Pope County, Arkansas

Pope County
Pope County Courthouse
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°25′35″N 93°01′55″W / 35.426388888889°N 93.031944444444°W / 35.426388888889; -93.031944444444
Country United States
State Arkansas
FoundedNovember 2, 1829
Named afterJohn Pope
SeatRussellville
Largest cityRussellville
Area
  Total
831 sq mi (2,150 km2)
  Land813 sq mi (2,110 km2)
  Water18 sq mi (50 km2)  2.2%
Population
 (2020)
  Total
63,381
  Estimate 
(2023)
64,593
  Density76/sq mi (29/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
  Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district4th
Websitewww.popecountyar.com

Pope County is a county in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 63,381. The county seat is Russellville. The county was formed on November 2, 1829, from a portion of Crawford County and named for John Pope, the third governor of the Arkansas Territory. Pope County was the nineteenth (of seventy-five) county formed. The county's borders changed eighteen times in the 19th century with the creation of new counties and adjustments between counties. The current boundaries were set on March 8, 1877.

Pope County is geographically diverse, with the Arkansas River Valley and its farmlands and towns in the southern portion and the Ozarks covering nearly two-thirds of the county to the north, including a portion of the rugged Boston Mountains, a deeply dissected plateau. Approximately 40% of the county is in the Ozark National Forest.

Pope County is an alcohol prohibition or dry county.

Pope County is part of the Russellville, Arkansas, Micropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Pope and Yell County.