Crittenden County is a county in Arkansas, United States, in the Arkansas Delta directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee. It had a population of 48,163 at the 2020 census and covers 636 square miles (1,647 km2) centred near 35°14′N 90°18′W.
Marion is the county seat, and its postal code is 72364. West Memphis, the county’s largest city, sits along Interstates 40, 55 and 555 opposite Memphis. The county holds 4 incorporated cities, 5 incorporated towns and roughly 60 unincorporated communities. Crittenden County observes Central time and carries FIPS code 05-017.
Towns & Villages in Crittenden County
Crittenden County lists close to 70 named places on the ground, split between 4 cities, 5 towns and a long roll of unincorporated Delta hamlets and farm-road communities. CDP stands for census-designated place (unincorporated but tracked by the census); Unincorp. covers everything else with no formal municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marion | City · seat | 13,752 | 72364 |
| West Memphis | City | 24,520 | 72301 / 72303 |
| Earle | City | 1,831 | 72331 |
| Turrell | City | — | — |
| Anthonyville | Town | 135 | — |
| Crawfordsville | Town | 462 | 72327 |
| Edmondson | Town | 243 | 72332 |
| Horseshoe Lake | Town | 264 | — |
| Jennette | Town | 118 | — |
| Proctor | Unincorp. | — | 72376 |
| Gilmore | Unincorp. | — | 72339 |
| Clarkedale | Unincorp. | — | 72325 |
| Amanca | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Anthony Subdivision | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beck | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blanton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Booker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Briark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Browns | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bruins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chatfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cloar | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crittenden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cunningham Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dixie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ebony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Felco | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galet | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Galilee | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gammon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gavin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Grassy Lake Bottom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harvard | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heafer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Highland Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hulbert | Unincorp. | — | — |
| James Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jericho | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Julius | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kate | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lambethville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lansing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lehi | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Louise | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mallory Spur | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meneshea | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millers | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mound City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Neuhardt | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ninetysix Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norvell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Patoka | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinckney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Poindexter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Presley Junction | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Quarles | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redman Point | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riceville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saint Claire | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Seyppel | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shannonville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Simsboro | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stacy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sunset | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thompson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Thompson Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Three Forks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Topaz | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Vincent | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Waverly | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wyanoke | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wylie Spur | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two spellings of the same community appeared on the old list, “Jeanette” and “Jennette” — the town’s correct, official spelling is Jennette, so the duplicate is dropped here. The community of Crittenden shares its name with the county but is a separate unincorporated hamlet near Marion, not the seat itself.
ZIP Codes
- 72364 — Marion
- 72301 & 72303 — West Memphis (72303 is the PO Box ZIP)
- 72331 — Earle
- 72376 — Proctor
- 72327 — Crawfordsville
- 72384 — Turrell
- 72339 — Gilmore (PO Box)
- 72332 — Edmondson (PO Box)
- 72325 — Clarkedale (PO Box)
Smaller communities without their own post office, including Anthonyville, Horseshoe Lake and Jennette, are served by the nearest listed ZIP code above.
Geography
Crittenden County lies in the flat alluvial Arkansas Delta, bounded on the east by the Mississippi River. The terrain is almost entirely bottomland farm ground, cut by drainage ditches and bayous, with Horseshoe Lake — a large oxbow lake left behind by the river’s shifting course — in the county’s northeast corner.
Mississippi County lies to the northeast, Tipton County and Shelby County in Tennessee lie across the river to the east, DeSoto County in Mississippi lies to the southeast, Lee County lies to the southwest, and St. Francis, Cross and Poinsett Counties lie to the west and northwest.
Demographics
Crittenden County had 48,163 residents at the 2020 census, giving a density of about 76 people per square mile. West Memphis (24,520) and Marion (13,752) are the county’s two largest communities, together holding roughly 80 percent of the county’s population. Median household income in the county runs well below the Arkansas median of $58,700, reflecting the Delta’s historically agriculture-dependent, lower-wage economy.
Economy & Local Life
West Memphis anchors the county’s economy as a freight and logistics hub, sitting at the junction of Interstates 40, 55 and 555 directly across the Mississippi from Memphis; trucking terminals, warehousing and Southland Casino Racing (a greyhound-racing-turned-casino property) are major local employers. Outside the West Memphis-Marion corridor, agriculture dominates — soybeans, rice, corn and cotton grown on the Delta’s flat, fertile bottomland.
History
Crittenden County was established on October 22, 1825, as Arkansas’s 12th county, carved from part of Phillips County. It was named for Robert Crittenden, who served as the first secretary of the Arkansas Territory and, for a period, as its acting governor. The county’s fortunes have long tracked the Mississippi River: 19th-century steamboat trade built early towns along the riverbank, and 20th-century highway and rail construction across the flood-prone bottomland shifted growth toward West Memphis and the Memphis metro corridor.
Getting There
- Memphis, Tennessee — 8 miles east via I-40/I-55
- Jonesboro, Arkansas — 55 miles northwest via I-555
- Forrest City, Arkansas — 35 miles southwest via I-40
- Blytheville, Arkansas — 50 miles north via I-55
Memphis International Airport, just across the river, is the nearest commercial airport. West Memphis Municipal Airport handles general aviation within the county.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Crittenden County, Arkansas?
It is in the Arkansas Delta in the northeastern part of the state, directly across the Mississippi River from Memphis, Tennessee.
What is the population of Crittenden County?
48,163 at the 2020 census.
How big is Crittenden County?
636 square miles (1,647 km2).
What is the county seat of Crittenden County?
Marion is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Crittenden County?
4 incorporated cities and 5 incorporated towns, plus roughly 60 unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Crittenden County?
Standard ZIP codes include 72364 (Marion), 72301 (West Memphis), 72331 (Earle), 72376 (Proctor), 72327 (Crawfordsville) and 72384 (Turrell), plus several PO Box-only codes.
What is Crittenden County’s largest city?
West Memphis, with 24,520 residents at the 2020 census, is larger than the county seat, Marion.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.