Faulkner County, Arkansas

Faulkner County
County
Faulkner County Courthouse
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 35°09′36″N 92°18′49″W / 35.16°N 92.3136°W / 35.16; -92.3136
Country	United States
State	Arkansas
Founded	April 12, 1873
Named for	Sandford C. Faulkner
Seat	Conway
Largest city	Conway
Area
• Total	664 sq mi (1,720 km2)
• Land	648 sq mi (1,680 km2)
• Water	16 sq mi (40 km2)  2.4%
Population  (2020)
• Total	123,498
• Density	190/sq mi (72/km2)
Time zone	UTC−6 (Central)
• Summer (DST)	UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district	2nd
Website	www.faulknercounty.org

Faulkner County is a county located in the Central Arkansas region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 123,498, making it the fifth most populous of Arkansas's 75 counties.^[1] The county seat and largest city is Conway.^[2] Faulkner County was created on April 12, 1873, one of nine counties formed during Reconstruction, and is named for Sandford C. Faulkner, better known as Sandy Faulkner, a popular figure in the state at the time.

Located at the intersection of the Ozarks and Arkansas River Valley, the county was sparsely populated for much of its early years. Largely a county of rural settlements, growth came slowly following the Civil War and Reconstruction. The college known today as University of Central Arkansas was established in 1907, but population continued to grow slowly. The growth of Little Rock and the construction of Interstate 40 have made Conway and other parts of Faulkner County into bedroom communities for the state capitol. Today Faulkner County is included in the Central Arkansas metro area, with Conway as a principal city.