Saline County, Arkansas

{{Infobox U.S. county

| county = Saline County

| state = Arkansas

| seal =

| founded = November 2, 1835

| seat wl = Benton

| largest city wl = Benton

| area_total_sq_mi = 730

| area_land_sq_mi = 724

| area_water_sq_mi = 6.9

| area percentage = 0.9%

| population_as_of = 2020

| population_total = 123416

| pop_est_as_of = 2023

| population_est = 129574 {{gain}}

| density_sq_mi = auto

| web = www.salinecounty.org

| ex image = Saline County Courthouse (Benton, Arkansas).jpg

| ex image cap = Saline County Courthouse in Benton

| district = 2nd

| time zone = Central

}}

Saline County ({{IPAc-en|s|ə|ˈ|l|iː|n}} {{respell|sə|LEEN}}) is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 123,416.{{cite web|title=Census - Geography Profile: Saline County, Arkansas|url=https://data.census.gov/profile/Saline_County,_Arkansas?g=0500000US05125|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=January 21, 2023}} Its county seat and largest city is Benton.{{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}} Saline County was formed on November 2, 1835, and named for the salt water (brine) springs in the area, despite a differing pronunciation from saline. Until November 2014, it was an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

Saline County is included in the Central Arkansas region.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of {{convert|730|sqmi}}, of which {{convert|724|sqmi}} is land and {{convert|6.9|sqmi}} (0.9%) 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 27, 2015|date=August 22, 2012|title=2010 Census Gazetteer Files}}

=Major highways=

=Adjacent counties=

Perry County (northwest)
Pulaski County (northeast)
Grant County (southeast)
Hot Spring County (southwest)
Garland County (west)

=National protected area=

Ouachita National Forest (part)

Demographics

{{US Census population

|1840= 2061

|1850= 3903

|1860= 6640

|1870= 3911

|1880= 8953

|1890= 11311

|1900= 13122

|1910= 16657

|1920= 16781

|1930= 15660

|1940= 19163

|1950= 23816

|1960= 28956

|1970= 36107

|1980= 53161

|1990= 64183

|2000= 83529

|2010= 107118

|2020= 123416

|estyear=2023

|estimate=129574

|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 27, 2015}}
1790–1960{{cite web|url=http://mapserver.lib.virginia.edu|title=Historical Census Browser|publisher=University of Virginia Library|access-date=August 27, 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 27, 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 27, 2015}} 2010{{cite web|title=State & County QuickFacts|url=http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05125.html|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=May 19, 2014|archive-date=June 7, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110607034210/http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/05/05125.html|url-status=dead}}

}}

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

=2020 census=

class="wikitable" style="text-align:right" \|+Saline County racial composition{{Cite web\|title=Explore Census Data\|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05125&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) \| 96,745 \| 78.39%
scope="row"\| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) \| 10,351 \| 8.39%
scope="row"\| Native American \| 522 \| 0.42%
scope="row"\| Asian \| 1,453 \| 1.18%
scope="row"\| Pacific Islander \| 70 \| 0.06%
scope="row"\| Other/Mixed \| 5,768 \| 4.67%
scope="row"\| Hispanic or Latino \| 8,507 \| 6.89%

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

|+Saline County racial composition{{Cite web|title=Explore Census Data|url=https://data.census.gov/cedsci/table?g=0500000US05125&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)

| 96,745

| 78.39%

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

| 10,351

| 8.39%

scope="row"| Native American

| 522

| 0.42%

scope="row"| Asian

| 1,453

| 1.18%

scope="row"| Pacific Islander

| 70

| 0.06%

scope="row"| Other/Mixed

| 5,768

| 4.67%

scope="row"| Hispanic or Latino

| 8,507

| 6.89%

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 123,416 people, 45,455 households, and 31,395 families residing in the county.

=2000 census=

As of the 2000 United States 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 83,529 people, 31,778 households, and 24,500 families residing in the county. The population density was {{convert|116|PD/sqmi|PD/km2|sp=us|adj=off}}. There were 33,825 housing units at an average density of {{convert|47|/mi2|/km2}}. The racial makeup of the county was 95.27% White, 2.20% Black or African American, 0.49% Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.03% Pacific Islander, 0.45% from other races, and 1.00% from two or more races. 1.30% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 31,778 households, out of which 35.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.80% were married couples living together, 9.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.90% were non-families. 19.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.50% 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 2.94.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 25.50% under the age of 18, 7.70% from 18 to 24, 30.20% from 25 to 44, 24.20% from 45 to 64, and 12.50% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.10 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.30 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $42,569, and the median income for a family was $48,717. Males had a median income of $32,052 versus $23,294 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,214. About 5.00% of families and 7.20% of the population were below the poverty line, including 8.80% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.

Media

The area is served online and in print by The Saline Courier.{{Cite web|url=http://www.bentoncourier.com/content/contact|title=Contact {{!}} The Saline Courier|website=www.bentoncourier.com|language=en|access-date=May 28, 2018}}

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 Saline County Quorum Court has thirteen 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=2025-04-02 |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=2025-04-02 |website=Encyclopedia of Arkansas |language=en-US}}

class="wikitable"

|+Saline County, Arkansas Elected countywide officials{{Cite web |last=Poole |first=Shelli |date=2025-01-20 |title=Elected Officials - MySaline |url=https://www.mysaline.com/elected-officials/ |access-date=2025-04-02 |language=en-US}}

!Position

!Officeholder

!Party