West Fork, Arkansas facts for kids

Quick facts for kids West Fork, Arkansas
City
Historic Woolsey Bridge over the West Fork, White River
Motto(s):  "Where the best begins!"
Location of West Fork in Washington County, Arkansas.
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
County	Washington
Founded	1848
Incorporated	May 18, 1885
Area
• Total	3.73 sq mi (9.67 km2)
• Land	3.67 sq mi (9.50 km2)
• Water	0.07 sq mi (0.17 km2)
Elevation	1,342 ft (409 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	2,331
• Density	635.84/sq mi (245.47/km2)
Time zone	UTC-6 (Central (CST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-5 (CDT)
ZIP code	72774
Area code(s)	479
FIPS code	05-74360
GNIS feature ID	0081903

West Fork is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The population is 2,317 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

West Fork was incorporated as a city on May 18, 1885.

Geography

West Fork is located at 35°55′57″N 94°10′57″W / 35.93250°N 94.18250°W / 35.93250; -94.18250 (35.932618, -94.182539). According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 3.3 square miles (8.5 km²), all of it land.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 2,042 people, 750 households, and 600 families residing in the city. The population density was 612.8 people per square mile (236.8/km²). There were 800 housing units at an average density of 240.1 per square mile (92.8/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 94.56% White or European American, 0.44% Black or African American, 0.93% Native American, 0.54% Asian, 1.71% from other races, and 1.81% from two or more races. 3.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 750 households, out of which 41.2% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.3% were married couples living together, 12.1% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.9% were non-families. 16.4% of all households were made up of individuals, and 7.6% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.72 and the average family size was 4.04.

In the city, the population was spread out, with 30.0% under the age of 18, 8.1% from 18 to 24, 30.2% from 25 to 44, 21.8% from 45 to 64, and 9.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 96.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 92.1 males.

Economically one of the poorer regions of the Northwest Arkansas region, the median income for a household in the city was $31,356, and the median income for a family was $34,818. Males had a median income of $28,037 versus $20,091 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,976. About 34.6% of families and 25.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 28.3% of those under age 18 and 19.7% of those age 65 or over.

Parks and recreation

The White River cuts the town of West Fork in half. The town sits on the west fork of the White River, hence the name. Alongside the river is Riverside Park, a common spot for recreational activities such as parties and reunions. The park features playground equipment, several pavilions, many benches, and a walking path. The town is flanked by mountains on both the east and west with Bloyd Mountain on the east being over 2,000 ft. in elevation.

Education

West Fork Public Schools serves the city, and includes:

• West Fork Elementary
• West Fork Middle School
• West Fork High School

All of the West Fork schools are co-located on School Avenue, west of the White River. West Fork's official school mascot is a tiger.

Notable people

• Mildred Earp, professional women's baseball player

See also

In Spanish: West Fork (Arkansas) para niños