Polk
7.1
High score (8-10)
Mena has outsized name recognition for its size due to the CIA drug trafficking controversy in the 1980s — the Mena Intermountain Airport was the alleged hub of operations, and the story was the subject of a 2017 Tom Cruise film (American Made). Whether that's good attention or bad depends on your perspective, but it means people have heard of Mena. The Talimena Scenic Drive is genuinely one of the best fall color drives in the South, running along the Ouachita Mountain ridge.
Mid score (6-8) · Your profile
Polk County has the Talimena Scenic Drive and Ouachita Mountain outdoor access as genuine recreational assets, and Mena is a functional small mountain city with actual commercial infrastructure. The Iran-Contra/CIA airport notoriety has faded but still defines the county's national recognition. The landscape is legitimately good for outdoor recreation. A workable small Ouachita Mountain county.
Lower score (below 6)
Mena is a small mountain city of 6,000 with limited social infrastructure beyond what a county of 20,000 people provides. The Ouachita Mountain landscape is beautiful but beauty doesn't create social access. An outsider without outdoor recreation interests or specific professional ties will find the social surface thin and slow to open.
Frequently Asked Questions
What's the median income in Polk, Arkansas?
$48k median
What's the typical marriage age for women in Polk, Arkansas?
Women marry at 27
How common is a college degree in Polk, Arkansas?
23% men have degree
What's the average male height in Polk, Arkansas?
176 cm local avg
What's the average BMI for women in Polk, Arkansas?
Local women avg 29.4