Working in Bentonville, Living in MO? (Fayetteville, Springdale: relocating, income, job)

[mazhude]

I have a friend relocating to Bentonville. Is there any advantage to buying a home with some land in Missouri rather than around greater Bentonville, AR???

[GetmeoutofAR]

Yes...Land/home prices in SW Missouri are cheaper than anywhere in NW Arkansas. It's very quiet and peaceful up there...good call

[Sam I Am]

And probably a bad call when it comes time to pay taxes - I'm thinking you'd probably have to prorate since you earn in Arkansas and live in MO? Ugh...but I'm anti tax right now...after last week, who wants to hassle with two states when one will give you a big enough headache???

[bchris02]

Originally Posted by GetmeoutofAR

Yes...Land/home prices in SW Missouri are cheaper than anywhere in NW Arkansas. It's very quiet and peaceful up there...good call

Also with gas prices quickly nearing $4 and expected to go much higher, do you think you will be saving that much with a longer commute? There are a lot of people who commute to NWA from as far north as Joplin, but I wouldn't necissarily recommend that these days.

[GetmeoutofAR]

I wouldn't say go all the way to Joplin, probably no farther than McDonald county, maybe Barry County

[boulder]

McDonald county in Missouri is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers metropolitan statistical area.

There was a story in The Morning News of NWA last year about this very subject ... I do not remember the exact figure but it was something like 75% of the people who live in McDonald and Barry counties in Missouri work in either Benton or Washington counties in Arkansas.

The northern edge of the Bentonville city limits is only 5 miles (approx) from the Missouri border so one could live in Missouri and still have a relatively short commute.

[jojefos]

I lived in Barry co. and my husband commuted to Bentonville until earlier this year. The taxes on out of state income did not offset the savings, but gas finally did us in. We moved to Centerton in Feb.

[bchris02]

There are quite a few people who commute from Crawford and Sebastian counties as well. As Ft. Smith's job base declines, its proximity to NWA is keeping it afloat because housing is MUCH cheaper there and many people like the idea of saving money and commuting. I am not sure how long this will last with these gas prices.