Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I think Rogers is a beautiful, small, clean town. I think of it more as a potential retirement area though, and not an area for 20-something yr olds who are looking for lots of action. My biggest complaint with the whole area is it is not very diverse.
Me and my fiancee' are thinking of moving to Rogers from Ft. Lauderdale, FL. Just curious if anyone could let us know what there is to do there? what the weather is like? are there 4 seasons throughout the year? were both in our early 20's and want to still have a good time but dont want to move somewhere that is gonna be slow paced and have nothing really to do. So if anyone could help i would greatly appreciate it.
I'm not really sure if anyone in this forum knows what they're talking about, but I guess it really depends on what type of person they are and what type of person you are.
I don't currently live in NWA (school purposes) but grew up in Rogers, went to undergrad in Fayetteville, and then recently moved out of state so I've seen the before-and-after of the area all my life.
I'm in my 20s as well and I would have to flat out recommend Fayetteville (unless you have some against college students). Rogers is a great city for many reasons, but if you're looking for more than a the movie theater, bowling alley, Beaver lake, etc. for entertainment, Rogers is not the city for you. Most outsiders who are really into their job (WalMart transfers into the state typically) live in Rogers or Bentonville because of the proximity to their workplace. These are both good cities for the 30 or 40-year old with little kid types. Rogers offers much more to do than Bentonville and is much larger but they are effectively sister cities and the commute across the interstate is a 5-10 minute one so I would look at housing options to distinguish between the two. Both cities are nowadays made up of a majority of transfers working for WalMart (mostly from the surrounding states, upper Midwest, and California it seems) so there isn't too much down-home influence like there used to be. Some outsiders like that.
For a 20 something like yourself who doesn't want to yawn at his new town, Fayetteville is a much better fit in my opinion although I personally am biased towards Rogers. Fayetteville is a mixed crowd - lots of natives, outsiders, and southern Arkansans courtesy of the university. Life in Fayetteville basically revolves around the Razorbacks and the university. The University makes up a huge chunk of Fayetteville's population so you'll notice a very different town during the summer when a lot of the students go back home or are working full-time. Next, I would say a huge benefit to moving to Fayetteville is there are TONS of places to rent. It's your decision but I would rent before I buy just to get a feel of the surroundings. You may even move to Rogers before long, who knows.
I guess the last thing I would say in this very short summary is that all the cities line I-540 in about a 25 mile stretch so you're not really isolated to one city over the next if you don't want to be. The most common trend with those moving in over the last 15 years is living in Fayetteville and commuting to work in Rogers/Bentonville.
Lastly - the weather. The best way to describe it is you will have EXACTLY 3 months of each season. NWA is very different weather-wise from the rest of the state. It gets very cold, very hot, rainy, droughts, tornadoes, floods, you name it. Snow is not an issue but occurs enough to play in. It probably hits 90+ degrees nearly every day in the summer, 100+ for a week or two total days. Tornadoes used to be much much more frequent but not so in the last 5-10 years. They are all small but will do damage to trees and shingles (but not tear thru an entire house). I've seen it get into the single digits in the winter time, but it's very rare (record breaking usually). It will definitely hit the teens about as much as it hits 100 in the summertime. 20s-40s all winter usually. Humidity is average (less than Florida, less than Little Rock, more than plain states like Kansas, Oklahoma).
Hope that helps. Any specific questions feel free to ask.
I think Rogers is a beautiful, small, clean town. I think of it more as a potential retirement area though, and not an area for 20-something yr olds who are looking for lots of action. My biggest complaint with the whole area is it is not very diverse.
The cities are lacking in diversity but are improving.
