Sevier County is a county in Arkansas, United States, in the southwest corner of the state along the Oklahoma line. It had a population of 15,839 at the 2020 census and covers 581 square miles (1,504 km2) of land and water, centred near 34°00′N 94°15′W.
De Queen is the county seat and largest city; its postal code is 71832. The county has 3 incorporated cities, 2 incorporated towns, and more than two dozen unincorporated communities. Sevier County has no civil townships. It lies in the Central time zone.
Towns & Villages in Sevier County
Five places in Sevier County are incorporated (three cities and two towns); the rest are unincorporated communities, several of them former post-office settlements scattered across the county’s farmland and pine woods. “CDP” below denotes a Census Designated Place; “Unincorp.” covers rural communities with no municipal government.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| De Queen | City · seat | — | 71832 |
| Horatio | City | — | 71842 |
| Lockesburg | City | — | 71846 |
| Ben Lomond | Town | — | 71824 |
| Gillham | Town | — | 71841 |
| Avon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bellville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Brownstown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Chapel Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cheatham | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cowlingsville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dilworth | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairview | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Geneva | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kellum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| King | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lebanon | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Millers Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Milrose | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mineral | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Neal Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Norwoodville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Paraloma | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pennys | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Process City | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Provo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pullman | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Wing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Stringtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Walnut Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| West Otis | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Cliffs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Williamson | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old list carried “Oak Grove” twice; the duplicate row has been dropped here. All other names from the earlier list are kept as genuine Sevier County place names.
ZIP Codes
- 71832 — De Queen (also serves Avon, Cheatham, and other nearby rural addresses)
- 71842 — Horatio
- 71846 — Lockesburg
- 71841 — Gillham
- 71824 — Ben Lomond
Most unincorporated communities in the county use the ZIP code of the nearest post-office town rather than a code of their own.
Geography
Sevier County sits in the Athens Plateau and Ouachita foothills of southwest Arkansas, a landscape of pine and hardwood timberland cut by creeks draining toward the Little River. The county is known locally as part of the “Land of Lakes,” with several reservoirs within its borders, and it contains part of the Pond Creek National Wildlife Refuge. Of its 581 square miles, about 16 square miles are water.
Sevier County borders Polk County to the north, Howard County to the east, Hempstead County to the southeast, Little River County to the south, and McCurtain County, Oklahoma, to the west.
Demographics
Sevier County had 15,839 residents at the 2020 census, a density of roughly 28 people per square mile. De Queen is by far the largest community, followed by Horatio. The county’s median household income runs below the Arkansas median of $58,700, reflecting its rural, agriculture- and manufacturing-based economy.
Economy & Local Life
Poultry processing anchors the county’s economy — Tyson Foods operates a major plant in De Queen, one of the largest employers in southwest Arkansas. Timber, cattle ranching, and row-crop farming round out the rural economy, and De Queen serves as the county’s retail and school-district hub.
History
Sevier County was formed on October 17, 1828, from parts of Hempstead and Miller Counties, making it the 16th county created in Arkansas. It is named for Ambrose Hundley Sevier, who represented Arkansas in the U.S. Senate after statehood. In a countywide vote on November 3, 2020, Sevier County residents approved alcohol sales by a margin of about 67 percent to 33 percent, ending the county’s dry status.
Getting There
US Highways 59, 70, 71, and 371 cross the county, along with Arkansas Highways 24, 27, and 41; a future Interstate 49 corridor is planned through the area.
- Texarkana, Arkansas — about 35 miles southeast
- Mena, Arkansas — about 30 miles north
- Hope, Arkansas — about 40 miles east
- Idabel, Oklahoma — about 25 miles west
The nearest commercial airport is Texarkana Regional Airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Sevier County, Arkansas?
It is in the southwest corner of the state, bordering Oklahoma.
What is the population of Sevier County?
15,839 people at the 2020 census.
How big is Sevier County?
581 square miles (1,504 km2), including about 16 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Sevier County?
De Queen is the county seat.
How many towns are in Sevier County?
Five incorporated places — the cities of De Queen, Horatio, and Lockesburg, and the towns of Ben Lomond and Gillham — plus more than two dozen unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Sevier County?
71832 (De Queen), 71842 (Horatio), 71846 (Lockesburg), 71841 (Gillham), and 71824 (Ben Lomond).
Why is Sevier County called the “Land of Lakes”?
Several reservoirs sit within a short drive of De Queen, a nickname the county has used for decades to promote local fishing and recreation.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.