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Arkansas · Central Arkansas · #466
Saline County, Arkansas
Southwest of Little Rock on the Ouachita foothills, Saline County has traded its bauxite-mining past for a suburban future - growing steadily as one of the most active bedroom communities for the capital metro while its county seat of Benton builds its own commercial and educational identity.
County SeatBenton
Population130,000
Founded1835
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Office: Saline County Office of Emergency Management
Address: 200 N Main St, Benton, AR 72015
Phone: (501) 303-5640
Alert System: AR Alert; CodeRed; NOAA Weather Radio; Saline County emergency alerts
Shelter Info: Multiple shelter locations; Benton and Bryant community facilities; school facilities
FEMA Region: Region 6
Notes: Central Arkansas; Benton is county seat; Bryant is the largest city and one of Arkansas’s fastest-growing; Saline River; tornado corridor; flash flooding; explosive suburban growth south of Little Rock; Saline County is Arkansas’s fastest-growing county by rate in recent years; I-30 corridor
Roads & Utilities
ROADS & TRANSPORTATION
County Road Dept: Saline County Road Department – (501) 303-5600
Public Transit: Limited; Rock Region Metro extends some service into Bryant/Benton; primarily auto-dependent
Road Conditions: ARDOT – idrivearkansas.com
Notes: I-30 runs through Benton and Bryant; US-67, US-70 through Benton; Benton is 20 miles southwest of Little Rock; Bryant is growing faster than almost any city in Arkansas; commuter county for Little Rock; Saline County is one of Arkansas’s largest retail and commercial markets despite not having a major city
Business & Permits
BUILDING & PERMITS
Office: Saline County – (501) 303-5600 | salinecounty.org
Services: Building permits for unincorporated county; Bryant (extremely active – separate), Benton (active – separate), Haskell, Bauxite, Harmony, Traskwood, Shannon Hills, Crows, Alexander (partly) separate
Notes: Bryant and Benton are among Arkansas’s most active building markets; Saline County is building homes, commercial spaces, and schools at a pace rarely seen in Arkansas outside Benton County; distribution and logistics centers along I-30 generating major commercial permits; growing healthcare and retail corridor on I-30 at Bryant/Benton
Veterans Services
VETERANS SERVICES
Office: Saline County Veterans Service Office – (501) 303-5640
VA Medical: Central Arkansas VA (Little Rock) – 20 miles north on I-30; extremely accessible
Services: Benefits claims, VA healthcare enrollment; large and growing veteran community
Notes: I-30 access makes Little Rock VA very accessible; Bryant and Benton attract significant military retiree community; active VSO chapters
Libraries
LIBRARIES
System: Saline County Library – (501) 778-4766 | salinecountylibrary.org
Main: 1800 Smithers Dr, Benton, AR 72015; branches at Bryant, Bauxite, Haskell, Alexander
Services: Books, e-books, public computers, Wi-Fi, genealogy, maker space, children’s programs; one of Arkansas’s most active library systems
Notes: Saline County Library is one of the most well-funded and actively used library systems in Arkansas; explosive population growth driving library expansion; Bryant branch is extremely busy; maker space and programming reflect the educated, young suburban demographic; genealogy resources serve the county’s deep heritage
Parks & Recreation
PARKS & RECREATION
Key Assets: Saline River (fishing); Hurricane Creek (popular swimming hole in natural creek setting – beloved local attraction); Benton and Bryant parks systems (rapidly expanding); I-30 entertainment and retail corridor; Little Rock metro recreational assets accessible; Hurricane Lake; Bauxite (former aluminum mining town – unique industrial heritage)
Notes: Saline County’s rapidly growing suburban population is driving investment in parks and recreational infrastructure; Hurricane Creek is a cherished natural swimming spot; the county’s proximity to Little Rock opens the full metro recreational amenity set; Bauxite is named for the aluminum ore that was mined here – the US’s first commercial bauxite mine was in Saline County; this unusual industrial heritage is preserved in local history; the fast growth is creating demand for sports complexes, trail systems, and community recreation facilities
GIS & Maps
GIS & MAPS
GIS Portal: Saline County GIS – salinecounty.org/gis | (501) 303-5600
Parcel Search: Available through county GIS; very active due to massive development
Notes: Very active GIS tracking one of Arkansas’s fastest-growing counties; parcel and zoning data constantly updated; I-30 corridor commercial mapping; stormwater management mapping critical
Services: Stray intake, adoptions, owner surrenders, spay/neuter, microchipping, animal control
