St. Francis County is a county in Arkansas, United States, in the eastern Mississippi River Delta region along the St. Francis River. It had a population of 23,090 at the 2020 census and covers 635 square miles (1,645 km2) of land plus 7.7 square miles of water, centred near 35°01′36″N 90°42′15″W.
Forrest City is the county seat, and its postal code is 72335. The county holds 2 cities, 7 towns, 1 census-designated place and a scatter of smaller unincorporated communities. St. Francis County sits on Central Time and carries FIPS code 05123.
Towns & Villages in St. Francis County
The list below runs from the two incorporated cities down to dozens of small Delta hamlets — farm crossroads, old rail stops and church communities that never incorporated. "CDP" marks a Census Bureau statistical place with no city government; "Unincorp." marks a named community with no formal boundary or population count of its own.
| Place | Type | Pop. | ZIP |
|---|---|---|---|
| Forrest City | City · seat | 13,015 | 72335 |
| Madison | City | 759 | — |
| Hughes | Town | 1,056 | — |
| Palestine | Town | 506 | — |
| Caldwell | Town | — | — |
| Colt | Town | — | — |
| Heth | Town | — | — |
| Wheatley | Town | — | — |
| Widener | Town | — | — |
| Goodwin | CDP | — | — |
| Becks | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Belle Meade | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blackfish | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Blossom | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bonair | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Bryanville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burnt Cane | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Burnt Cane Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cicalla | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Clarks Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Cottonwood Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Crow Creek | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Democrat | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Ebling | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Elcana | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Four Gums | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Greasy Corner | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Harris | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hawkins | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Heustess | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Hicks Station | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Jonquil | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kingsley Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Kinton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lakeside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Longino | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Lucerne | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Macedonia | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Meadow Cliff | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Midway | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Monica | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Mud Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Home | Unincorp. | — | — |
| New Shady Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Newcastle | Unincorp. | — | — |
| North Hughes | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Penjur | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Pinetree | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Poplar Grove | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Posey | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rawlinson | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Red Gum Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Redfern | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Riverside | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosenbaum | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Rosine | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Round Pond | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sand Slough | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shannondale | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shearerville | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shell Lake | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shepperd Crossing | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Shiloh | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Slonikers Mill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Sycamore Bend Farm | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tarsus | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tuni | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Tuttleton | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Union Hill | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Whitmore | Unincorp. | — | — |
| Wildwood | Unincorp. | — | — |
The old site list carried "Goodwin" twice; the duplicate row is dropped here (Goodwin is the single CDP straddling the Forrest City–Wheatley line). "Sand Slough" is added from the county’s confirmed community list.
ZIP Codes
- 72335 — Forrest City (also serves most of the county’s smaller communities)
Individual ZIP codes for Madison, Hughes, Palestine, Caldwell, Colt, Heth, Wheatley and Widener could not be independently verified for this rewrite and are omitted rather than guessed; most of the county’s small towns and unincorporated communities are served by the Forrest City post office.
Geography
St. Francis County lies flat and low in the Arkansas Delta, drained by the St. Francis River along its eastern edge and by the L’Anguille River through its interior. Much of the county is cleared farmland — cotton, soybeans and rice — broken by bottomland hardwood along the waterways. To the north lies Cross County; to the east, across the St. Francis River, Crittenden County; to the south, Lee County; to the southwest, Monroe County; and to the northwest, Woodruff County.
Demographics
St. Francis County’s population was 23,090 at the 2020 census. Forrest City (13,015) and Hughes (1,056) are the county’s two largest communities, together holding roughly two-thirds of its residents. Median household income in the county runs well below the Arkansas median of $58,700, reflecting the Delta’s persistently high poverty rate. Population density is about 36 people per square mile.
Economy & Local Life
Agriculture anchors the county’s economy — cotton, soybean, rice and corn farming across the flat Delta bottomland — alongside food processing and distribution tied to Forrest City’s position on Interstate 40. Forrest City is also home to a state correctional facility, one of the county’s largest employers. Historic downtown Forrest City, once a cotton-shipping rail hub, still centers the county’s commercial and civic life.
History
St. Francis County was formed by the Arkansas territorial legislature on October 13, 1827, and takes its name from the St. Francis River. Madison served as the original county seat until Forrest City, founded in 1869 as a railroad town, took over the role in 1874. The county is the birthplace of soul singer Al Green, country musician Charlie Rich and boxer Sonny Liston.
Getting There
Interstate 40 crosses the county east–west through Forrest City, with U.S. Highways 70 and 79 also serving the area.
- Memphis, Tennessee — 45 miles east
- Little Rock — 100 miles west
- Wynne — 20 miles north
- Marianna — 20 miles south
The nearest commercial airport is Memphis International Airport (MEM).
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is St. Francis County, Arkansas?
It is in eastern Arkansas, in the Mississippi River Delta along the St. Francis River, about 45 miles west of Memphis.
What is the population of St. Francis County?
23,090 at the 2020 census.
How big is St. Francis County?
635 square miles (1,645 km2) of land.
What is the county seat of St. Francis County?
Forrest City is the county seat and largest city.
How many towns are in St. Francis County?
2 cities, 7 towns, 1 census-designated place and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities.
What ZIP codes are in St. Francis County?
72335 covers Forrest City and much of the surrounding county.
Who was born in St. Francis County?
Soul singer Al Green, country musician Charlie Rich and boxer Sonny Liston all have roots in the county.
More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.