Bentonville - Scarce black and hispanic pop, mostly white. Probably the most racist town towards hispanics but that's just a relative statement; it's not really a big issue
Rogers - Good chunk of hispanics, mostly living on the Southeast and Northeast ends. Just about no black pop. Very minor Vietnamese pop
Springdale - HUGE hispanic and cowboy population if that is a population
Fayetteville - Most diverse with diversity from lots of Southern Arkansans at university (yes it counts as diversity because they are VERY different from the NWA pop). Most black pop in area probably around 5% or so. Some hispanic population, probably about 5% also but not near the hispanic pop seen in Rogers or Springdale. A very cultural city overall which adds its own type of diversity
Actually, it's not that Benton or Washington Counties are "drug" counties. The USDOJ study ranks Northwest Arkansas as a high-density county for the transportation/distribution of illegal drugs. The study is available here:
Northwest Arkansas, and Arkansas in general has a well-developed transportation network. The number of trucking companies, bears that out. It's location near the center of the country makes it attractive to drug distributors, as well as the rural nature which gives illegal drug organizations a degree of privacy. The drugs come up from Mexico, and the substantial Hispanic population in Northwest Arkansas gives the people running drugs into the area some anonymity that also makes the area attractive.
While 70% of crime in Northwest Arkansas is drug-related, this is actually lower than the national average, and, I think, lower than San Francisco. Also, conservative from San Francisco might still be considered pretty liberal in Northwest Arkansas, even in Fayetteville.
Speaking from growing up in Rogers, there is a drug problem in NWA. Marijuana is easier to obtain than throwing a high school house party without it getting busted by the cops. Cocaine is actually somewhat rare in NWA compared to most cities. It seems to be the biggest problem with the richer populations in Bentonville. Meth is strangely this hidden drug than is everywhere in NWA. It seems to be concentrated in Lowell and Fayetteville. You can actually see Meth heads walking around downtown Fayetteville on a regular basis - it's not a rare site at all. Eureka Springs probably 5 years ago now legalized a certain amount of pot to be carried on an individual - this will never happen in a million years in Benton County but perhaps in Fayetteville. Issues with drug trafficking and the pharmacy are particularly common, especially among the hispanic population.
Not much violence seems to come of it all but I would say it's definitely a huge problem and a growing one that has increased crime in the area over the years.
You will not see all that many hispanics, legal or otherwise here. Of course if you were coming from So Ca or NM here would seem like there were none. You will be aware of the pockets. They are a mixture of legal and illegal and most work for the chicken producing companies like Tysons. I think that is one reason I am slightly partial to Bentonville. Rogers is closer to Springdale and that is the general location for the Mexicans to live. You will see them in Sams, Walmart and places like that, and yes, some do not speak much if any English. That probably is the one thing that bugs me the most..As for there being many, no there are not that many..
Nita
You are definitely from Bentonville. Not that many hispanics in the area? Have you seen the percentages?? My lord...
Like I said in some of my other blogs, Bentonville has nearly NO hispanic pop compared to Rogers or Springdale. Springdale is stocked, illegal/legal alike. A lot of the time in Rogers you won't notice them since they are confined to mostly the Southeast/Northeast Rogers border and the border with Lowell. Fayetteville - a little bit more noticeable than in Bentonville but not much.
I hate illegal immigration but the illegals in NWA are the only thing that built up NWA from nothing over the last 20 years besides the WalMart influx. The hispanic population in the area is incredibly kind and respectful. I've never met harder workers anywhere in the world. True, many use their kids as translators but the influx has come to a halt and they are getting settled, adapting to NWA culture like the rest of the outsiders.
I've never had any complaints and the general population tends to be more accepting of the hispanics (illegal or legal) than the WalMart transfers. Now that the WalMart transfers just about outnumber everyone in Rogers and Bentonville, there isn't much of a rift with the natives like there used to be. Many of the natives are reaping the benefits, making lots of money selling their farms to real estate developers so I think that's all in the past now.
My husband may accept a job at Walmart and we currently live in the San Francisco Bay area. We have two young children (4 and 2). What neighborhoods in NWA are the safest, most small-kid friendly with the best schools? Is it true that crime is a problem in Rogers and elswewhere? Sounds like drugs are an issue. Does Rogers feel safe and isolated from these issues or is it pervasive with burglaries, etc.? Mainly I want friendly, young families with good schools. Suggestions and "insider tips" would be welcome.