Notes: Rapidly growing county creating increasing animal service demands; well-funded humane community reflecting suburban demographics; Saline County Humane Society active; Bryant area has an excellent animal control program
Environmental & Waste
ENVIRONMENTAL / WASTE MANAGEMENT
Solid Waste: Saline County – (501) 303-5600; Bryant and Benton city sanitation programs
Recycling: Bryant and Benton recycling programs; county drop-off; growing recycling culture
Environmental: Arkansas DEQ; Saline River watershed; rapid suburban growth stormwater management (most critical environmental challenge); I-30 corridor environmental management; Saline County’s explosive growth creating extraordinary pressure on natural areas and water quality
Notes: Saline County’s explosive suburban growth is its dominant environmental challenge; stormwater management and impervious surface increase as farmland and forest are converted to development; Saline River water quality is affected by runoff from development and agriculture; the county’s rapid growth is requiring investment in stormwater infrastructure; ADEQ monitors new development impacts; the county’s proximity to Little Rock has made it a preferred destination for both residents and employers – managing this growth while protecting environmental quality is the county’s central challenge
About Saline County
Saline County has an industrial past that most residents of its suburban communities may not know: the county was once the nation’s leading bauxite producer, with extensive mining operations around the towns of Bauxite and Traskwood in the early twentieth century. Bauxite is the primary ore for aluminum production, and the Reynolds Metals Company operated mining and processing facilities in the county for decades. The bauxite era is long past, and the landscape has largely recovered, though the town of Bauxite preserves the name as its only monument.
The county’s present is suburban growth anchored by Benton’s commercial corridors and the residential communities that have developed along I-30 and Highway 5, drawing Little Rock workers who value lower housing costs and Saline County’s strong school districts. The county’s Ouachita foothills terrain – cedar and oak forests, Saline River drainage, Lake Norrell – gives it a more varied natural landscape than the surrounding Delta counties. Benton’s downtown has undergone modest revitalization, and the county’s overall economic trajectory is positive: population growth, retail expansion, and improving school performance ratings. Saline County is one of the more economically comfortable counties in the Little Rock metro orbit.
All Services
Browse every category and topic available for this county.
Arkansas assesses residential property at 20% of true market value. Property owners may appeal to the County Board of Equalization (third Monday in August). The homestead credit provides a $375 credit on owner-occupied primary residences. Arkansas has no estate or inheritance tax.
Public Records
Saline County Health Unit — Benton: (501) 776-5801 (confirm address)
Local DHS offices: Benton (confirm via dhs.arkansas.gov)
Courts & Legal
Courts & Legal
Saline County Circuit Court (Probate Division): 200 North Main Street, Benton, AR 72015 | (501) 303-5620. The Probate Division handles estate administration, guardianship, and trust matters. Saline County Circuit Clerk records all property instruments. For Saline County families with older properties that may have mineral rights from the bauxite era, a title search specifically for any retained mineral rights is worth conducting – some historical conveyances severed surface from mineral ownership in ways that may have residual value.
Senior Services
Central Arkansas Area Agency on Aging
P.O. Box 5988, North Little Rock, AR 72119
Phone: (501) 372-5300
Senior transportation, Meals on Wheels, caregiver support, and long-term care counseling for Saline County residents.
Marriage & Vital Records
Marriage licenses, divorce records, and birth & death certificates are handled by the following office(s):
COUNTY CLERK
215 N. Main St., Benton, AR 72015
(501) 303-5631
CIRCUIT CLERK (Deeds, Court Records)
215 N. Main St., Benton, AR 72015
(501) 303-5643
Genealogy
County-level record sources
Saline County Clerk, Probate Division (marriage licenses, will and estate case files – see Probate section above)
Local societies
Saline County History and Heritage Society, Inc., P.O. Box 1712, Benton, AR 72018-1712, (501) 778-3770
Gann Museum of Saline County, 218 South Market Street, Benton, AR 72015, (479) 778-5513, [email protected]
Probate & Estate
Losing someone and having to deal with courts and paperwork at the same time is hard. This section won’t make that easier, but it should tell you what to expect, what it costs, and where to go – so at least you’re not walking in blind.
