NWA Population (Little Rock, Fayetteville, Springdale: fit in, lofts, condos)

[knrstz]

I'm wondering what the population is of NWA. The reason I ask is because other than Springdale, Rogers, Fayetteville, Bentonville and Bella Vista, I'm not sure what cities are included. Siloam Springs? I've been to the area a few times and realize you kind of have the benefit of some larger city ammenities while maintaining a small town feel. Does NWA have a rural feel or do you feel like it's a relatively progressive city? I know having UA contributes to activites. I currently live in Wichita, KS and am looking to move to an area with more outdoor recreation. I like the size of Wichita but Kansas isn't for me. I know NWA is a smaller area but I'm fine with that. I grew up in Stillwater, OK and don't want something that small. Is NWA a happy medium or does it feel more like one of the two? Thanks for any responses.

[Arkansas Red]

NWA constitutes Benton, Madison, and Washington counties in Arkansas and McDonald county in Missouri. I imagine their combined population is NWA's population.

[Dr. Foosball]

NWA really is a happy medium in my opinion. I view NWA as Benton, Washington, Madison, and Carroll Counties (I don't see how a SW Missouri county could be classified as a part of NW Arkansas). In those counties, according to city-data's 2008 numbers, there are about 500,000 people (some areas very rural - but none really urban).

You can find good shopping and adequate cultural activities in the big four cities, and you can find wonderful outdoor recreation of all kinds all around.

[nmnita]

I am not sure of the population, DRfoosball is usually on the mark. Of course it has grown some in the past few years, but not that much. I too wouldn't consider SW Mo as part of NWA even though many of us go over the border for our liquor and go to Wal Mart. That depends on where in the area you live.

Yes, it certainly is a combination of rural and city living. There are cultural activities, good dining, shopping and medical facilities, but many of the areas would be considered rural or borderline rural. An example, we will be going to a near-by farm this week to pick peaches and berries. We see wild life all year, especially in the summer and in many areas the homes are custom built with vacant lots between them, not sub deivisions like you get in more heavily populated areas. There are some, but not as many.

There is an abundance of outdoor life, because of all the lakes.

Nita

[thewizard16]

Hi knrstz,
There are two ways you can think about the population of NWA. If you look at it like the Census Bureau, it includes a little corner of SE Missouri and western Oklahoma. It includes Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville as the primary cities, and also includes Siloam Springs, Bella Vista, Pea Ridge, Lowell, Centerton, and so forth. With that view of the area, the MSA population is estimated at 464,623.
If you look at the "urban core" of NWA, where you'd spend most of your time, you can realistically think of the area as Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, Bentonville, Tontitown, Johnson, Lowell, Bethel Heights, and to an extent, Bella Vista, Little Flock, Farmington, Centerton, and Elm Springs/Cave Springs. By that logic, the population of the area is estimated to be 301,049.
The area certainly won't feel as big as Wichita simply because we're so spread out. The population is divided up amongst several different principal cities instead of having one large anchor city like the vast majority of metro areas. In that way, we're a bit unique and it gives each section it's own atmosphere, since the individual cities are really quite different. It will, however, feel considerably larger than Stillwater. Stillwater is only around 40,000 people, and three of the main cities (Fayetteville, Springdale, and Rogers) surpass that size individually. There are some nice rural, suburban, and semi-urban living options in the metro. Fayetteville has some condos/lofts for the urban-inclined resident, most of the cities offer moderately priced single family housing in a variety of neighborhoods, and some of the bedroom communities like Cave Springs, Pea Ridge, or Farmington offer a nice rural feel while still being close enough to the area for easy access to shopping, dining, and entertainment.
Rogers and Fayetteville are probably the cities that feel most like cities- most of Rogers density has been in recent years in the form of commercial growth along the 540 corridor, while most of Fayetteville's density is in the Dickson Street, University of Arkansas, downtown area and a cluster of commercial and medical in the northern part of town. Outdoor activities are plentiful, we have great trails and park systems throughout the region. Rogers/Bentonville and Fayetteville have the most developed trail systems and are working on long term plans to connect the two. Currently Fayetteville has the most extensive trail and park system, but the entire city of Bella Vista feels like a park, so there are a lot of beautiful places to live. Devil's Den, Beaver Lake, and large city parks with pools, tennis, trails, movie nights, concerts, and small lakes are all readily accessible to NWA residents.

I hope you find what you're looking for in your search, but it sounds like NWA might be a good fit for you!

[SwingVote08]

Just wait for the 2010 Census to come out.

Lots of legals/illegals left with the slowing of construction and have since headed to Texas (not a mass exodus but they're usually coming in not going out) so that will have a damper on the high growth experienced in the last 20 years.

Otherwise, I'd say the wizard is most on the mark.

ArkRed - Missouri should be included, unfortunately, but only adds another 5,000 probably - mostly made up by bits all the way out to Seligman. This may seem like it's pushing it but not when you realize Garfield just down the road from Seligman is part of the Rogers School District

Dr. Foosball - thank you for included Carroll County, I'm not sure why this wouldn't count (Eureka not NWA? yeah right)

Nita - there is no "city living" here. just suburbian living at most (Rogers/Fay like wizard said)

Wizard - yes, parts of Oklahoma too thank you for including this. Remember Siloam Springs barely spills over into Oklahoma - that's where this comes from for the most part.

