Arkansas Arkansas ( ) is a landlocked state in the West South Central region of the Southern United States. It borders Missouri to the north, Tennessee and Mississippi to the east, Louisiana to the south, Texas to the southwest, and Oklahoma ...

is a

state State most commonly refers to: * State (polity), a centralized political organization that regulates law and society within a territory **Sovereign state, a sovereign polity in international law, commonly referred to as a country **Nation state, a ...

in the

Southern United States The Southern United States (sometimes Dixie, also referred to as the Southern States, the American South, the Southland, Dixieland, or simply the South) is List of regions of the United States, census regions defined by the United States Cens ...

. According to the 2020 United States census, it is the 33rd most populous state with inhabitants and the 27th largest by land area spanning of land. Arkansas is divided into 75

counties A county () is a geographic region of a country used for administrative or other purposesL. Brookes (ed.) '' Chambers Dictionary''. Edinburgh: Chambers Harrap Publishers Ltd, 2005. in some nations. The term is derived from the Old French denoti ...

and contains 500

municipalities A municipality is usually a single administrative division having municipal corporation, corporate status and powers of self-government or jurisdiction as granted by national and regional laws to which it is subordinate. The term ''municipality' ...

consisting of cities and towns as of the 2020 United States census. Arkansas municipalities are divided into three categories based on population. Cities of the first class have or have had a population over 2,500, cities of the second class have between 500 and 2,499 people, and incorporated towns have 499 or fewer people; state law, however, provides mechanisms for a municipality to increase or decrease its classification despite not meeting the usual population requirement. Several classes of municipalities in Arkansas have different obligations, with incorporated towns often having less. The largest municipality by population is the state capital of

Little Rock Little Rock is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of municipalities in Arkansas, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city's population was 202,591 as of the 2020 census. The six-county Central Arkan ...

with 202,591 residents while the smallest by population is Victoria with 20 residents. The largest municipality by land area is Little Rock, which spans , while the smallest is Oakhaven at .

Classification of municipalities

Arkansas municipalities are divided into three categories based on population according to the laws in the 2020 Arkansas Code Title 14. The state does not use

village A village is a human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet but smaller than a town with a population typically ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand. Although villages are often located in rural areas, the term urban v ...

s or

civil township A civil township is a widely used unit of local government in the United States that is subordinate to a County (United States), county, most often in the northern and midwestern parts of the country. The term town is used in New England town, Ne ...

s as possible designations for its minor civil divisions.

City (first class)

Cities of the first class have a population over 2,500 and elect two council members per

ward Ward may refer to: Division or unit * Hospital ward, a hospital division, floor, or room set aside for a particular class or group of patients, for example the psychiatric ward * Prison ward, a division of a penal institution such as a pris ...

(elected

at-large At large (''before a noun'': at-large) is a description for members of a governing body who are elected or appointed to represent a whole membership or population (notably a city, county, state, province, nation, club or association), rather tha ...

or by ward, or both). Any municipal expense over $20,000 goes to bidding by default in cities of the first class only. Only cities of the first class must hold elections for vacant mayoralty lasting more than one year, and must elect a city attorney to a four-year term. Cities of the first class must have a city clerk and may have a treasurer elected for a four-year term (or the role combined with city clerk). Cities of the first class must create a planning commission with at least five members and may have a police department superintended by a mayor. There are retirement benefits available if certain conditions are met for mayors and city clerks or treasurers.

City (second class)

Cities of the second class have a population between 500 and 2,499 people and elect two council members per ward (elected at-large or by ward, or both). A city of the second class must have a recorder and may have a treasurer elected for a four-year term (or the role combined with city clerk). Cities of the second class do not need to create a separate planning commission and may allow city councilors to serve as the planning commission. Cities of the second class may have a police department, a marshal or a department of public safety. There are retirement benefits available if certain conditions are met for mayors and city clerks or treasurers.

Town

Towns have a population of 499 or fewer people and elect five council members at-large with no wards. Towns must have a treasurer-recorder as a single position. Towns may have a police department, a marshal or a department of public safety. No prescribed retirement benefits are available for mayors and clerks or treasurers of towns.

List of municipalities

Littlerock.JPG, alt=Skyline of Little Rock,

is Arkansas's state capital and most populous city. Block Street, Fayetteville, Arkansas.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Fayetteville, Fayetteville is Arkansas's second most populous municipality. GarrisonFSM.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Fort Smith, The third most populous municipality in Arkansas is Fort Smith. Turnbow_Park.jpg, alt=Spring Creek runs through Turnbow Park in downtown Springdale, Springdale is Arkansas's fourth largest municipality by population. ChrisLitherlandJonesboroARk.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Jonesboro, Jonesboro is the fifth most populous municipality in Arkansas. Downtown Rogers.jpg, alt=Row of buildings in downtown Rogers, The sixth most populous municipality in Arkansas is Rogers. Downtown North Little Rock.jpg, alt=Street in downtown North Little Rock,

North Little Rock North Little Rock (often abbreviated "NLR") is a city in Pulaski County, Arkansas, United States. Located on the north side of the Arkansas River, it is the twin city of Little Rock. In the late nineteenth century, it was annexed by Little Ro ...

is part of the Little Rock metropolitan area and is the seventh largest municipality in Arkansas by population. EM Downtown shot.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Conway,

Conway Conway may refer to: Places United States * Conway, Arkansas * Conway County, Arkansas * Lake Conway, Arkansas * Conway, Florida * Conway, Iowa * Conway, Kansas * Conway, Louisiana * Conway, Massachusetts * Conway, Michigan * Conway Townshi ...

is Arkansas's eighth largest municipality by population. File:Central Avenue at night.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Bentonville, Arkansas' ninth largest municipality by population is Bentonville. Pine Bluff AR - main street and courthouse.jpg, alt=Downtown street in Pine Bluff, Pine Bluff is the tenth largest municipality by population in Arkansas.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Cities And Towns In Arkansas Arkansas geography-related lists *