Where to go
In Saline County, probate matters are handled by the County Clerk’s Office, while other Circuit Court matters go through the separate Circuit Clerk.
Saline County Clerk – Probate Division 200 North Main Street, Benton, AR 72015 (501) 303-5630 (Probate/County Clerk); (501) 303-5615 (Circuit Clerk, other case types) Hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Step 1: figure out which path applies
Arkansas has one of the more generous small-estate thresholds in the country, so check this first.
Small Estate Affidavit – for estates where total property value (after debts, excluding the homestead and statutory spousal/minor-child allowances) is $100,000 or less. Available 45 days after the death. Filed using Form 23 (Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee) under Ark. Code § 28-41-101 – no personal representative is appointed, and no full administration is needed.
Independent Administration – available when the will authorizes it, or when all heirs agree to it. The personal representative acts with minimal court oversight at each step.
Supervised Administration – the traditional, more heavily court-involved track; used for contested estates or when independent administration isn’t available or agreed to.
Administration with Will Annexed – used when a valid will doesn’t name an executor, or the named executor can’t or won’t serve.
If using the small estate affidavit
Wait at least 45 days after the death.
Confirm the estate’s total value (after debts, excluding homestead and statutory allowances) is $100,000 or less and there are no unresolved claims against the estate.
Complete Form 23, the Affidavit for Collection of Small Estate by Distributee, listing the property and heirs.
File it with the Probate Clerk, or present it with a certified death certificate directly to banks or other institutions holding the property.
If filing for independent or supervised administration
Gather the original will (if any), a certified death certificate, a list of assets/debts, and names of heirs.
File a Petition for Probate of Will and Appointment of Personal Representative (Form 3, if there’s a will) or a Petition for Appointment of Administrator/Administratrix (Form 2, if there isn’t) with the Probate Division. Filing fee is $165.
If there’s a will, the court formally admits it to probate; the court then issues Letters Testamentary or Letters of Administration.
The personal representative must file an inventory of estate assets within 2 months of appointment.
Creditor notice must be published in a local newspaper, plus direct notice to known creditors; creditors then have 6 months from the date of first publication to file claims.
If independent administration applies, the personal representative can act on most matters without seeking court approval at each step.
After debts are resolved, the personal representative files a final settlement with the court; once approved, the estate closes.
What it costs
Small estate affidavit: no separate court filing fee (a nominal recording fee may apply depending on what’s being transferred).
Formal probate filing fee: $165 (may vary somewhat by county).
Personal representative and attorney compensation: no fixed statutory rate – courts typically look to roughly 2–5% of the estate’s value as a reasonable baseline, subject to court approval as “just and reasonable.”
No state estate tax or inheritance tax in Arkansas.
Probate filings, estate administration, and guardianship matters are handled by the following office(s):
Public Safety & Arrests
Arrest records, inmate search, and law enforcement services are handled by the following office(s):
SHERIFF
307 S. Market St., Benton, AR 72015
(501) 303-5657
Health & Human Services
Offices & Contacts
Health services, social services, and assistance programs are handled by the following office(s):
Health Unit
(501) 315-1366
DHS / SNAP / Medicaid
(800) 482-8988
Public Health Information
PUBLIC HEALTH
Office: Saline County Health Unit – Benton: (501) 315-6510; Bryant: (501) 847-3381
Services: Immunizations, WIC, family planning, STI testing, environmental health, vital records, restaurant inspections
Hospitals: Baptist Health Medical Center – Benton | (501) 315-3000; Saline Memorial Hospital (Benton) – (501) 776-6000; specialty care in Little Rock
Notes: Two hospitals in Benton serve the county; explosive growth driving healthcare investment; Bryant is planning major healthcare facilities; Little Rock healthcare 20 miles north provides full specialty access; growing population creates demand for expanded local healthcare
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Last verified June 2026
County Facts
County Seat: Benton
Population: 130,000
Area: 725 sq mi
Established: 1835
Tier: 3
Inmate Services
Care Packages
Send care packages to inmates in Saline County facilities via Amazon.
