Cleveland County is a county in Arkansas, United States, part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metropolitan statistical area. It had a population of 7,550 at the 2020 census and covers 599 square miles (1,550 km2) centred near 33°54′N 92°10′W.
Rison is the county seat, and its postal code is 71665. The county has 2 incorporated cities, 4 census-designated places, and about 20 named unincorporated communities. It runs on Central time and carries FIPS code 05025.
Towns & Villages in Cleveland County
Rison and Kingsland are the county’s only incorporated municipalities. New Edinburg, Rye, Staves, and Woodlawn are unincorporated census-designated places (CDP) — recognised by the Census Bureau for statistics but with no town government. The rest of the list is unincorporated communities (Unincorp.) — place names on the map without their own municipal government or, in most cases, a Census population count.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rison | City · seat | 1,146 | 71665 |
| Kingsland | Town | 377 | 71652 |
| New Edinburg | CDP | 112 | — |
| Rye | CDP | — | — |
| Staves | CDP | — | — |
| Woodlawn | CDP | — | — |
| Calmer | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Canoe Landing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eunice | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Friendship | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gum Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hebron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Herbine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kedron | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Elba | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mount Zion | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oak Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Orlando | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pansy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Randall | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rowell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Saline | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tipton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Toledo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| White Oak Bluff | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old page listed “Oak Grove” twice; the duplicate row has been dropped here. Woodlawn appears once, as a CDP, rather than being double-listed as both a CDP and an unincorporated community.
ZIP Codes
- 71665 — Rison (also serves the New Edinburg and Rye areas)
- 71652 — Kingsland
Most of the county’s smaller unincorporated communities share Rison’s or Kingsland’s ZIP code rather than having their own; residents in the north of the county nearer Grant County sometimes use a Sheridan or Prattsville mailing address instead.
Geography
Cleveland County sits in the Gulf Coastal Plain of south-central Arkansas, a landscape of pine timberland, small creeks, and shallow river bottoms. Land makes up 598 of its 599 square miles, with the remainder in small streams and ponds; no major lake or navigable river crosses the county. It borders Grant and Jefferson counties to the north, Dallas County to the west, Lincoln County to the east, Drew County to the southeast, Bradley County to the south, and Calhoun County to the southwest, plus Jefferson County further to the northeast.
Demographics
The county’s 7,550 residents (2020 census) are concentrated in its two incorporated towns, Rison (1,146) and Kingsland (377), with the rest spread across CDPs and unincorporated communities. Median household income runs below the Arkansas median of $58,700, consistent with the county’s rural, timber- and farm-based economy. Population density works out to roughly 12.6 people per square mile, among the more sparsely settled counties in the state.
Economy & Local Life
Timber and forestry dominate the local economy — much of the county is planted pine managed for pulpwood and sawtimber — alongside poultry farming and row-crop agriculture. Rison serves as the county’s retail and government center, home to the Cleveland County courthouse and the county’s public school district. The Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway MSA draws some commuters north toward Pine Bluff and Little Rock for work.
History
The Arkansas General Assembly created the county on April 17, 1873, as Dorsey County, named for U.S. Senator Stephen W. Dorsey. After Dorsey was indicted in the Star Route postal fraud scandal, the legislature renamed the county on March 5, 1885, for President Grover Cleveland — making it one of relatively few U.S. counties renamed after its original namesake fell into disgrace.
Getting There
U.S. Routes 63, 79, and 167 cross the county, along with Arkansas Highways 8, 11, 35, 54, 97, 114, 133, 189, and 212.
- Pine Bluff — 25 miles north
- Little Rock — 60 miles north
- Camden — 30 miles southwest
- Warren — 20 miles southeast
The nearest commercial airport is Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Cleveland County, Arkansas?
It’s in south-central Arkansas, in the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway metropolitan area, roughly halfway between Pine Bluff and Camden.
What is the population of Cleveland County?
7,550 people, per the 2020 census.
How big is Cleveland County?
599 square miles (1,550 km2), of which 598 square miles is land.
What is the county seat of Cleveland County?
Rison is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in Cleveland County?
Two incorporated municipalities — Rison and Kingsland — plus four census-designated places and about twenty smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Cleveland County?
71665 (Rison) and 71652 (Kingsland) are the county’s two dedicated ZIP codes.
Was Cleveland County always called that?
No. It was created in 1873 as Dorsey County and renamed for Grover Cleveland in 1885 after its original namesake, Senator Stephen Dorsey, was indicted for postal fraud.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.