Baxter County, Arkansas
Baxter County is a county in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas's 66th county on March 24, 1873, the county has eight incorporated municipalities, including Mountain Home, its largest city and county seat. The county is named for Elisha Baxter, the tenth governor of Arkansas. It is coterminal with the Mountain Home Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The county is located in a steep section of the Ozark Mountains sometimes known as the Twin Lakes Area because it is bordered by two of Arkansas's largest lakes, Bull Shoals Lake and Norfork Lake. On its southern border are the White River, Norfork Tailwater and the Buffalo National River. Occupying 587 square miles, the county's population was 41,627 as of the 2020 Census, ranking Baxter the 66th largest and 16th most populous of the 75 counties in Arkansas. The county seat is Mountain Home. The county contains five protected areas, including parts of the Buffalo National River, Ozark National Forest, Bull Shoals-White River State Park, and two Wildlife Management Areas. The natural environment of nearby Norfork and Bull Shoals lakes and the surrounding countryside has attracted tourists from around the country for many years. Educational institutions have also played a role in the life of the community. Other historical features such as the Jacob Wolf House and Cold Water School preserve the history and culture of Baxter County.
Baxter County is served by three public school districts: Mountain Home, Cotter, and Norfork, and contains one public community college: Arkansas State University–Mountain Home. Baxter Health serves as a healthcare hub for the region. Although no Interstate highways serve Baxter County, the county has access to two concurrent United States highways: U.S. Highway 62 and US 412, and thirteen Arkansas state highways. Baxter County is served by two public use airports: Baxter County Airport and Gaston's White River Resort Airstrip, two electric service providers, and fifteen public water systems providing potable water to customers in the county.
History
Baxter County was created by the 19th Arkansas General Assembly on March 24, 1873, from parts of Fulton, Izard, Marion, and Searcy counties. It was named for Elisha Baxter, who was governor of Arkansas at the time. The small community of Mountain Home was named temporary county seat; and was later named permanent county seat.In 1945, Baxter County voted to take the county "dry"—liquor sales prohibited—in 1945 by a vote of 548 to 432. The liquor sales prohibition was overturned in 1978 in the heaviest voter turnout in county history to that date, with 6,175 for the manufacture and sale of intoxicating liquors and 5,991 against. A narrow margin of 184 votes took the county "wet".
Geography
Baxter County is located within the Salem Plateau, a subregion of the Ozark Mountains. Land near Bull Shoals Lake, Norfork Lake, and along the White River are within the White River Hills subregion, known for steep, rocky soils, spring-fed mountain streams, and oak-hickory-pine forest. Eastern Baxter County and a small area around Mountain Home are within the Central Plateau subregion, known for comparatively flatter terrain more suited for hayfields, pastures, and housing, as well as karst.The county has a total area of, of which is land and is water.
The county is located approximately southeast of Springfield, Missouri, north of Little Rock, and southwest of St. Louis, Missouri. Baxter County is surrounded by sparsely populated Ozark counties on all sides: Fulton County to the east, Izard County to the southeast, Stone County to the south, Searcy County to the southwest, Marion County to the west, and Ozark County, Missouri to the north.
Hydrology
Baxter County is within the White River watershed. The river has several important milestones in Baxter County: beginning along the western boundary of Baxter County, the White River is impounded to form the Bull Shoals Lake reservoir by Bull Shoals Dam, which spans the Baxter-Marion county line. South of the dam, the White River forms the western boundary of Baxter-Marion county line until Buffalo City, when the Buffalo National River empties into the White, with the White continuing across Baxter County from west to east. South of Salesville, the North Fork of White River empties into the White via the Norfork Tailwater downstream of Norfork Dam. Within the county, Barren Fork, Big Creek, Bruce Creek, Hightower Creek, Leatherwood Creek, and Moccasin Creek are important watercourses.Protected areas
Baxter County contains a small section of the Buffalo National River near Buffalo City where the river empties into the White River. Almost all land in Baxter County south of the White River is part of the Ozark National Forest. Within this area, a subdivision of the Ozark National Forest known as the Leatherwood Wilderness is located along Highway 341. Another part of the Ozark National Forest is also protected in the Sylamore Wildlife Management Area. The WMA is known as a destination for hiking, fishing, and hunting wild turkey, bear, squirrel, and deer. Camping is available at Blanchard Springs Caverns, Gunner Pool, and Barkshed areas and a gun range is open to the public. The Ozark Highlands Trail passes through the Leatherwood Wilderness and Sylamore WMA.The Bull Shoals-White River State Park is along the downstream shoreline of Bull Shoals Lake at the Bull Shoals Dam. The park contains campgrounds, a marina, and visitor center. The dam tailwater is well known for trout fishing.
