Lincoln County is located between the Arkansas Timberlands and Arkansas Delta in the U.S. state of Arkansas. It is situated just outside the outer edge of the Central Arkansas metropolitan region. The county is named for President Abraham Lincoln. Created as Arkansas's 65th county on March 28, 1871, Lincoln County has three incorporated cities, including Star City, the county seat and most populous city. The county contains 46 unincorporated communities and ghost towns, Cane Creek State Park at the confluence of Cane Creek and Bayou Bartholomew, and nine listings on the National Register of Historic Places to preserve the history and culture of the county.

Lincoln County occupies and contained a population of 12,941 as of the 2020 Census. The rural economy is largely based on agriculture. The state has built two prisons here that also provide some local jobs. Poverty and unemployment rates are above national averages, but steady. Household incomes are below state and national averages.

Lincoln County is served by two school districts, Star City School District and Dumas Public Schools. Higher education and healthcare are available in Pine Bluff to the north or Monticello to the south. Although no Interstate highways serve Lincoln County, the county has access to two United States highways (U.S. Route 65 [US 65], US 425) and eight Arkansas state highways. Lincoln County is also served by one public owned/public use general aviation airport, Star City Municipal Airport, and six community water systems provide potable water to customers in the county.

History The county was established in 1871 during the Reconstruction era by the Arkansas General Assembly from parts of Arkansas, Bradley, Desha, Drew, and Jefferson counties. It was named for President Abraham Lincoln. The Republican Party was chosen by most freedmen after they got the franchise, as it was the one that secured their emancipation after the Civil War. Some white Union sympathizers, including veterans who decided to stay in the South, also voted for Republican candidates, and some were elected to state offices in former Confederate states.

County government was first permanently established in Star City. The county had a second county seat at Varner from 1885 to 1912.

Geography

Lincoln County's geography is defined by two physiographic regions of Arkansas: the Arkansas Timberlands and the Arkansas Delta (in Arkansas, usually referred to as "the Delta"). These two regions are separated by Bayou Bartholomew, the world's longest bayou, which approximately splits the county into eastern and western halves with significant differences in geography. In the east, the Arkansas Delta is a subregion of the Mississippi Alluvial Plain, which is a flat area consisting of rich, fertile sediment deposits from the Mississippi River between Louisiana and Illinois. The western half is part of the Arkansas Timberlands, a portion of the Gulf Coastal Plain characterized by flat pine and cypress forests and silviculture rather than row agriculture. The county is the eighth-smallest in Arkansas, with a total area of , of which is land and (1.9%) is water.

The county is located approximately southeast of Little Rock, southwest of Memphis, Tennessee, and northwest of Jackson, Mississippi. Lincoln County is surrounded by two Delta counties to the east, Arkansas County and Desha County, and a Timberlands county to the west, Cleveland County. Jefferson County to the north and Drew County are border counties similar to Lincoln County, with Bayou Bartholomew delineating a similarly split geography.

Protected areas

Lincoln County contains two protected areas. Cane Creek State Park is a state park located on the border between the West Gulf Coastal Plain and Arkansas Delta, with a lake at the center. Fishing, canoeing, and kayaking are available on the lake in addition to pavilions, trails, and a visitor center with gift shop on land.. The park offers 29 RV/tent camping sites with water and electric hookups, and is owned and operated by the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism..

Huff's Island Public Use Area is located on the Arkansas River in northeastern Lincoln County. Managed by the United States Army Corps of Engineers, the park does not have a boat ramp or camping, but offers day use, river bank access from March–September, and four picnic sites..

Demographics

2020 census As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 12,941. The median age was 40.4 years. 16.1% of residents were under the age of 18 and 15.8% of residents were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 females there were 167.2 males, and for every 100 females age 18 and over there were 187.6 males age 18 and over.

The racial makeup of the county was 64.3% White, 28.2% Black or African American, 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander, 3.0% from some other race, and 3.9% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino residents of any race comprised 4.8% of the population.

<0.1% of residents lived in urban areas, while 100.0% lived in rural areas.

There were 3,807 households in the county, of which 29.6% had children under the age of 18 living in them. Of all households, 47.0% were married-couple households, 19.5% were households with a male householder and no spouse or partner present, and 28.2% were households with a female householder and no spouse or partner present. About 29.7% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.4% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older.

