Des Arc, Arkansas

Des Arc, Arkansas
City
Clockwise, from top: Downtown Des Arc, the Lower White River State Park, the White River bridge, Prairie County Courthouse, Northern District
Location in Prairie County and the state of Arkansas
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Prairie
Area
• Total	2 sq mi (5.3 km2)
• Land	2 sq mi (5.3 km2)
• Water	0 sq mi (0 km2)
Elevation	200 ft (61 m)
Population  (2000)
• Total	1,933
• Density	966.5/sq mi (364.7/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72040
Area code	870
FIPS code	05-18550
GNIS feature ID	0076785

Des Arc is a city in and the county seat of the northern district of Prairie County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 1,933 at the 2000 census.

Geography

Des Arc is located at 34°58′32″N 91°30′2″W (34.975426, -91.500671).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²), of which 2.0 square miles (5.2 km²) is land and 0.49% is water.

Points of interest

Des Arc has seven properties listed on the National Register of Historic Places, including Bethel House, at Erwin and 2nd Streets, designed by architect Charles L. Thompson.

Demographics

Historical population

Census	Pop.	Note	%±
1880	548		—
1890	546		−0.4%
1900	640		17.2%
1910	1,061		65.8%
1920	1,307		23.2%
1930	1,348		3.1%
1940	1,410		4.6%
1950	1,612		14.3%
1960	1,482		−8.1%
1970	1,714		15.7%
1980	2,001		16.7%
1990	2,001		0.0%
2000	1,933		−3.4%
2010	1,717		−11.2%
2015 (est.)	1,639		−4.5%
U.S. Decennial Census 2014 Estimate

The White River at Des Arc, Arkansas

As of the census of 2000, there were 1,933 people, 783 households, and 534 families residing in the city. The population density was 948.0 people per square mile (365.9/km²). There were 850 housing units at an average density of 416.9 per square mile (160.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 83.03% White, 14.80% Black or African American, 1.30% Native American, 0.31% Asian, 0.62% from other races, and 0.93% from two or more races. 1.29% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 783 households out of which 30.0% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.3% were married couples living together, 16.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.7% were non-families. 29.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 15.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.38 and the average family size was 2.93.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.6% under the age of 18, 7.4% from 18 to 24, 25.7% from 25 to 44, 23.0% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 89.0 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.5 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $23,750, and the median income for a family was $28,264. Males had a median income of $26,250 versus $17,500 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,629. About 16.3% of families and 20.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 32.2% of those under age 18 and 12.9% of those age 65 or over.

Education

Des Arc is served by the Des Arc School District.

Des Arc Pre-K

Des Arc Elementary School K-6

Des Arc High School 7-12

Climate

The climate in this area is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild to cool winters. According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Des Arc has a humid subtropical climate, abbreviated "Cfa" on climate maps.