Dallas County is a county in Arkansas, United States, in the south-central part of the state, in the timber country between the Ouachita and Saline river basins. It had a population of 6,482 at the 2020 census and covers 668 square miles (1,730 km2), of which 667 square miles is land, centred near 33°58′37″N 92°40′23″W.
Fordyce is the county seat, and its postal code is 71742. The county has three incorporated cities (Fordyce, Carthage, Sparkman), two census-designated places (Ivan, Princeton) and a scatter of unincorporated communities. Arkansas counties do not operate civil townships as units of local government, so none are listed here. The county sits in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Dallas County
Dallas County’s population is concentrated in three incorporated cities and a wider ring of unincorporated crossroads communities. “CDP” below marks a census-designated place (an unincorporated area the Census Bureau tracks separately); “Unincorp.” marks a named community with no municipal government or standalone census count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fordyce | City · seat | — | 71742 |
| Sparkman | City | — | 71763 |
| Carthage | City | — | 71725 |
| Princeton | CDP | — | — |
| Ivan | CDP | — | 71748 |
| Manning | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tulip | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dalark | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Beech Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bucksnort | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bunn | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cooney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eagletie | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Farindale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Forrest Bonner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Holly Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ivy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jacinto | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Hope | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Fordyce | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ouachita | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pine Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ramsey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Round Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wave | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Willow | Unincorp. | — | — |
North Fordyce sits just outside the Fordyce city line and is often treated as part of the same built-up area rather than a separate place. The community called Ouachita, in the northern part of the county, is a local crossroads and should not be confused with Ouachita County, which borders Dallas County to the southwest.
ZIP Codes
- 71742 — Fordyce (also serves North Fordyce and surrounding rural addresses)
- 71725 — Carthage
- 71763 — Sparkman
- 71748 — Ivan (P.O. box only ZIP)
Princeton and most of the county’s smaller communities share the Fordyce or Sparkman ZIP codes rather than having their own.
Geography
Dallas County lies in the West Gulf Coastal Plain, a belt of rolling, heavily timbered land between the Ouachita River to the south and the Saline River drainage to the north. Pine and hardwood forest covers most of the county, and forestry remains a defining feature of the landscape alongside scattered farmland and pasture. The county is bordered by Grant County to the northeast, Cleveland County to the east, Calhoun County to the southeast, Ouachita County to the southwest, Clark County to the west, and Hot Spring County to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census recorded 6,482 residents, making Dallas the fourth-least populous county in Arkansas. Fordyce is by far the largest community, followed by Carthage and Sparkman. Median age countywide is 45.5 years. Median household income runs well below the Arkansas median of $58,700, consistent with the county’s rural, forestry-and-farming economic base. Population density is roughly 10 people per square mile, among the lowest in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Timber and forest products have anchored Dallas County’s economy for generations, with logging, sawmills and pine plantation management still major employers. Poultry farming and cattle ranching supplement the timber economy in the county’s rural areas. Fordyce School District and Dallas County government are among the larger local employers. Fordyce is also known as the hometown of Paul “Bear” Bryant, the longtime Alabama football coach, and the town marks that connection with local signage and events.
History
Dallas County was formed on January 1, 1845, out of parts of Clark and Bradley counties, and was named for George M. Dallas, the 11th vice president of the United States, who served alongside President James K. Polk. Fordyce grew rapidly after the Cotton Belt Railroad reached the site in the 1880s and quickly outgrew the older county seat of Princeton, which had served as seat since the county’s formation; Fordyce became the seat in 1906. Timber milling, drawn by the region’s pine forests, shaped the county’s early-20th-century growth.
Getting There
U.S. Highway 79 runs north–south through Fordyce and Sparkman, and Arkansas Highway 8 crosses the county east–west. Nearby communities include:
- Camden, Arkansas — 20 miles southwest
- Arkadelphia, Arkansas — 30 miles northwest
- Pine Bluff, Arkansas — 40 miles northeast
- Little Rock, Arkansas — 65 miles north
The nearest commercial airport is Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Dallas County, Arkansas?
It sits in the south-central part of Arkansas, about 65 miles south of Little Rock, in the timbered West Gulf Coastal Plain.
What is the population of Dallas County?
It had a population of 6,482 at the 2020 census.
How big is Dallas County?
The county covers 668 square miles (1,730 km2), of which 667 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Dallas County?
Fordyce is the county seat.
How many towns are in Dallas County?
Three incorporated cities — Fordyce, Carthage and Sparkman — plus the census-designated places Ivan and Princeton and a number of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Dallas County?
71742 (Fordyce), 71725 (Carthage), 71763 (Sparkman) and 71748 (Ivan).
Why is Dallas County named Dallas?
It was named for George M. Dallas, the 11th vice president of the United States, at its formation in 1845.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.