Conway County is a county in Arkansas, United States, centred on the market town of Morrilton along the Arkansas River, in the north-central part of the state. It had a population of 20,715 at the 2020 census and covers 556 square miles (1,440 km2) centred near 35°16′N 92°42′W.
Morrilton is the county seat, and its postal code is 72110. The county has three incorporated cities, one town, four census-designated places, and dozens of unincorporated communities and former settlements. Conway County observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Conway County
Conway County has three incorporated cities (Morrilton, Oppelo, Plumerville) and one incorporated town (Menifee), plus four census-designated places (CDPs) that are unincorporated but tracked separately by the Census Bureau. Everything else below is an unincorporated community — a rural crossroads, church settlement, or former post-office stop with no city government of its own. Several, including Lewisburg, the county’s original seat, are effectively ghost towns today.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Morrilton | City · seat | 6,992 | 72110 |
| Plumerville | City | — | 72127 |
| Oppelo | City | — | — |
| Menifee | Town | — | 72107 |
| Center Ridge | CDP | — | 72027 |
| Hattieville | CDP | — | 72063 |
| Jerusalem | CDP | — | 72080 |
| Springfield | CDP | — | 72157 |
| Cleveland | Unincorp. | — | 72030 |
| Solgohachia | Unincorp. | — | 72156 |
| Winrock | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pontoon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lewisburg | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ada | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Arthur | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Austin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bethlehem | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Birdtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackwell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bryants Cove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Catholic Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cedar Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cypress Valley | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Deerwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Friendship | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gobblers Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grandview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hickory Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hill Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kenwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lanty | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lick Mountain | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lone Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lost Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Macedonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| McClaren | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Middleton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Olive | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Old Hickory | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Overcup | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pleasant Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rehms Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Robertsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Vincent | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Spring Meadows | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunnyside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wesley Chapel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wonderview | Unincorp. | — | — |
The county’s largest concentration of people outside Morrilton is along the I-40 corridor at Oppelo and Plumerville. Most of the unincorporated names above are rural community clusters — a church, a cemetery, a store or two — rather than platted towns, and several no longer have any active businesses at all.
ZIP Codes
- 72110 — Morrilton (also serves the surrounding rural county seat area)
- 72127 — Plumerville
- 72063 — Hattieville
- 72157 — Springfield
- 72027 — Center Ridge
- 72156 — Solgohachia
- 72030 — Cleveland
- 72080 — Jerusalem
- 72107 — Menifee (post office box delivery)
Oppelo and most of the smaller unincorporated communities have no post office of their own and are served by the Morrilton or Plumerville ZIP codes.
Geography
Conway County straddles two Arkansas landscapes: the flat Arkansas River Valley along its southern edge and the rougher foothills of the Ozarks to the north, rising toward Petit Jean Mountain near the Perry County line. The Arkansas River forms part of the county’s southern boundary, and Point Remove Creek drains the central part of the county past Morrilton on its way to the river.
Conway County borders Van Buren County to the north, Faulkner County to the east, Perry County to the south, Yell County to the southwest, and Pope County to the west.
Demographics
Conway County had 20,715 residents at the 2020 census, a density of about 37 people per square mile. Morrilton is by far the largest community, followed by Plumerville. Median household income in Conway County runs below the Arkansas median of $58,700, consistent with the county’s rural, agriculture- and manufacturing-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture, poultry and meat processing, and light manufacturing anchor the local economy. Petit Jean Meats, a longtime Morrilton meat-packing brand, has operated in the county for decades, and soybean, cattle and poultry farming remain common across the rural townships. The University of Arkansas Community College at Morrilton (UACCM) is the county’s largest educational employer and draws students from across the river valley. The Interstate 40 corridor through Morrilton, Oppelo and Plumerville also supports trucking and warehousing jobs.
History
Conway County was created on October 20, 1825, as Arkansas’s 11th county, carved from Pulaski County during the territorial period. It is named for Henry Wharton Conway, a member of the politically prominent Conway family who represented Arkansas Territory in the U.S. Congress from 1823 until his death in 1827. Lewisburg, on the Arkansas River, served as the original county seat, but when the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railway bypassed the town in the early 1870s in favor of the new rail stop at Morrilton, business and population shifted there. Morrilton was formally made the county seat in 1883.
Getting There
Interstate 40 runs east-west through Morrilton, Oppelo and Plumerville, and U.S. Highway 64 parallels it through the same towns. Several state highways, including Arkansas 9, 92, 95 and 154, connect the rural northern half of the county to Morrilton.
- Little Rock — about 50 miles east
- Russellville — about 20 miles west
- Conway (Faulkner County) — about 30 miles east
- Fort Smith — about 90 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Conway County, Arkansas?
It sits in north-central Arkansas along the Arkansas River, about 50 miles northwest of Little Rock, with Morrilton as its county seat.
What is the population of Conway County?
20,715 people, according to the 2020 census.
How big is Conway County?
556 square miles (1,440 km2).
What is the county seat of Conway County?
Morrilton is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and communities are in Conway County?
Three cities, one incorporated town, four census-designated places, and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Conway County?
Nine ZIP codes serve the county, led by 72110 (Morrilton) and 72127 (Plumerville).
Why is Conway County named Conway when its county seat is Morrilton?
The county is named for territorial delegate Henry Wharton Conway, not for any town; Morrilton only became the seat in 1883, replacing the river town of Lewisburg.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.