Newport Map

Newport is a city in Jackson County, Arkansas, 84 miles (135 km) northeast of Little Rock, on the White River. In 1900, 2,866 people lived in Newport, Arkansas; in 1910, 3,557. The population was 7,811 at the 2000 census. The city is the county seat of Jackson County.

Newport is home to a campus of the Arkansas State University system, with particular focus on training in transportation careers. Newport is known as the town in which Sam Walton owned a Ben Franklin store prior to starting Wal-Mart.

As of the census of 2000, the city's residents comprised 7,811 people in 2,690 households 1,702 families. The population density was 599.2 people per square mile (231.5/km²). There were 3,118 housing units at an average density of 239.2 per square mile (92.4/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 56.57% White, 41.76% Black or African American, 0.27% Native American, 0.33% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 0.28% from other races, and 0.77% from two or more races. 1.13% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

Nearby cities include Oil Trough, Tuckerman, Newark, Grubbs, Bradford.