4.84%

scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 3,258

| 8.59%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 37,938 people, 14,322 households, and 9,929 families residing in the county.

=2000 census=

As of the 2000 census,{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov |publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=May 14, 2011 |title=U.S. Census website }} there were 34,233 people, 13,467 households, and 9,669 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|45|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|people |people}}. There were 14,841 housing units at an average density of {{convert|19|/mi2|/km2|disp=preunit|units |units|}}. The racial makeup of the county was 94.91% White, 2.04% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.65% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.64% from other races, and 1.28% from two or more races. 1.53% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 13,467 households, out of which 32.10% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 9.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 28.20% were non-families. 25.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 11.70% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.47 and the average family size was 2.95.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 24.50% under the age of 18, 9.20% from 18 to 24, 27.70% from 25 to 44, 24.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 38 years. For every 100 females there were 96.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.60 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $31,920, and the median income for a family was $38,444. Males had a median income of $27,284 versus $20,086 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,163. About 9.90% of families and 13.00% of the population were below the poverty line, including 16.10% of those under age 18 and 14.40% of those age 65 or over.

Government and politics

= 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 Independence 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.{{Cite web |title=Quorum Courts |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/quorum-courts-6348/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}{{Cite web |title=Office of County Judge |url=https://encyclopediaofarkansas.net/entries/office-of-county-judge-5720/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}

class="wikitable mw-collapsible"

|+Independence County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials{{Cite web |title=County Government {{!}} Independence County |url=https://www.independencecounty.com/county-government |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=www.independencecounty.com}}{{Cite web |title=Independence {{!}} Association of Arkansas Counties |url=https://www.arcounties.org/counties/independence/ |access-date=2025-04-01 |website=www.arcounties.org}}https://www.arcounties.org/site/assets/files/6033/november_races.pdf

!Position

!Officeholder

!Party