Crime is not an issue in Benton county - period. It's almost hard to find an "unsafe" part of town. Gated community? You'd be looking at the country clubs plus a few other neighborhoods in the Southwestern area of Rogers. The two country clubs are Pinnacle and Shadow Valley. Pinnacle is a much closer in proximity to the city and has been around for decades. It's conveniently right across the interstate (1 minute drive) from the promenade (outdoor mall) that you are hearing about. I remember when Shadow Valley was being constructed. It's just a Pinnacle with more cookie cutter style housing and more land. Pinnacle is much larger and offers much more in my opinion (good combo of old and new money). Once again though, there really is no need to be in a gated community as far as safety goes - many new transfers with money to spend do like it though.
For $400k you can get a pretty nice house. The problem is the square footage you're looking for. It might be a bit of a stretch but I think you'll be able to do it in this economy because there are TONS of empty houses just sitting right now (more 2000-3000 square foot places though).
You might look in a neighborhood like the Manors or Pleasant Acres as an alternative. They're one exit down the interstate and about 1-2 miles from Pinnacle CC. They offer original houses and a wide diversity of housing styles.
Conservative? You'll fit right in. You're moving to probably the most conservative part of the state. Some are bible and gun conservatives but most of the WalMart transfers are more financial conservatives.
All of the 4 main cities have excellent schools. I think they're about as good as public school gets, but they are public so there is definitely a wide range of students. Drop-out rate is high but is mostly isolated to the hispanic population and usually occurs after completion of sophomore year. Bentonville and Rogers often compete officially and unofficial to "one-up" each other's school so everything is new and top of the line. How your children do in school in NWA will depend almost entirely on you and them. Translation - there are some students who have been in the NWA school system all their life and have completed graduate studies at MIT, are doctors, etc. and this is not rare but there are also those bunch of students whose parents are high up at WalMart and they end up barely passing in school and only have a low-paying job because of their connections.
As I said before in other posts, pot is rampant and I would say confidently that at least 3/4 high schoolers in the area have at least tried it while in high school in NWA but it really doesn't seem to pose much of an issue and is more of a transient thing. Local money + Mexican mass immigration = drug problem. It's not that complicated.
Burglaries are not an issue at all. I know TONS of people who leave there cars and doors unlocked all the time. I don't and wouldn't recommend it but you see what I'm saying. The worse thing that's going to happen is people stealing stuff from WalMart all the time.
Last - there is one major private school Shiloh Christian in Springdale if you want to look into that option for your children. I would say it's right there with the others except it commands tuition money and requires theology courses.
You are definitely from Bentonville. Not that many hispanics in the area? Have you seen the percentages?? My lord...
Like I said in some of my other blogs, Bentonville has nearly NO hispanic pop compared to Rogers or Springdale. Springdale is stocked, illegal/legal alike. A lot of the time in Rogers you won't notice them since they are confined to mostly the Southeast/Northeast Rogers border and the border with Lowell. Fayetteville - a little bit more noticeable than in Bentonville but not much.
I hate illegal immigration but the illegals in NWA are the only thing that built up NWA from nothing over the last 20 years besides the WalMart influx. The hispanic population in the area is incredibly kind and respectful. I've never met harder workers anywhere in the world. True, many use their kids as translators but the influx has come to a halt and they are getting settled, adapting to NWA culture like the rest of the outsiders.
I've never had any complaints and the general population tends to be more accepting of the hispanics (illegal or legal) than the WalMart transfers. Now that the WalMart transfers just about outnumber everyone in Rogers and Bentonville, there isn't much of a rift with the natives like there used to be. Many of the natives are reaping the benefits, making lots of money selling their farms to real estate developers so I think that's all in the past now.
Boy you can tell you are young, from all your comments about life in general. Not many Hispanics, I didn't say that, I said compared to?? Again, you obviously haven't lived in NM, SO Ca or Texas. As for building up NWA, I hardly think the illegals can be given credit for that, if that was the case, why would the area be so Republican and conservative? Of course the majority of them live in Springdale. As I said on another posting, we go to Sams in Bentonville and see more speaking Spanish than English..Living in a small community we are inclined to notice them more than if we lived in a larger urban area. I also don't think they are responsible for the build up any more than say, Hunt trucking. Most of the spanish speaking population here are connected in some way with Tysons, most of us know that. Oh, and no they are not all hard working, no more, no less than any group of people.
