Jonesboro is a city in Craighead County, Arkansas, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the city is 59,358. Jonesboro is one of two county seats, the largest city in northeast Arkansas, and the fifth most populous city in the state. It is the principal city of and is included in the Jonesboro, Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Jonesboro is the home to Arkansas State University and is a regional center for manufacturing, agriculture, medicine, education, and trade.
In 1859, land was taken from nearby Greene County, Arkansas, Mississippi County, and Poinsett County and was used to form Craighead County. Jonesboro was the original county seat, and later Lake City was named as the second seat.
ASU offers bachelor's degree programs, master's degree programs and upper level courses through ASU degree centers at ASU-Beebe, ASU-Mountain Home, and three other cities -- Blytheville, Forrest City, and West Memphis -- where partnership agreements have been established in cooperation with the local community colleges. ASU also operates an instructional site at nearby Paragould in Greene County.
ASU has grown rapidly over the past 20 years. Current enrollment for the Jonesboro campus stands at about 12,000, and the system has an enrollment of greater than 17,000.