Local Economy

Batesville is located in Independence County in the northeastern part of Arkansas. It is located 90 miles north of Little Rock and 115 miles east of Memphis. The following table shows the population trends for Batesville and Independence since 1960.

           The population of Batesville is approximately 10,000 and is easily accessible through US Highway 167 and State Highways 25, 69, 394, 106, and 233. There are over 34,000 residents in Independence County.
          Batesville has one regional hospital, White River Health System, that has over 900 employees. The hospital has 180 licensed beds and employs 181 RN's. There are 72 practicing physicians and 16 dentists in the area.
          The Batesville school system has an enrollment of 2100 students (K-12) and is fully accredited by the North Central Association of Secondary Schools. In 2000, Batesville High School graduated 140 students with an average ACT score of 21.9. Over 73% of the seniors took the ACT Exam and 75% attend college. According to the most recent statistics, Batesville High School has the second lowest college remediation rate in the State of Arkansas. Private schooling is also available, such as Batesville Montessori School for younger children, Hope Lutheran, (K-8) and Landmark Baptist Academy, (K-12). A private college and a community college also are located in Batesville. The University of Arkansas Community College at Batesville (UACCB) is one of the fastest growing community colleges in the nation, and Lyon College is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 liberal arts colleges in the South.