Newport is a city in and the county seat of Jackson County, Arkansas, United States located on the White River, 84 miles (135 km) northeast of Little Rock. The population was 7,879 at the 2010 census.[3]
Newport, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
City | |
 Current Jackson County Courthouse in Newport | |
 Flag  Logo | |
 Location of Newport in Jackson County, Arkansas. | |
| Coordinates: 35°36′43″N 91°15′44″W / 35.61194°N 91.26222°W | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Jackson |
| Government | |
| • Mayor | Derrick Ratliffe |
| Area | |
• Total | 13.80 sq mi (35.75 km2) |
| • Land | 13.55 sq mi (35.10 km2) |
| • Water | 0.25 sq mi (0.66 km2) |
| Elevation | 233 ft (71 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• Total | 8,005 |
| • Density | 590.73/sq mi (228.08/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC−06:00 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC−05:00 (CDT) |
| ZIP Code | 72112 |
| Area code | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-49580 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404372[2] |
| Website | www |
Newport is home to a campus of the Arkansas State University system, with particular focus on training in transportation careers. Newport is known as the town in which Sam Walton owned a Ben Franklin store prior to starting Wal-Mart.
Newport has ten properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Geography
editAccording to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 13.7 square miles (35.5 km2), of which 13.4 square miles (34.8 km2) is land and 0.27 square miles (0.7 km2), or 1.92%, is water.[3]
Climate
editThe climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Newport has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.[4]
| Climate data for Newport, Arkansas (1991–2020 normals, extremes 1884–present) | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 79 (26) |
85 (29) |
96 (36) |
97 (36) |
107 (42) |
108 (42) |
112 (44) |
114 (46) |
109 (43) |
98 (37) |
87 (31) |
80 (27) |
114 (46) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 66.7 (19.3) |
71.8 (22.1) |
78.2 (25.7) |
84.1 (28.9) |
89.2 (31.8) |
94.8 (34.9) |
97.3 (36.3) |
98.2 (36.8) |
93.9 (34.4) |
87.2 (30.7) |
77.4 (25.2) |
67.9 (19.9) |
99.3 (37.4) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 45.7 (7.6) |
50.7 (10.4) |
59.8 (15.4) |
70.0 (21.1) |
78.2 (25.7) |
86.4 (30.2) |
89.4 (31.9) |
88.9 (31.6) |
82.6 (28.1) |
72.0 (22.2) |
58.8 (14.9) |
48.7 (9.3) |
69.3 (20.7) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 37.7 (3.2) |
41.9 (5.5) |
50.6 (10.3) |
60.4 (15.8) |
69.3 (20.7) |
77.6 (25.3) |
80.7 (27.1) |
79.4 (26.3) |
72.4 (22.4) |
61.1 (16.2) |
49.6 (9.8) |
40.8 (4.9) |
60.1 (15.6) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 29.6 (−1.3) |
33.2 (0.7) |
41.4 (5.2) |
50.8 (10.4) |
60.4 (15.8) |
68.8 (20.4) |
72.0 (22.2) |
70.0 (21.1) |
62.2 (16.8) |
50.2 (10.1) |
40.4 (4.7) |
32.9 (0.5) |
51.0 (10.6) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 14.6 (−9.7) |
18.5 (−7.5) |
25.2 (−3.8) |
36.8 (2.7) |
47.1 (8.4) |
59.1 (15.1) |
64.1 (17.8) |
61.5 (16.4) |
49.2 (9.6) |
36.1 (2.3) |
26.6 (−3.0) |
19.4 (−7.0) |
11.4 (−11.4) |
| Record low °F (°C) | −12 (−24) |
−14 (−26) |
1 (−17) |
27 (−3) |
30 (−1) |
46 (8) |
51 (11) |
46 (8) |
35 (2) |
25 (−4) |
11 (−12) |
−17 (−27) |
−17 (−27) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 3.67 (93) |
3.96 (101) |
5.01 (127) |
5.39 (137) |
5.59 (142) |
3.37 (86) |
4.18 (106) |
2.97 (75) |
3.23 (82) |
3.96 (101) |
4.93 (125) |
4.93 (125) |
51.19 (1,300) |
| Average snowfall inches (cm) | 0.8 (2.0) |
0.9 (2.3) |
0.7 (1.8) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.0 (0.0) |
0.2 (0.51) |
2.6 (6.6) |
| Average precipitation days (≥ 0.01 in) | 9.5 | 8.9 | 10.4 | 10.0 | 10.2 | 7.7 | 8.2 | 7.3 | 6.6 | 8.2 | 9.0 | 9.7 | 105.7 |
| Average snowy days (≥ 0.1 in) | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.2 | 1.5 |
| Source: NOAA[5][6] | |||||||||||||
Demographics
edit| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1880 | 683 | — | |
| 1890 | 1,571 | 130.0% | |
| 1900 | 2,866 | 82.4% | |
| 1910 | 3,557 | 24.1% | |
| 1920 | 3,771 | 6.0% | |
| 1930 | 4,547 | 20.6% | |
| 1940 | 4,301 | −5.4% | |
| 1950 | 6,254 | 45.4% | |
| 1960 | 7,007 | 12.0% | |
| 1970 | 7,725 | 10.2% | |
| 1980 | 8,339 | 7.9% | |
| 1990 | 7,459 | −10.6% | |
| 2000 | 7,811 | 4.7% | |
| 2010 | 7,879 | 0.9% | |
| 2020 | 8,005 | 1.6% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[7] | |||
2020 census
edit| Race | Number | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 5,142 | 64.23% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 2,220 | 27.73% |
| Native American | 22 | 0.27% |
| Asian | 57 | 0.71% |
| Pacific Islander | 1 | 0.01% |
| Other/Mixed | 288 | 3.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 275 | 3.44% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 8,005 people, 2,261 households, and 1,234 families residing in the city.
