Who is the Hempstead County Assessor?

Renee Gilbert is the Assessor of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Hempstead County Circuit Clerk?

Gail Wolfenbarger (Democratic) is the Circuit Clerk of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Hempstead County County Clerk?

Karen Smith (Republican) is the County Clerk of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Hempstead County County Judge?

Jerry Crane is the County Judge of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Hempstead County Sheriff and Collector?

James Singleton (Democratic) is the Sheriff and Collector of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who is the Hempstead County Treasurer?

Judy Lee is the Treasurer of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.

Who are the Hempstead County commissioners?

Krystal Goshen (Justice of the Peace, District 2); Doris Brown (Justice of the Peace, District 3); Ed Darling (Justice of the Peace, District 4); Victor Ford (Justice of the Peace, District 5); Joe Mac Raschke (Justice of the Peace, District 6); Steve Atchley (Justice of the Peace, District 7); David Clayton (Justice of the Peace, District 8); Jessie Henry (Justice of the Peace, District 9); Jay Lathrop (Justice of the Peace, District 10); Keith Steed (Justice of the Peace, District 11).

What is the population of Hempstead County?

About 19,508 people, with a median age of 41.2; the median household income is $46,787 and 20.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).

What is the unemployment rate in Hempstead County?

4.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 360 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,796, against 4.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).

How many local governments are there in Hempstead County?

19 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 3 school district and 5 special district governments.

Hempstead County, AR elected officials: the quorum court, sheriff, school board and cities

Who holds every elected county, school board, city and special-district office in Hempstead County: 17 seats on 7 elected bodies. 17 seats were on the November 3, 2026 ballot; they update once the county certifies its results.

Quorum Court

Hempstead County Quorum Court

Each member is elected by the voters of their district.

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Justice of the Peace, District 1	Vacant source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 2	Krystal Goshen source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 3	Doris Brown Democratic source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 4	Ed Darling source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 5	Victor Ford source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 6	Joe Mac Raschke source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 7	Steve Atchley source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 8	David Clayton source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 9	Jessie Henry source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 10	Jay Lathrop source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Justice of the Peace, District 11	Keith Steed source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

Official website

County officers

Office	Who holds it now	Next term
Assessor	Renee Gilbert source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Circuit Clerk	Gail Wolfenbarger Democratic source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Clerk	Karen Smith Republican source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
County Judge	Jerry Crane source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Sheriff and Collector	James Singleton Democratic source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet
Treasurer	Judy Lee source	On the Nov 3, 2026 ballot: count not certified yet

How many local governments Hempstead County has

The Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments counts 19 local governments in Hempstead County. This page lists the ones whose offices are elected.

Kind of government	Census count (2022)	Listed on this page
County government	1	1
Cities, towns, villages and townships	10	0
School districts (school boards)	3	0
Special districts (elected boards)	5	0

Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Government Units Listing (census.gov).

About these counts

The Census Bureau counts every independent local government once, in the county it assigns it to: the one it mostly serves or where it's based. A city or district that crosses county lines is counted in only one county, so it may be listed on this page but counted elsewhere, or the other way around. Many special districts, such as housing authorities, have appointed boards, and some places have more than one elected body, so the two columns measure different things. School systems run by a county, city or the state aren't counted as separate governments, though their boards may be listed here; in some states the Bureau counts community or state colleges as school districts. The counts are as of 2022.

Who lives in Hempstead County

19,508people

41.2median ageU.S.: 38.9

$46,787 household incomeU.S.: $80,734

20.2%below the U.S.: 12.5%

16.3%of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degreeU.S.: 35.7%

$105,700median home valueU.S.: $332,700

5.6%unemployed (of the labor force)U.S.: 5.2%

7.8%born outside the U.S.U.S.: 14.1%

5.2%of adults are veteransU.S.: 6.2%

8.3%U.S.: 8.4%

62%of renting households pay of income on rentU.S.: 51.1%

21.7%of homeowners with a mortgage pay of income on housing costsU.S.: 28.1%

Race and Hispanic origin: Hispanic or Latino 15.3% · White 51.5% · Black 28.6% · Asian 0.7% · Other or more than one race 3.9% (Hispanic or Latino people can be of any race; the other groups are non-Hispanic.)

