Central Arkansas

Central Arkansas
Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR MSA
Metropolitan Statistical Area

Downtown Little Rock
Coordinates: 34°44′10″N 92°19′52″W / 34.73611°N 92.33111°W / 34.73611; -92.33111Coordinates: 34°44′10″N 92°19′52″W / 34.73611°N 92.33111°W / 34.73611; -92.33111
Country  United States
State  Arkansas
Principal cities • Little Rock
• North Little Rock
• Conway
Area
 • Urban 258.3 sq mi (669 km2)
 • MSA 4,199 sq mi (10,880 km2)
 • CSA 7,326 sq mi (18,970 km2)
Population (2016)
 • Urban 431,388 (US: 89th)
 • MSA 734,622[1] (US: 76th)
 • CSA 905,847[2] (US: 60th)
Time zone CST (UTC-5)
 • Summer (DST) CDT (UTC-4)
Area code(s) 501 & 870
Map of Arkansas highlighting the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Central Arkansas, also known as the Little Rock metro, designated by the United States Office of Management and Budget as the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area, is the most populous metro area in the US state of Arkansas. It is the core of the broader Little Rock-North Little Rock Combined Statistical Area (CSA). Its economic, cultural, and demographic center is Little Rock, Arkansas's capital and largest city. The Little Rock Combined Statistical area spans ten counties and had an estimated population of 905,847 in 2016.[2]

Geography

Definition

Components of Central Arkansas.
  Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway MSA
  Pine Bluff MSA
  Searcy μSA

Central Arkansas includes both the Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway MSA and the broader Little Rock CSA. The MSA is defined by the United States Office of Management and Budget as Faulkner, Grant, Lonoke, Perry, Pulaski and Saline counties. The CSA definition adds the Pine Bluff metropolitan area adding Cleveland, Jefferson, and Lincoln counties, and the Searcy Micropolitan Area, which adds White County.

Prior to 2002, the area consisted of four core counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Saline and Lonoke. The area was later expanded to include adjoining Perry County to the west, and Grant County to the south. The city of Conway was designated as a third principal city for the MSA by 2007.

Communities

Communities are categorized based on their populations in the 2000 U.S. Census.

Places with more than 100,000 inhabitants

Places with 50,000 to 100,000 inhabitants

Places with 10,000 to 50,000 inhabitants

Places with 1,000 to 10,000 inhabitants

Places with 500 to 1,000 inhabitants

Places with fewer than 500 inhabitants

Year Metropolitan
Statistical Area 		Combined
Statistical Area
2014 est. 729,135 902,443
2005 est. 645,706 820,846
2000 Census 610,518 785,024

Demographics

2000 Census

MSA

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 610,518 people, 241,094 households, and 165,405 families residing within the MSA. The racial makeup of the MSA was 75.40% White, 21.02% African American, 0.44% Native American, 0.96% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.87% from other races, and 1.27% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 2.07% of the population.

The median income for a household in the MSA was $37,912, and the median income for a family was $44,572. Males had a median income of $31,670 versus $23,354 for females. The per capita income for the MSA was $18,305.

CSA

As of the census[3] of 2000, there were 785,024 people, 304,335 households, and 210,966 families residing within the CSA. The racial makeup of the CSA was 73.97% White, 22.73% African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.85% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 0.80% from other races, and 1.20% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.93% of the population.

The median income for a household in the CSA was $35,301, and the median income for a family was $41,804. Males had a median income of $31,192 versus $22,347 for females. The per capita income for the CSA was $16,898.

Economy

The Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce, the oldest association in Arkansas, has produced the following list of largest employers in Central Arkansas.

Employer Number of employees
State of Arkansas 32,200
Local government 28,800
Federal government 9,200
University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 8,500
Baptist Health 7,000
Little Rock Air Force Base 4,500
Acxiom 4,380
Little Rock School District 3,500
Central Arkansas Veterans Healthcare System 3,500
Entergy Arkansas 2,740
Pulaski County Special School District 2,700
AT&T 2,600
CHI St. Vincent Health System 2,600
Arkansas Children’s Hospital 2,470
Dillard's 2,400
Verizon Wireless 2,000
Union Pacific Railroad 2,000
Arkansas Blue Cross Blue Shield 1,800
Dassault Falcon Jet Corp. 2,000
CenterPoint Energy 1,800

Source: Little Rock Regional Chamber of Commerce

Higher education

Notable colleges and universities

School Enrollment Location Type Mascot Athletic Affiliation
(Conference)

University of Arkansas at Little Rock		 11,848 Little Rock Public
State University		 Trojans NCAA Division I
(Sun Belt)
Non-Football

University of Central Arkansas		 11,487 Conway Public
State University		 Bears and Sugar Bears NCAA Division I FCS
(Southland)

Hendrix College		 1,348 Conway Private
liberal arts college		 Warriors NCAA Division III
(SAA)

Infrastructure

Major highways

I-30 terminates at I-40 in North Little Rock
US 167 in Sheridan
U.S. Route 270 in Sheridan, Arkansas.

Aviation

Clinton National Airport

The Clinton National Airport in Little Rock is the largest commercial airport in the state, with more than 100 flights arriving or departing each day and nonstop jet service to eighteen cities.[4] North Little Rock Municipal Airport, located across the Arkansas River, is designated as a general aviation reliever airport for Clinton National by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).[5] Central Arkansas also has several smaller municipally owned general aviation airports: Conway Airport at Cantrell Field in Conway, Saline County Regional in Benton, Grider Field in Pine Bluff.

Professional sports

Dickey Stephens Park

The city of Little Rock is home to the Arkansas Travelers. The Travelers are the AA Minor League Baseball affiliate of the Seattle Mariners. They compete in the Texas League and play their home games at Dickey-Stephens Park.

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Metropolitan Statistical Area". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  2. 1 2 "Combined Statistical Area". U.S. Census Bureau. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
  3. 1 2 "American FactFinder". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on 2013-09-11. Retrieved 2008-01-31.
  4. ↑ "Airport Info - Little Rock". Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 16, 2015.
  5. ↑ "Airport Info - North Little Rock". Arkansas Department of Aeronautics. Archived from the original on January 26, 2015. Retrieved January 17, 2015.
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