Jefferson County is a county in Arkansas, United States, in the Arkansas Delta on the Arkansas River, about 43 miles southeast of Little Rock. It had a population of 67,260 at the 2020 census and covers 914 square miles (2,370 km2) centred near 34°17′N 91°57′W.
Pine Bluff is the county seat, and its postal code is 71601. The county holds five cities, two towns and several unincorporated communities. It is part of the Pine Bluff metropolitan area and observes Central time.
Towns & Villages in Jefferson County
Jefferson County’s incorporated places are Pine Bluff (the seat and only city over 1,000 people) plus four smaller cities and two towns; everything else on the list below is an unincorporated community, hamlet, or rural place name (marked Unincorp.).
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pine Bluff | City · seat | 41,253 | 71601–71603 |
| White Hall | City | — | — |
| Redfield | City | — | — |
| Altheimer | City | — | — |
| Humphrey | City | — | — |
| Sherrill | Town | — | — |
| Wabbaseka | Town | — | 72175 |
| Watson Chapel | CDP | — | — |
| Atkins Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Baldwin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cornerstone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cottondale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Dexter | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Double Wells | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Doylestown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Eastwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ellison | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elmwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| English | Unincorp. | — | — |
| English Place | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Fairfield | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Faith | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Farelly Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ferda | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Gethsemane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Glenlake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hannaberry | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hardin | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Haywood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Henslee Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hooker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jefferson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kearney | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ladd | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Dick | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lake Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Langford | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Leitner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Linwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Madding | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Moscow | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Gascony | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newtown | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Noble Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Oakland Heights | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pastoria | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinebergen | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Plain View | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Reydell | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Richardson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rob Roy | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rone | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Samples | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sorrells | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sulphur Springs | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Swan Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sweden | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tamo | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tucker | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wilkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wright | Unincorp. | — | — |
Two names on the old list were dropped: “Birmac” and “Donaldsonville” have no independent trace and were most likely mangled duplicates of neighboring entries; “Tucker” appeared twice on the old list and is listed once here (Tucker also holds a state prison unit, the Tucker Unit).
ZIP Codes
- 71601–71603 — Pine Bluff
- 72175 — Wabbaseka
Most of the county’s other cities and unincorporated communities share a ZIP with the nearest post-office town rather than carrying their own.
Geography
Jefferson County lies in the Arkansas Delta on the west bank of the Arkansas River, which crosses the county roughly north to south and was historically its main transportation route. The terrain is flat delta bottomland given over to row-crop farming, cut by bayous and oxbow lakes including Lake Dick and Swan Lake. Jefferson County borders Lonoke County to the north, Prairie County to the northeast, Arkansas County to the east, Lincoln County to the south, Cleveland County to the southwest, Grant County to the west, and Pulaski County to the northwest.
Demographics
Jefferson County had 67,260 residents at the 2020 census, with Pine Bluff (41,253) and White Hall as its two largest communities. The county’s median household income runs well below the Arkansas median of $58,700, reflecting the Delta region’s long economic decline; population density is about 74 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Pine Bluff anchors the county’s economy: Jefferson Regional Medical Center, Simmons First National Corp., Tyson Foods, Evergreen Packaging, the Pine Bluff Arsenal, and Union Pacific Railroad are among its largest employers. The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff, a historically Black land-grant university, and Southeast Arkansas College serve the county, alongside the Saracen Casino Resort. Outside Pine Bluff, the county remains largely agricultural, growing soybeans, rice, corn and cotton on the delta bottomland.
History
Jefferson County was organized on November 2, 1829, and named for Thomas Jefferson. During the Civil War it was the site of the Battle of Pine Bluff on October 25, 1863, when a small Union garrison repelled a much larger Confederate cavalry force using cotton-bale barricades. During Reconstruction the county became a center of Black political representation in Arkansas, a legacy still visible in Pine Bluff’s civic institutions today.
Getting There
US Highway 65, US Highway 79 and US Highway 270 all pass through the county, alongside Interstate 530, which links Pine Bluff to Little Rock.
- Little Rock — 43 miles northwest
- Stuttgart — 30 miles east
- Monticello — 35 miles south
- Sheridan — 25 miles west
Bill and Hillary Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is the nearest commercial airport.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is Jefferson County, Arkansas?
It is in the Arkansas Delta along the Arkansas River, about 43 miles southeast of Little Rock.
What is the population of Jefferson County?
It had a population of 67,260 at the 2020 census.
How big is Jefferson County?
It covers 914 square miles (2,370 km2).
What is the Jefferson County seat?
Pine Bluff is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns and cities are in Jefferson County?
Five cities (Pine Bluff, White Hall, Redfield, Altheimer, Humphrey) and two towns (Sherrill and Wabbaseka), plus a large number of unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in Jefferson County?
Pine Bluff uses 71601 through 71603, and Wabbaseka uses 72175; other communities generally share a nearby town’s ZIP.
What river runs through Jefferson County?
The Arkansas River crosses the county and was historically its main transportation route.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.