Paragould, Arkansas

Infobox Settlement
official_name = Paragould, Arkansas
settlement_type = City


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mapsize = 250px
map_caption = Location in Greene County and the state of Arkansas


mapsize1 =
map_caption1 =
subdivision_type = Country
subdivision_type1 = State
subdivision_type2 = County
subdivision_name = United States
subdivision_name1 = Arkansas
subdivision_name2 = Greene
government_type =
leader_title =
leader_name =
established_date =
area_magnitude =
area_total_km2 = 80.2
area_total_sq_mi = 31
area_land_km2 = 79.8
area_land_sq_mi = 30.8
area_water_km2 = 0.4
area_water_sq_mi = 0.2
elevation_ft = 302
elevation_m = 92
population_as_of = 2007
population_footnotes =
population_total = 24,505
population_metro =
population_density_km2 = 274.5
population_density_sq_mi = 710.2
timezone = Central (CST)
utc_offset = -6
latd = 36 |latm = 3 |lats = 25 |latNS = N
longd = 90 |longm = 30 |longs = 11 |longEW = W
timezone_DST = CDT
utc_offset_DST = -5
postal_code_type = ZIP codes
postal_code = 72450-72451
area_code = 870
blank_name = FIPS code
blank_info = 05-53390
blank1_name = GNIS feature ID
blank1_info = 0077948
footnotes =
website =

Paragould is a city in Greene County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2007 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 24,505. ranking it as the state's 17th largest city.

The city's name is a portmanteau (combining the last names of J.W. Paramore and Jay Gould, the owners of the two railroads that originally crossed there) although in strict linguistic terms it would be referred to as a blend, portmanteau being a word that in popular usage is applied in a carefree manner to any combination of two words. It is believed to be the only city in the world with this name. Paragould is designated a micropolitan area and is also a part of the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area. The Paragould micropolitan area's population is approximately 40,091 and the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area's population is estimated at 153,421.

Geography

Paragould is located at coor dms|36|3|25|N|90|30|11|W|city (36.057075, -90.502938).GR|1

According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 31.0 square miles (80.2 km²), of which, 30.8 square miles (79.8 km²) of it is land and 0.2 square miles (0.4 km²) of it (0.52%) is water.

Demographics

As of the censusGR|2 of 2000, there were 22,017 people, 8,941 households, and 6,133 families residing in the city. The population density was 714.6 people per square mile (275.9/km²). There were 9,789 housing units at an average density of 317.7/sq mi (122.7/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 97.77% White, 0.14% Black or African American, 0.42% Native American, 0.22% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.56% from other races, and 0.86% from two or more races. 1.33% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 8,941 households out of which 31.9% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 53.7% were married couples living together, 11.4% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.4% were non-families. There are 320 unmarried partner households: 291 heterosexual, 29 same-sex male, 0 same-sex female households.

27.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 13.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.40 and the average family size was 2.92.

In the city the population was spread out with 24.8% under the age of 18, 9.6% from 18 to 24, 28.0% from 25 to 44, 21.7% from 45 to 64, and 15.8% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 36 years. For every 100 females there were 90.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 86.9 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $30,815, and the median income for a family was $39,431. Males had a median income of $28,103 versus $20,623 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,076. About 8.4% of families and 12.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.1% of those under age 18 and 12.1% of those age 65 or over.

Health & Education

Paragould is home to Arkansas State University Paragould, Arkansas Northeastern College, Black River Technical College, and Crowley's Ridge College. Paragould has two public school districts, the Greene County Technical School District and the Paragould School District, as well as Crowley's Ridge Academy and St. Mary's private school systems.

Arkansas Methodist Medical Center is Paragould's only hospital. The 127-bed acute-care hospital's campus includes a professional office building with community wellness center and a building with campus offices for Arkansas Northeastern College's nursing programs.

Trivia

*Two Major League Baseball players were born in Paragould...Marlin Stuart (1918) and Weldon Bowlin (1940).
*Famed bank robber and Kansas City Massacre figure Frank "Jelly" Nash lived in Paragould and is entombed in Linwood Cemetery.
*Paragould's Capitol Theatre (now known as the Collins Theatre) hosted the 1941 world premiere of "The Man Who Came to Dinner" starring Bette Davis and Paragould's own Bill Justice, known as Richard Travis in Hollywood. Travis came back to Paragould for the premiere at the Capitol where he had been employed when he lived there as well as serving as the editor of the theater's coming-attractions magazine.
*The [http://www.acic.org Arkansas Crime Information Center] recently recorded Paragould as the “Safest City in Arkansas” and Paragould was ranked as 2nd Best Place to live in America by Relocate-America's top 100 in 2004.
*Home of legislative veteran and current [http://www.arkapu.org Arkansas Association of Public Universities] Executive Director Tim Wooldridge [http://www.arkapu.org] . Wooldridge served in the Arkansas State Senate and Arkansas House. Also, he made a 2006 bid for Lt. Governor.
*Home of long time Arkansas State Treasurer Jimmie Lou Fisher. Fisher was the 2002 Democratic Nominee for Arkansas Governor.
*Nominated for Best Oak Trees by the US Department of Outdoor Astheitics.

References

External links

* [http://www.mainstreetparagould.info/ Main Street Paragould]
* [http://www.paragould.org/ Paragould/Greene County Chamber of Commerce]
* [http://www.paragouldpride.org Paragould PRIDE Marching Band]
* Encyclopedia of Arkansas History & Culture entry: [http://www.encyclopediaofarkansas.net/encyclopedia/entry-detail.aspx?entryID=894 Paragould (Greene County)]