Census Bureau, 2020–2024 5-year estimates (data.census.gov).

About these figures

The American Community Survey asks about 3.5 million households a year about who lives there, their work, income, schooling and housing. The 5-year estimates pool 2020–2024 answers so that every county and district has enough of them. They're estimates with a (larger for smaller places), and they're different from the once-a-decade census count. "Median" means half are above and half below. Household income is before taxes and includes everyone in the household. The unemployment share here is the survey's five-year average, so it differs from the monthly rate in the BLS jobs report. Race and Hispanic origin are as people describe themselves.

Health insurance means any coverage, private or public (such as Medicaid or Medicare), when people answered; the share is of everyone except people on active military duty and people living in institutions such as prisons and nursing homes. The housing shares are of renting households, and of homeowners with a mortgage, for whom the Census Bureau can compute them (households with no income, or renters who pay no cash rent, are left out). Rent here is gross rent, rent plus utilities; owner costs include the mortgage, property taxes, insurance, utilities and fees.

Jobs in Hempstead County

4.1%September 2026, preliminary. A year earlier: 4.6%. Arkansas: 3.7%.

360people unemployedSeptember 2026, preliminary.

8,436people employedSeptember 2026, preliminary. Counted where they live, not where they work.

8,796in the September 2026, preliminary.

Yearly average unemployment rate, 2016–2025.

Every month, last two years

Month	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
September 2026 (preliminary)	4.1%	360	8,436	8,796
August 2026	4.5%	388	8,241	8,629
July 2026	4.8%	416	8,224	8,640
June 2026	4.7%	419	8,561	8,980
May 2026	3.9%	345	8,489	8,834
April 2026	3.8%	329	8,384	8,713
March 2026	4.5%	389	8,325	8,714
February 2026	4.9%	428	8,311	8,739
January 2026	5.5%	467	8,065	8,532
December 2025	4.7%	406	8,144	8,550
November 2025	4.6%	408	8,367	8,775
October 2025	not collected (2025 federal shutdown)
September 2025	4.6%	401	8,277	8,678
August 2025	4.8%	409	8,162	8,571
July 2025	4.9%	420	8,204	8,624
June 2025	4.4%	384	8,423	8,807
May 2025	3.8%	326	8,258	8,584
April 2025	3.5%	299	8,330	8,629
March 2025	3.9%	334	8,332	8,666
February 2025	4.2%	359	8,118	8,477
January 2025	4.3%	362	8,022	8,384
December 2024	3.8%	316	7,981	8,297
November 2024	3.6%	307	8,152	8,459
October 2024	3.7%	309	8,083	8,392

Yearly averages

Year	Rate	Unemployed	Employed	Labor force
2025 (11 months)	4.3%	373	8,240	8,613
2024	3.7%	314	8,062	8,376
2023	3.4%	285	8,193	8,478
2022	3.3%	279	8,263	8,542
2021	3.9%	315	7,861	8,176
2020	5.8%	494	7,983	8,477
2019	4.1%	362	8,437	8,799
2018	3.8%	334	8,509	8,843
2017	3.7%	334	8,610	8,944
2016	4.1%	368	8,700	9,068

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, : BLS publishes county figures only that way, so they rise and fall with the seasons; compare a month with the same month a year earlier rather than with the month before. Arkansas's figure above is on the same basis; seasonally adjusted, as in BLS's monthly state release, it was 3.9% in September 2026. The latest month is preliminary and is revised the next month, and BLS revises earlier years each spring. People are counted where they live. October 2025 wasn't collected during the 2025 federal government shutdown, so 2025's yearly average covers 11 months.

Crime reported in Hempstead County

692.0 per 100,0002025. Arkansas: 531.8.

1,727.3 per 100,0002025. Arkansas: 1,644.9.

0murders2025, 131 violent crimes in all.

