Paragould, Arkansas
Paragould, Arkansas | |
|---|---|
 Location in Greene County and the state of Arkansas | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Greene |
| Area | |
| • Total | 31 sq mi (80.2 km2) |
| • Land | 30.8 sq mi (79.8 km2) |
| • Water | 0.2 sq mi (0.4 km2) |
| Elevation | 302 ft (92 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 24,505 |
| • Density | 710.2/sq mi (274.5/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP codes | 72450-72451 |
| Area code | 870 |
| FIPS code | 05-53390 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0077948 |
Paragould is a city in Greene County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 24,505. ranking it as the state's 15th largest city.
The city's name is a blend (combining the last names of J.W. Paramore and Jay Gould, the owners of the two railroads that originally crossed there). It is believed to be the only city in the world with this name. Paragould is designated a micropolitan area and is also a part of the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area. The Paragould micropolitan area's population is approximately 40,091 and the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area's population is estimated at 153,421.
Geography
Paragould is located at 36°3′25″N 90°30′11″W / 36.05694°N 90.50306°WInvalid arguments have been passed to the {{#coordinates:}} function (36.057075, -90.502938).Template:GR
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.0 square miles (80.2 km²), of which, 30.8 square miles (79.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.52%) is water.
Demographics
As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 22,017 people, 8,941 households, and 6,133 families residing in the city. The population density was 714.6 people per square mile (275.9/km²). There were 9,789 housing units at an average density of 317.7/sq mi (122.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.87% White, 0.04% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
There were 8,941 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. There are 320 unmarried partner households: 291 heterosexual, 29 same-sex male, 0 same-sex female households.
27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.
In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,815, and the median income for a family was $39,431. Males had a median income of $28,103 versus $20,623 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,076. About 8.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.
| Year | Population |
|---|---|
| 1900 | 3,300 |
| 1940 | 7,100 |
| 1950 | 9,700 |
| 1960 | 9,900 |
| 1970 | 10,600 |
| 1980 | 15,200 |
| 1990 | 18,500 |
| 2000 | 22,000 |
Climate
Paragould has a humid subtropical climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa).
| Climate data for Paragould | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Source: [2] | |||||||||||||
Health & Education
Paragould is home to Arkansas State University Paragould, Arkansas Northeastern College, Black River Technical College, and Crowley's Ridge College. Paragould has two public school districts, the Greene County Technical School District and the Paragould School District, as well as Crowley's Ridge Academy and St. Mary's private school systems.
Arkansas Methodist Medical Center is Paragould's only hospital. The 127-bed acute-care hospital's campus includes a professional office building with community wellness center and a building with campus offices for Arkansas Northeastern College's nursing programs.
Notable residents
- Two Major League Baseball players were born in Paragould: Marlin Stuart (1918) and Weldon Bowlin (1940).
- Famed bank robber and Kansas City Massacre figure Frank "Jelly" Nash lived in Paragould and is entombed in Linwood Cemetery.
- Paragould's Capitol Theatre (now known as the Collins Theatre) hosted the 1941 world premiere of The Man Who Came to Dinner starring Bette Davis and Paragould's own Bill Justice, known as Richard Travis in Hollywood. Travis came back to Paragould for the premiere at the Capitol where he had been employed when he lived there as well as serving as the editor of the theater's coming-attractions magazine.
- Home of legislative veteran and current Arkansas Association of Public Universities Executive Director Tim Wooldridge [1] . Wooldridge served in the Arkansas State Senate and Arkansas House. Also, he made a 2006 bid for Lt. Governor.
- Home of long time Arkansas State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher. Fisher was the 2002 Democratic Nominee for Arkansas Governor.
- Singer and folk/counrty song writer, Iris DeMent was born in Paragould.
- B-Movie actress, 50's glamour girl and famed trick-shot golfer Jeanne Carmen was born in Paragould.
References
- ^ http://www.populstat.info/Americas/usas-art.htm
- ^ "Average weather for Paragould, Arkansas". Weather.com. Retrieved December 21 2008.
{{cite web}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help); Unknown parameter|dateformat=ignored (help); Unknown parameter|from=ignored (help)
Rayo Franklin Breckenridge, 1973 BASS Masters Classic Champion and host of "Rayo Breckenridge Outdoors", which aired regionally from 1974 to 1979 and nationally until 1985.
External links
- Main Street Paragould
- Paragould/Greene County Chamber of Commerce
- Paragould PRIDE Marching Band
- Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: Paragould (Greene County)
Municipalities and communities of Greene County, Arkansas, United States | ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |  | |
| Towns | ||
| CDP | ||
| Other unincorporated communities | ||
