Vilonia, Arkansas facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vilonia, Arkansas
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City
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      Drone Flyover, Welcome Sign, Veterans Memorial, Baseball Fields, Fire Department, Veterans Museum
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Location of Vilonia in Faulkner County, Arkansas.
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| Country | United States |
| State | Arkansas |
| County | Faulkner |
| Incorporated | 1938 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 7.98 sq mi (20.66 km2) |
| • Land | 7.97 sq mi (20.65 km2) |
| • Water | 0.00 sq mi (0.01 km2) |
| Elevation | 308 ft (94 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 4,288 |
| • Density | 537.82/sq mi (207.66/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-6 (Central (CST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-5 (CDT) |
| ZIP code |
72173
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| Area code(s) | 501 |
| FIPS code | 05-71960 |
| GNIS feature ID | 0078658 |
Vilonia is a city in Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States. Its population was 3,815 at the 2010 census, up from 2,106 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Little Rock–North Little Rock–Conway Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Contents
History
Vilonia incorporated on August 23, 1938.
2011 tornado
A small portion of the town was destroyed by a tornado on the evening of April 25, 2011. The devastated area was a mobile home park. The tornado was confirmed by National Weather Service survey crews, who rated the tornado a high end EF2. Four people were killed in the Vilonia area as a result of the twister.
2014 tornado
On April 27, 2014 in the late evening hours, a violent EF4 tornado slammed through Vilonia and neighboring Mayflower just before 8 PM. Sixteen people were killed, several homes in one subdivision were swept clean off their foundations, a 15-ton fertilizer tank was thrown 3/4 of a mile, and several businesses were damaged or destroyed. The rating is disputed due to the fact of houses being completely obliterated, but having cut nails as foundation anchors, which gave the tornado a final rating of EF4 with winds at 190 MPH. The NWS office in Little Rock said that if it occurred before the EF-Scale was implemented in 2007, it more than likely would have been rated an F5. There was consideration of upgrading the tornado to EF5 status, but due to the quality of construction, the EF4 rating stands.
Geography
Vilonia is located in southeastern Faulkner County at 35°4′38″N 92°12′45″W / 35.07722°N 92.21250°W (35.077299, −92.212617). It is bypassed to the south by U.S. Route 64, which leads west 13 miles (21 km) to Conway, the county seat, and east 21 miles (34 km) to Beebe.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Vilonia has a total area of 7.1 square miles (18.4 km2), of which 0.004 square miles (0.01 km2), or 0.05%, is water.
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1940 | 259 | — | |
| 1950 | 215 | −17.0% | |
| 1960 | 234 | 8.8% | |
| 1970 | 423 | 80.8% | |
| 1980 | 736 | 74.0% | |
| 1990 | 1,133 | 53.9% | |
| 2000 | 2,106 | 85.9% | |
| 2010 | 3,815 | 81.1% | |
| 2020 | 4,288 | 12.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2020 census
| Race | Number | Percentage |
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| White (non-Hispanic) | 3,694 | 86.15% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 53 | 1.24% |
| Native American | 32 | 0.75% |
| Asian | 25 | 0.58% |
| Pacific Islander | 2 | 0.05% |
| Other/Mixed | 299 | 6.97% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 183 | 4.27% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 4,288 people, 1,432 households, and 1,211 families residing in the city.
Education
Public education of early childhood, elementary and secondary school students is primarily provided by the Vilonia School District, which leads to graduation from Vilonia High School.
Nearby secondary educational institutions include the Arkansas State University: Beebe Campus, and Central Baptist College, Hendrix, and University of Central Arkansas in Conway.
Notable people
- J. B. Chapman (1884–1947), minister, president of Arkansas Holiness and Peniel Colleges, editor of the Herald of Holiness, and general superintendent in the Church of the Nazarene
See also
In Spanish: Vilonia (Arkansas) para niños