All in all, it's pretty much the borders with Missouri and Oklahoma, the immediate southern "suburbs" of Fayetteville in the hills, and out to Eureka Springs, excluding all the way out to Harrison. AKA connect the dots from about West Fork to Huntsville to Eureka (Berryville if you're feeling extra generous)

NWA will seem much smaller than Wichita. Probably like Wichita without the downtown area (just suburbs and rural areas). Definitely a heck of a lot bigger than Stillwater. I think you'll fit in great.

[Arkansas Red]

I didn't add McDonald county, the census people did. My definition of NWA would be Washington, Caroll, Benton, and Madison with southern McDonald County and eastern Adair county with an urban core in Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers.

[knrstz]

Thanks for all of the responses from everyone. I've looked for a long time to find an area that's a good fit for me. I've been to Colorado Springs. While beautiful, I like more greenery and vegetation. I'm considering Knoxville, but it's so far from family it would be nice to keep it at half a days drive to Stillwater and OKC. Sometimes a person wants to go where they can have new surroundings and have the benefits of being close to home and family. Eastern Oklahoma is beautiful but there just isn't much there in the way of cities.Tulsa is nice but just a little too familiar. I wouldn't really feel like I'm going anywhere new. Having grown up in Stillwater, I like college towns. I'm sure Fayetteville will not dissapoint. I like that if there is something lacking in the area, you have several major metro areas within a few hours. Depending on what area exactly you are living in, it looks like you are about 2 hours to Tulsa and Springfield, 3 hours to Little Rock, 3.5 hours to KC and OKC, 5 hours to Memphis, 5.5 to St Louis and Dallas. That's quite a few options for a nice little weekend getaway. I'd imagine for day to day living there isn't much I want and need that the area lacks, but even now occassionaly the wife and I like to run up to KC for a nice meal and shopping. I think after doing quite a bit of searching I've discovered I like the smaller lush mountains of this part of the country about as well as I like anything. I believe every area has it's beauty in one way or another. Kansas actually has some nice parts and the wheat fields can look very pretty at times. But for the most part, unless I'm driving through the flint hills, when I get outside Wichita, it sucks. The wife and I plan on taking a trip to the area soon so I'm sure I'll be posting with more question. NWA needs it's own forum.

[thewizard16]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Thanks for all of the responses from everyone. I've looked for a long time to find an area that's a good fit for me. I've been to Colorado Springs. While beautiful, I like more greenery and vegetation. I'm considering Knoxville, but it's so far from family it would be nice to keep it at half a days drive to Stillwater and OKC. Sometimes a person wants to go where they can have new surroundings and have the benefits of being close to home and family. Eastern Oklahoma is beautiful but there just isn't much there in the way of cities.Tulsa is nice but just a little too familiar. I wouldn't really feel like I'm going anywhere new. Having grown up in Stillwater, I like college towns. I'm sure Fayetteville will not dissapoint. I like that if there is something lacking in the area, you have several major metro areas within a few hours. Depending on what area exactly you are living in, it looks like you are about 2 hours to Tulsa and Springfield, 3 hours to Little Rock, 3.5 hours to KC and OKC, 5 hours to Memphis, 5.5 to St Louis and Dallas. That's quite a few options for a nice little weekend getaway. I'd imagine for day to day living there isn't much I want and need that the area lacks, but even now occassionaly the wife and I like to run up to KC for a nice meal and shopping. I think after doing quite a bit of searching I've discovered I like the smaller lush mountains of this part of the country about as well as I like anything. I believe every area has it's beauty in one way or another. Kansas actually has some nice parts and the wheat fields can look very pretty at times. But for the most part, unless I'm driving through the flint hills, when I get outside Wichita, it sucks. The wife and I plan on taking a trip to the area soon so I'm sure I'll be posting with more question. NWA needs it's own forum.

We look forward to having you visit. Outside of certain grocery stores (Wal-mart runs this area, and Harps is about the only large alternative) and very upscale shopping, you shouldn't lack for much of anything in NWA. Tulsa is about an hour an a half (I suppose closer to 2 in Fayetteville, but that assumes you don't speed at all , Little Rock is 2.5-3, and it's only a quick trip north for some Kansas City BBQ, so you're right on in saying it's an easy trip to a little denser area if the mood strikes.

[SwingVote08]

Originally Posted by knrstz

Depending on what area exactly you are living in, it looks like you are about 2 hours to Tulsa and Springfield, 3 hours to Little Rock, 3.5 hours to KC and OKC, 5 hours to Memphis, 5.5 to St Louis and Dallas.

Tulsa, Springfield = 1.5-2 hours
Little Rock = 2.5
KC = 3
OKC = 3.5 I think (only drove this once)
Memphis = yep, about 5
St. Louis = 5
Dallas = 5

And I don't speed