Jonesboro, AR
| Jonesboro, Arkansas | ||
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| City | ||
Clockwise from top: Craighead County Courthouse, house in the West Washington Avenue Historic District, downtown Jonesboro, and Arkansas State University's Dean B. Ellis Library
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| Nickname(s): J-boro, Jboog | ||
| Motto: People, Pride, Progress | ||
 Location in the state of Arkansas |
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 Jonesboro, Arkansas
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| Coordinates: 35°49′41″N 90°41′39″W / 35.82806°N 90.69417°WCoordinates: 35°49′41″N 90°41′39″W / 35.82806°N 90.69417°W | ||
| Country | United States | |
| State | Arkansas | |
| County | Craighead | |
| Incorporated | February 19, 1859 | |
| Government | ||
| • Mayor | Harold Perrin | |
| Area | ||
| • City | 79.3 sq mi (205.4 km2) | |
| • Land | 79.9 sq mi (206.9 km2) | |
| • Water | 0.6 sq mi (1.5 km2) | |
| Elevation | 259 ft (79 m) | |
| Population (2012 United States Census Estimate) | ||
| • City | 70,187 | |
| • Density | 879/sq mi (339.3/km2) | |
| • Metro | 124,042 | |
| Time zone | CST (UTC-6) | |
| • Summer (DST) | CDT (UTC-5) | |
| ZIP codes | 72401-72404 | |
| Area code(s) | 870 | |
| FIPS code | 05-35710 | |
| GNIS feature ID | 0077389 | |
| Website | www |
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Jonesboro is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to the 2010 Census, the population of the city was 71,551. A college town, home of the Arkansas State Red Wolves, Jonesboro is the largest city in northeastern Arkansas and the Arkansas Delta; it is the fifth-most populous city in the state.
It is the principal city of and is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area. In 2010, the Jonesboro metropolitan area had a population of 121,026 and a population of 163,116 in the Jonesboro-Paragould Combined Statistical Area.
Jonesboro is home to Arkansas State University and New York Institute of Technology College of Osteopathic Medicine's A-State campus. It is a regional center for manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, education, and trade.
The Jonesboro area was first inhabited for thousands of years by indigenous peoples. At the time of European encounter, historic tribes included the Osage, the Caddo, and the Quapaw. The name of the state of Arkansas comes from the Quapaw language. French and Spanish traders and trappers had relations with these groups.
After the United States acquired this territory in the Louisiana Purchase of 1803, American settlers eventually made their way to the area where Jonesboro is located. They began exploring, hunting, trapping, and trading with the local Indian tribes. A permanent settlement of Jonesboro was set up shortly after 1815.
In 1859, land was taken from nearby Greene, Mississippi, and Poinsett counties and was used to form Craighead County. Jonesboro was designated as the original county seat. As the population increased in the west of the county, Lake City was named as the second seat. In 1859 Jonesboro had 150 residents. It was named after State Senator William A. Jones in recognition of his support for the formation of Craighead County. Originally spelled Jonesborough, the city name was later shortened to its present-day spelling.
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