Earlier years

Year	Violent	Rate	Property	Rate
2025	131	692.0	327	1,727.3
2024	109	569.4	364	1,901.5
2023	134	696.9	440	2,288.3
2022	132	679.2	444	2,284.5
2021	154	733.4	403	1,919.1
2020	174	812.4	480	2,241.2
2019	99	459.0	545	2,526.8
2018	130	598.3	514	2,365.4
2017	153	698.7	662	3,023.1
2016	152	692.0	702	3,196.0

By police agency (2)

Agency	Year	Violent	Property	People served
Hempstead County Sheriff's Office	2025	55	110	10,576
Hope Police Department	2025	76	217	8,355

Crimes to the county's city and county police agencies (FBI Uniform Crime Reporting, Return A), per 100,000 people they serve. Years with incomplete reporting are left out. Crime in Arkansas · the U.S.

Police staffing

2.25 per 1,000 residents2024, 2 agencies serving 19,143 people.

43sworn officers2024, full-time, as of October 31.

38civilian staff2024, full-time.

2024 is the latest year every agency here sent the FBI its staff count.

Agencies counted (2), 2024

Agency	Officers	Civilians	People served
Hempstead County Sheriff's Office	19	26	10,698
Hope Police Department	24	12	8,445

Earlier years

Year	Officers	Per 1,000	Civilians	Agencies
2024	43	2.25	38	2
2022	42	2.16	39	2
2021	41	1.95	42	2
2020	46	2.15	35	2
2019	50	2.32	44	2
2018	45	2.07	40	2
2017	45	2.05	38	2
2016	43	1.96	36	2

Full-time employees of the county's city police departments and sheriff's office, as each reported them to the FBI (Uniform Crime Reporting, Law Enforcement Employees), per 1,000 people in the areas those agencies serve (the FBI's population figures). A year is shown only when every one of these agencies sent a count; a count under half or over double the agency's own counts in nearby years is treated as not sent. Towns policed under contract by another agency are counted through that agency. State police, campus and other agencies aren't included. Sheriffs' offices often also run the county jail and courthouse security, so their staff counts include those jobs.

Quick answers

Who is the Hempstead County Assessor?: Renee Gilbert is the Assessor of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hempstead County Circuit Clerk?: Gail Wolfenbarger (Democratic) is the Circuit Clerk of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hempstead County County Clerk?: Karen Smith (Republican) is the County Clerk of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hempstead County County Judge?: Jerry Crane is the County Judge of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hempstead County Sheriff and Collector?: James Singleton (Democratic) is the Sheriff and Collector of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who is the Hempstead County Treasurer?: Judy Lee is the Treasurer of Hempstead County, Arkansas. The seat was on the November 3, 2026 ballot; the count isn't certified yet.
Who are the Hempstead County commissioners?: Krystal Goshen (Justice of the Peace, District 2); Doris Brown (Justice of the Peace, District 3); Ed Darling (Justice of the Peace, District 4); Victor Ford (Justice of the Peace, District 5); Joe Mac Raschke (Justice of the Peace, District 6); Steve Atchley (Justice of the Peace, District 7); David Clayton (Justice of the Peace, District 8); Jessie Henry (Justice of the Peace, District 9); Jay Lathrop (Justice of the Peace, District 10); Keith Steed (Justice of the Peace, District 11).
What is the population of Hempstead County?: About 19,508 people, with a median age of 41.2; the median household income is $46,787 and 20.2% live below the poverty line (Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates).
What is the unemployment rate in Hempstead County?: 4.1% in September 2026 (preliminary): 360 people unemployed in a labor force of 8,796, against 4.6% a year earlier (Bureau of Labor Statistics, Local Area Unemployment Statistics, not seasonally adjusted).
How many local governments are there in Hempstead County?: 19 in the Census Bureau's 2022 Census of Governments: 1 county, 10 municipal, 3 school district and 5 special district governments.

Officeholders as of November 7, 2026, from Arkansas Legislative Audit's latest audit report for each county (the officers who held office at the end of that year); for justices of the peace, the county's own quorum court page where it has a current one, and otherwise, as for coroners and surveyors, the Secretary of State's certified results of each seat's last election on Arkansas Tally ENR (officials appointed since then may differ). A county's quorum court is shown only when at least three quarters of its districts' justices are known; each name links to its source. Officials change between elections (appointments, resignations), and the body's own website is the authority. Party is shown only for offices elected on a partisan ballot.

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