Norfork Lake WMA is a series of protected walk-in hunting areas along Lake Norfork covered in hardwood forest with some pine and ranging topography. The four Baxter County units are Indian Head Unit, Chapin Point Unit, Seward Point Unit, and the Bennett's Creek Unit. The WMA is managed for deer, turkey and small game and attracts waterfowl during migration.
Demographics
2020 census
As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 41,627. The median age was 52.7 years. 17.5% of residents were under the age of 18 and 31.5% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 95.3 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 92.8 males age 18 and over.The racial makeup of the county was 92.5% White, 0.2% Black or African American, 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% Asian, <0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 0.8% from some other race, and 5.3% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 2.5% of the population.
42.7% of residents lived in urban areas, while 57.3% lived in rural areas.
There were 18,936 households in the county, of which 21.0% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 48.9% were married-couple households, 18.6% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 26.6% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 31.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 18.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.
There were 22,699 housing units, of which 16.6% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 74.5% were owner-occupied and 25.5% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 2.4% and the rental vacancy rate was 8.7%.
The median income for a household in the county was $43,504, and the median income for a family was $52,342.
2010 census
As of 2010 Baxter County had a population of 41,513. The racial makeup was 95.96% Non-Hispanic whites, 0.16% blacks, 0.56% Native Americans, 0.41% Asians, 0.04% Pacific Islanders, 1.25% Non-Hispanics reporting more than one race and 1.66% Hispanic or Latino.2000 census
As of the 2000 census, there were 38,386 people, 17,052 households, and 11,799 families residing in the county. The population density was. There were 19,891 housing units at an average density of. The racial makeup of the county was 97.81% White, 0.11% Black or African American, 0.52% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.22% from other races, and 0.97% from two or more races. 1.00% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.There were 17,052 households, out of which 22.00% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 59.00% were married couples living together, 7.70% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.80% were non-families. 27.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 15.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.21 and the average family size was 2.65.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 19.00% under the age of 18, 5.80% from 18 to 24, 21.10% from 25 to 44, 27.40% from 45 to 64, and 26.80% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 48 years. For every 100 females there were 92.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 89.10 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $29,106, and the median income for a family was $34,578. Males had a median income of $25,976 versus $18,923 for females. The per capita income for the county was $16,859. About 7.90% of families and 11.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 14.70% of those under age 18 and 8.90% of those age 65 or over.
Human resources
Education
The 2019 American Community Survey found 88.7% of Baxter County residents over age 25 held a high school degree or higher and 17.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher. Baxter County exceeded statewide and nationwide averages for high school attainment, but lags far behind on bachelor's degree attainment.Primary and secondary education
Three public school districts are based in Baxter County; Mountain Home School District is the largest school district in Baxter County, with Cotter School District serving the Cotter-Gassville area and the Norfork School District serving the southeast side of the county. Successful completion of the curriculum of these schools leads to graduation from Mountain Home High School, Cotter High School, or Norfork High School respectively. All three high schools are accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education.Small areas in Baxter County are within the boundaries of Calico Rock School District, Mountain View School District, and Viola School District.
The Big Flat School District was in the county until July 1, 1985, when it merged with the Fifty Six School District into the Tri-County School District. On July 1, 1993, the Tri-County district was dissolved, with portions going to various districts, including the Mountain View district.