Arbyrd, Missouri

Arbyrd is a city in southern Dunklin County, Missouri. It had a population of 509 at the 2010 census.

History

A post office has been in operation at Arbyrd since at least 1915. Its name derived from a local landowner by the name of A. R. Byrd, who had some connection to the Missouri railroad entrepreneur Louis Houck. It was incorporated in 1919.

Geography

Arbyrd is located along Missouri State Highway 164 in southern Dunklin County, just east of its intersection with Highway 108 and U.S. Route 412. It is about three miles east of Cardwell and seven miles west of Hornersville. Its exact coordinates are 36°03’02”N 90°14’20”W.

The city lies within the flat Mississippi Alluvial Plain, with the St. Francis River a few miles to the west. It has a total land area of 1.00 square miles, and an average elevation of 249 feet.

Demographics

At the 2010 census, Arbyrd had a total of 509 inhabitants, grouped into 198 households, with a population density of 509.0 people per square mile. This figure represented a slight decrease from the 2000 census, when Arbyrd had a population of 528. 94.30% of the inhabitants were White, 0.20% were Native American, 4.72% were from some other race, and 0.79% were from two or more races. Hispanics of any race were 8.25% of the population.

The median age in Arbyrd was 39.4 years, with 27.7% of inhabitants under the age of 18, 7.3% between 18 and 24 years old, 22.8% between 25 and 44, 23.6% between 45 and 64, and 18.7% 65 years old or older. The sex ratio was 49.3% male, 50.7% female.

According to the 2010 American Community Survey, the median household income in Arbyrd was $31,528, and the median family income was $46,250. The unemployment rate was 7.2%. The per capita income was $20,659. About 18.8% of the population lived below the poverty line, including 27.8% of people under the age of 18 and 22.5% of people 65 years old or older.

Community Life

Arbyrd is part of the Southland C-9 School District. The school facilities are located in nearby Cardwell.

The city holds an annual Cotton Pickin' Festival, usually in mid-September. It is notable for being frequently headlined by prominent musical performers; past acts have included Lee Greenwood, Sammy Kershaw, The Kentucky Headhunters, and Brother Phelps (named for rock and gospel singers Doug and Ricky Lee Phelps, who grew up in the Arbyrd area).