Hempstead County is a county in Arkansas, United States, home to the city of Hope on Interstate 30 near the Texas and Louisiana border corridor. It had a population of 20,065 at the 2020 census and covers 741 square miles (1,920 km2), with 728 square miles of land, centred near 33°44′N 93°40′W.
Hope is the county seat, and its postal code is 71801. The county has 3 incorporated cities, 7 incorporated towns and a handful of unincorporated communities across 12 civil townships. It observes Central time and carries FIPS code 05057.
Towns & Villages in Hempstead County
Hempstead County lists 15 places below: 3 cities (one the county seat), 7 towns and 5 unincorporated communities. “Unincorp.” marks a place with no city or town government of its own.
| Place | Type | Township | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hope | City · seat | — | — | 71801 |
| Blevins | City | — | — | 71825 |
| Washington | City | Washington | — | 71862 |
| Fulton | Town | — | — | 71838 |
| McCaskill | Town | — | — | 71847 |
| McNab | Town | — | — | — |
| Oakhaven | Town | — | — | — |
| Ozan | Town | Ozan | — | 71855 |
| Patmos | Town | — | — | — |
| Perrytown | Town | — | — | — |
| Clow | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| De Ann | Unincorp. | — | — | — |
| Columbus | Unincorp. | — | — | 71831 |
| Wallaceburg | Unincorp. | Wallaceburg | — | — |
| Spring Hill | Unincorp. | Spring Hill | — | — |
Washington, now a small city, served as the Confederate capital of Arkansas from 1863 to 1865 after Union forces took Little Rock; it is preserved today as Historic Washington State Park and is not to be confused with the national capital.
Townships
Hempstead County is divided into 12 civil townships, used mainly for property and tax administration rather than local government. Reliable 2020 township-level population figures were not confirmed for this profile, so those cells are left blank rather than estimated.
| Township | Pop. (2020) | Main settlements |
|---|---|---|
| Washington | — | Washington |
| Ozan | — | Ozan |
| Spring Hill | — | Spring Hill |
| Wallaceburg | — | Wallaceburg |
| Bodcaw | — | — |
| Bois d’Arc | — | — |
| De Roan | — | — |
| Garland | — | — |
| Mine Creek | — | — |
| Noland | — | — |
| Redland | — | — |
| Saline | — | — |
| Water Creek | — | — |
ZIP Codes
- 71801 — Hope (also serves the surrounding area)
- 71802 — Hope (PO Box only)
- 71825 — Blevins
- 71831 — Columbus
- 71838 — Fulton
- 71847 — McCaskill
- 71855 — Ozan
- 71862 — Washington
Smaller communities such as McNab, Oakhaven, Patmos, Perrytown, Clow, De Ann, Wallaceburg and Spring Hill do not have their own ZIP code and are served by a neighboring post office town.
Geography
Hempstead County sits in the West Gulf Coastal Plain of southwest Arkansas, a mix of rolling pine timberland and bottomland farm ground drained by the Little Missouri and Missouri rivers along its edges. The county covers 741 square miles, of which about 14 square miles is water.
Hempstead County borders Pike County to the north, Nevada County to the east, Lafayette County to the south, Miller County to the southwest, Little River County to the west and Howard County to the northwest.
Demographics
The 2020 census counted 20,065 residents, down from 22,609 in 2010. Hope, the county seat, is by far the largest community, followed by Washington. Hempstead County’s median household income runs below the Arkansas median of $58,700. Population density is about 28 people per square mile of land.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture and forestry anchor the county’s economy, with poultry, cattle and timber production across its rural townships, alongside manufacturing and logistics jobs tied to the Interstate 30 corridor through Hope. Hempstead County is legally dry, banning the retail sale of alcoholic beverages. Hope hosts the Hempstead County Fair and the Watermelon Festival each August, a longstanding local tradition celebrating the region’s watermelon crop.
History
Hempstead County was created on December 15, 1818, one of Arkansas Territory’s original counties, formed the same day as Clark and Pulaski counties. It is named for Edward Hempstead, a delegate to the U.S. Congress from Missouri Territory, which then included the future Arkansas. Washington, the early county seat, served as Arkansas’s Confederate capital from 1863 to 1865 after Union troops occupied Little Rock. Hope, later platted along the railroad, became the county seat and is the birthplace of former U.S. President Bill Clinton, born there on August 19, 1946.
Getting There
Interstate 30 and U.S. Routes 67, 278 and 371 cross the county, along with Arkansas Highways 4, 27, 29 and 32.
- Texarkana — about 30 miles west
- Arkadelphia — about 40 miles east
- Camden — about 45 miles southeast
- Little Rock — about 110 miles northeast
The nearest commercial airport is Texarkana Regional Airport (TXK), roughly 30 miles west.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Hempstead County located?
It is in southwest Arkansas, on Interstate 30 between Texarkana and Arkadelphia.
What is the population of Hempstead County?
20,065 at the 2020 census.
How big is Hempstead County?
741 square miles (1,920 km2), including about 14 square miles of water.
What is the county seat of Hempstead County?
Hope is the county seat.
How many towns and cities are in Hempstead County?
Three cities and seven towns, plus several unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Hempstead County?
Eight ZIP codes, led by 71801 in Hope; see the ZIP Codes section above.
Why is Hempstead County a “dry” county?
Local option elections decades ago banned the retail sale of alcohol countywide, and that prohibition remains in effect today.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.