Map of Greene County, Arkansas

Greene County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 45,736. The county seat is Paragould, which sits atop Crowley’s Ridge.

Greene County is included in Jonesboro–Paragould Combined Statistical Area.

Greene County overview:
Name:	Greene County
FIPS code:	05-055
State:	Arkansas
Founded:	November 5, 1833
Named for:	Nathanael Greene
Seat:	Paragould
Largest city:	Paragould
Total Area:	580 sq mi (1,500 km²)
Land Area:	578 sq mi (1,500 km²)
Total Population:	45,736
Population Density:	79/sq mi (30/km²)
Time zone:	UTC−6 (Central)
Summer Time Zone (DST):	UTC−5 (CDT)
Website:	county.arkansas.gov/greene/

Greene County location map. Where is Greene County?

Greene County location on the U.S. Map. Where is Greene County. — Location of Greene County in the the United States.

Greene County location on the Arkansas map. Where is Greene County. — Location of Greene County in Arkansas.

History

The first settler in the area was Benjamin Crowley, who arrived from Kentucky in 1821 and made his home about 12 miles (19 km) west of Paragould.

Greene County was formed on 5 November 1833 out of portions of Lawrence County and originally contained parts of present Clay and Craighead counties. The county was named for Revolutionary War hero Nathanael Greene. The first county seat was in Benjamin Crowley’s home. By 1836, when Arkansas became a state, the county seat was located in a settlement called “Paris” (not to be confused with present-day Paris, Arkansas).

In 1848 a national highway was made through the area, and the county seat was moved to Gainesville, which had a reputation as rather lawless. The seat remained there until 1883, when it was transferred to the new town of Paragould. The people in Gainesville opposed the move, and shots reportedly were fired, since tempers were high. The courthouse was built in 1888 and survives in downtown Paragould.

In the early 20th century, Clay, Greene, and Craighead counties had policies forbidding African Americans from living in the area.

Greene County Road Map

Greene CountyStreet Map. — Street map of Greene County, Arkansas. Source: OpenStreetMap (OSM)

Greene CountyMap — Greene Countypolitical map.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 580 square miles (1,500 km), of which 578 square miles (1,500 km) is land and 1.9 square miles (4.9 km) (0.3%) is water.