There were 4,366 housing units, of which 12.8% were vacant. Among occupied housing units, 75.3% were owner-occupied and 24.7% were renter-occupied. The homeowner vacancy rate was 1.9% and the rental vacancy rate was 7.2%.

2000 census As of the 2000 census, there were 14,492 people, 4,265 households, and 3,130 families residing in the county. The population density was . There were 4,955 housing units at an average density of . The racial makeup of the county was 64.88% White, 32.92% Black or African American, 0.40% Native American, 0.06% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.99% from other races, and 0.75% from two or more races. 1.81% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 4,265 households, out of which 34.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 54.30% were married couples living together, 14.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.60% were non-families. 23.50% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.60% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.11.

In the county, the population was spread out, with 22.20% under the age of 18, 12.40% from 18 to 24, 33.20% from 25 to 44, 20.40% from 45 to 64, and 11.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 142.30 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 154.70 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $29,607, and the median income for a family was $35,408. Males had a median income of $28,890 versus $19,990 for females. The per capita income for the county was $12,479. About 15.50% of families and 19.50% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.60% of those under age 18 and 17.90% of those age 65 or over. Economy The Arkansas Department of Correction, which operates the Cummins Unit and the Varner Unit in Lincoln County, is one of the county's major employers.

Human resources

Education

Educational attainment in Lincoln County is typical for a rural Arkansas county, with a 2012 study finding 78.4% of Lincoln County residents over age 25 held a high school degree or higher and 8.9% holding a bachelor's degree or higher. The Lincoln County rates are below Arkansas averages of 84.8% and 21.1%, and significantly below national averages of 86.7% and 29.8%, respectively.

Primary and secondary education

One public school district is based in Lincoln County; the Star City School District, which serves the western two-thirds of the county. The remainder of the county is served by the Dumas Public School District, based in Dumas. - Text list - The 2010 map (text list) indicated a portion was served by the DeWitt School District, but that section shown as being in DeWitt and in Lincoln County in the 2010 map is shown as being in DeWitt and in Jefferson County in the 2020 map. Successful completion of the curriculum of these schools leads to graduation from Star City High School or Dumas New Tech High School, respectively. Both high schools offer Advanced Placement (AP) courses and are accredited by the Arkansas Department of Education (ADE). Dumas Public Schools is also accredited by AdvancED.

The school districts at Gould and Grady were merged into Dumas and Star City for the 2004–05 school year pursuant to the Public Education Reorganization Act passed by the Arkansas Legislature.

Higher education Lincoln County does not contain any institutions of higher education. The three nearest institutions in the region are University of Arkansas at Monticello to the south and Southeast Arkansas College (SEARK) and University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in Pine Bluff to the north, all public four-year colleges.

Library system The Star City Branch Library in downtown Star City is a member library of the Southeast Arkansas Regional Library system. The location offers books, e-books, media, reference, youth, business and genealogy services.

Public health Lincoln County's above-average poverty rate suggests a high Medicaid eligibility rate. As of 2012, 25.6% of Lincoln County was eligible for Medicaid, with 62.8% of children under 19 eligible for ARKids First, a program by the Arkansas Department of Human Services that combines children's Medicaid (ARKids A) and other programs for families with higher incomes (ARKids B).. These values are more in line with statewide averages than typical values for rural Arkansas counties.

The county's population is significantly above healthy weight, with 69.8% of adults and 43.5% of children/adolescents ranking as overweight or obese, above the state averages of 67.1% and 39.3%,. themselves significantly above national averages of 62.9% and 30.3%, respectively.

The Jefferson Regional Medical Center in Pine Bluff is a community hospital offering acute inpatient care, emergency care, cardiology, home health, inpatient hospice, neurology, surgery, and the UAMS South Central Family Residency Program. The facility is rated as a Level 4 Trauma Center by the Arkansas Department of Health. Baptist Health Medical Center and CHI St. Vincent Infirmary are referral hospitals in Little Rock. The nearest Level 1 Trauma Centers are Arkansas Children's Hospital (ACH, or "Children's") and University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS), both in Little Rock.

Public safety The Lincoln County Sheriff's Office is the primary law enforcement agency in the county. The agency is led by the Lincoln County Sheriff, an official elected by countywide vote every four years.