2000 census
editAs of the census[9] of 2000, the city's residents comprised 7,811 people in 2,690 households 1,702 families. The population density was 599.2 inhabitants per square mile (231.4/km2). There were 3,118 housing units at an average density of 239.2 per square mile (92.4/km2). The racial makeup of the city was 56.57% White, 41.76% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 2,690 households, out of which 26.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.5% were married couples living together, 17.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.7% were non-families. 33.2% of all households were made up of individuals, and 17.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.29 and the average family size was 2.90.
19.6% of the population were under the age of 18, 16.7% from 18 to 24, 24.9% from 25 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 17.9% 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females, there were 84.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 78.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $26,853, and the median per capita income was $13,867.[10] About 23.6% of families and 28.1% of the population were below the poverty line, including 40.6% of those under age 18 and 17.5% of those age 65 or over.
Government and infrastructure
editThe Grimes Unit and the McPherson Unit, prisons of the Arkansas Department of Correction, are located in Newport, off Arkansas Highway 384, 4 miles (6 km) east of central Newport.[11] The prison houses the state's death row for women.[12]
The United States Postal Service operates the Newport Post Office.[13]
Economy
edit- Medallion Foods, snack-food producer
Education
editElementary and secondary education
editNewport is supported with public education from the Newport School District, including Newport High School.
Postsecondary education
editThe main campus of the two-year community college, Arkansas State University-Newport is located here.
Notable people
editCommerce
edit- Helen Walton, wife of Sam Walton
- Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart
- S. Robson Walton, John T. Walton, Jim Walton and Alice Walton, children of the Wal-Mart founder
Entertainment and literature
edit- Sonny Burgess, rockabilly artist and a member of Rockabilly Hall of Fame
- Elizabeth Gregg Patterson, short fiction writer
- Mary Steenburgen, Academy Award-winning actress
Politics, military, and education
edit- Mike Beebe, former Governor of Arkansas
- Les Eaves, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from White County; businessman in Newport
- Kaneaster Hodges Jr., appointed to succeed John McClellan as United States Senator upon McClellan's death in 1977
- Paul K. Holmes III, federal judge
- Ed Madden, activist, poet, and professor at the University of South Carolina
- J. Fred Parish, Arkansas state senator from 1933 to 1937
- Admiral Charles Ray, Vice Commandant of the U.S. Coast Guard
- Harmon L. Remmel, Republican party boss in the early 20th century
- Martha Shoffner, Treasurer of the State of Arkansas from 2007 to 2013
- Robert L. Stanton, born and raised in Newport; he became a dentist and in 1932 the first African American to be elected to the Indiana State House on the Democratic Party ticket, serving two terms
- Dwight Tosh, member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from Jonesboro; former Newport resident and former state police officer
- Jim Wood, Arkansas State Auditor from 2003 to 2011
Sports
edit- Dowell Loggains, NFL offensive coordinator, New York Jets
- Julius Pruitt, played for NFL's Miami Dolphins
- Theo Young, played one season with NFL's Pittsburgh Steelers and is a college football coach
See also
editReferences
edit- ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 29, 2021.
- ^ a b U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Newport, Arkansas
- ^ a b "Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Newport city, Arkansas". U.S. Census Bureau, American Factfinder. Archived from the original on February 12, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2013.
- ^ Climate Summary for Newport, Arkansas
- ^ "NOWData – NOAA Online Weather Data". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Summary of Monthly Normals 1991–2020". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Retrieved November 23, 2023.
- ^ "Census of Population and Housing". Census.gov. Retrieved June 4, 2015.
- ^ "Explore Census Data". data.census.gov. Retrieved December 30, 2021.
- ^ "U.S. Census website". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
- ^ https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/newportcityarkansas,AR/PST045217 [dead link]
- ^ "Grimes Unit/McPherson Unit." Arkansas Department of Correction. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
- ^ Haddigan, Michael. "They Kill Women, Don't They?" Arkansas Times. April 9, 1999. Retrieved August 15, 2010.
- ^ "Post Office Location – NEWPORT Archived August 21, 2012, at the Wayback Machine." United States Postal Service. Retrieved November 22, 2010.
External links
edit- City website
- W.A. Billingsly Jackson County Library
- The Newport Independent, the city's newspaper published since 1901
- Newport Economic Development Commission
- Newport Area Chamber of Commerce
- Arkansas State University-Newport
- History of Newport's Jewish community (from the Institute of Southern Jewish Life)