I also have noticed a couple of your other comments, 1-pot is everywhere, Hello, pot is everywhere in every community and saying kids in their 20s should move to Fayetteville. My granddaughter, in her mid 20s and unfortunately getting a divorce was just saying this past weekend:. of all the towns in NWA she can choose to live, Fayetteville would be one of the last, why, she too graduated from UA and has no desire to hang out with a bunch of frat guys and Greek girls, she has done that...
I think you are a tiny bit narrow minded. You are right about the area not being terribly diverse, but becoming more so...
Boy you can tell you are young, from all your comments about life in general. Not many Hispanics, I didn't say that, I said compared to?? Again, you obviously haven't lived in NM, SO Ca or Texas. As for building up NWA, I hardly think the illegals can be given credit for that, if that was the case, why would the area be so Republican and conservative? Of course the majority of them live in Springdale. As I said on another posting, we go to Sams in Bentonville and see more speaking Spanish than English..Living in a small community we are inclined to notice them more than if we lived in a larger urban area. I also don't think they are responsible for the build up any more than say, Hunt trucking. Most of the spanish speaking population here are connected in some way with Tysons, most of us know that. Oh, and no they are not all hard working, no more, no less than any group of people.
I also have noticed a couple of your other comments, 1-pot is everywhere, Hello, pot is everywhere in every community and saying kids in their 20s should move to Fayetteville. My granddaughter, in her mid 20s and unfortunately getting a divorce was just saying this past weekend:. of all the towns in NWA she can choose to live, Fayetteville would be one of the last, why, she too graduated from UA and has no desire to hang out with a bunch of frat guys and Greek girls, she has done that...
I think you are a tiny bit narrow minded. You are right about the area not being terribly diverse, but becoming more so...
Nita
Hah oh my I'm not sure where to start. Most of the hispanics work for Hunt trucking? I've seen Hunt grow since it was a start up business in a 7-foot ceiling shack of a expanse and almost none of the Mexican transplants have ever worked there. Yes, Tyson, everyone knows that but where else do you think they work with little education and language skills? Laborers in home in gardens, mechanics, etc.
I'm sorry about your granddaughter but Fayetteville is a LOT more than just university greek life if you step off campus at all.
Actually I was born in Texas and there is a looooooottttt of Tex-Mex there. Cali - same story but good pockets. NM - it's been a long time so that's your territory. NWA Mexicans are original and authentic because they JUST GOT HERE and haven't had time to be influenced by the natives.
Sams in Bentonville? More like the supermercado on the side of town where hispanics actually live.
I'm really confused how long you've actually lived in the area. Once again, I recommend to go exploring a bit. It's a small place but it takes years to find every pocket.
Hah oh my I'm not sure where to start. Most of the hispanics work for Hunt trucking? I've seen Hunt grow since it was a start up business in a 7-foot ceiling shack of a expanse and almost none of the Mexican transplants have ever worked there. Yes, Tyson, everyone knows that but where else do you think they work with little education and language skills? Laborers in home in gardens, mechanics, etc.
I'm sorry about your granddaughter but Fayetteville is a LOT more than just university greek life if you step off campus at all.
Actually I was born in Texas and there is a looooooottttt of Tex-Mex there. Cali - same story but good pockets. NM - it's been a long time so that's your territory. NWA Mexicans are original and authentic because they JUST GOT HERE and haven't had time to be influenced by the natives.
Sams in Bentonville? More like the supermercado on the side of town where hispanics actually live.
I'm really confused how long you've actually lived in the area. Once again, I recommend to go exploring a bit. It's a small place but it takes years to find every pocket.
Nita may not have lived here long, but I have. First, she didn't say anything about Hispanics working for JB Hunt. You need to re-read her post. Secondly, Nita is not off-base to say that the college scene dominates Fayetteville. There are certainly things to do not related to the university, but the university atmosphere spills over into much of the city.
NWA Mexicans actually are a pretty mixed bag. Many, many have not JUST GOT HERE, but have actually moved here from places like California and Nevada and Texas. Also, the Hispanic population in Northwest Arkansas is much more diverse in that many, many are not from Mexico at all. El Salvador and Panama are very well represented in the Hispanic populations.
Sam's in Bentonville bears no resemblance to the several supermercados scattered around the area.
And I think your final paragraph was very patronizing and rude.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Summary
