Moving to Arkansas-Bentonville (Fayetteville, Rogers, Bella Vista: how much, top schools, university)

[floridamom1]

We are looking to move to Arkansas- looking into NW Arkansas. We currently live in South Florida-I am a Nurse Practitioner and my husband is in corporate sales. Where is the best area for a active family to live? Bentonville,Fayetville???

1) Schools are very important? best elementary and high schools? Are private schools the best choice?

2) We are Catholic? What is the religious mix in AR?

3) I hope people are welcoming in AR. I have found people in FL to be very pushy and materialistic--Very poor role models for our children.

4) Will this area be too "small town"--or will it be a warm safe place to raise our children.

Thanks for all your help

[laondra]

I am from Springfield, Mo and we too are thinking of moving to the area of fayetville. There is a show on TV called The Duggers. or something like that. they have 20 kids. well anyhow. they are from the area and their shows always show the near by towns. I also know that fayetville is a college town too. But my main thing is that the area is full of christian values! and friendly people not people from busy big citys. we will see you there

[nmnita]

Bentonville has very good schools and is family friendly. The east side of Bella Vista is also part of the Bentonville school district. I don't think you will need to send your kids to private school. Fayetteville is another area with top schools and the city is very diverse, compared to some parts of NWA. Primarily this has to do with the university. There is definently a liberal leaning in Fayetteville.

Yes, you will find lots of Catholics in the community and some very large Catholic churches, but there are more Baptist ones. You will be fine.

As for friendly, yes, the community is very friendly. People are anything but materistic. Of course you are going to find some no matter whare you live. There are always those who think keeping up with the Jone's is their number 1 goal, overall this is not the small towns in NWA.

Nita

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

Bentonville has very good schools and is family friendly. The east side of Bella Vista is also part of the Bentonville school district. I don't think you will need to send your kids to private school. Fayetteville is another area with top schools and the city is very diverse, compared to some parts of NWA. Primarily this has to do with the university. There is definently a liberal leaning in Fayetteville.

Yes, you will find lots of Catholics in the community and some very large Catholic churches, but there are more Baptist ones. You will be fine.

As for friendly, yes, the community is very friendly. People are anything but materistic. Of course you are going to find some no matter whare you live. There are always those who think keeping up with the Jone's is their number 1 goal, overall this is not the small towns in NWA.

Nita

I don't know how many times that I read that fayetteville leans to the left and still I am shocked. Fayetteville is not liberal leaning. It is less conservative than its neighbor Rogers, but it is not a liberal city nor left of center, just look at its past election results.

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by hotair2

I don't know how many times that I read that fayetteville leans to the left and still I am shocked. Fayetteville is not liberal leaning. It is less conservative than its neighbor Rogers, but it is not a liberal city nor left of center, just look at its past election results.

tech I guess you are right, but compared to the rest of NWA Fayetteville is judged by most as being more liberal. It is all in your perspective of liberal versuses conservative I guess. That is why I said leans.

Nita

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by nmnita

tech I guess you are right, but compared to the rest of NWA Fayetteville is judged by most as being more liberal. It is all in your perspective of liberal versuses conservative I guess. That is why I said leans.

Nita

Yes, it is all relative I guess. I would not say it is more liberal, but less conservative because eventhough it is less conservative it is still right of center. I am O.K. with that. I like Fayetteville.

[Dr. Foosball]

Bentonville's schools are supposed to be pretty good, but the district is getting a bit big. Some like that, others do not.

Originally Posted by hotair2

Yes, it is all relative I guess. I would not say it is more liberal, but less conservative because eventhough it is less conservative it is still right of center. I am O.K. with that. I like Fayetteville.

I agree with this statement. There a re many places in Arkansas that get the "liberal" tag, but would be considered very conservative in other parts of America. Fayetteville is one of those places. I think it is a good mix.

[hotair2]

Originally Posted by Dr. Foosball

Bentonville's schools are supposed to be pretty good, but the district is getting a bit big. Some like that, others do not.



I agree with this statement. There a re many places in Arkansas that get the "liberal" tag, but would be considered very conservative in other parts of America. Fayetteville is one of those places. I think it is a good mix.

Yes I don't mind slightly right of center or slightly left of center. It is the cities at either extreme that leave a lot to be desired for me. I am not a big fan of San Fran and neither am I fan of Colorado Springs. Both are too extreme for my tastes.

[MJ1986]

Originally Posted by floridamom1

We are looking to move to Arkansas- looking into NW Arkansas. We currently live in South Florida-I am a Nurse Practitioner and my husband is in corporate sales. Where is the best area for a active family to live? Bentonville,Fayetville???

1) Schools are very important? best elementary and high schools? Are private schools the best choice?

2) We are Catholic? What is the religious mix in AR?

3) I hope people are welcoming in AR. I have found people in FL to be very pushy and materialistic--Very poor role models for our children.

4) Will this area be too "small town"--or will it be a warm safe place to raise our children.

Thanks for all your help

I'll hear hell about it, but here's my opinion:
1. No opinion on this
2. Religious mix? I'd call it an over-saturation of religious institutions in general... and over-saturation is an understatement compared to other areas of the country
3. Very welcoming... There's plenty of rich people here... I've found the majority are religious, so if that fits, then you're great! (Check out Six Flags Over Arkansas... aka Cross Church here in Rogers... Complete with the anti-gay agenda... Apparently they have nothing better to do!). In all honesty, very friendly people here!
4. Nope, not at all. There's enough traffic congestion to satisfy any small-town nut. It's a great place to raise kids.
By the sounds of it, you'll be fine here.

[nmnita]

I am sure you are going to catch heck from more than just me, but maybe not: you are judging an enitre community by one over zealous and overly reliegious church: this does not represent the feeling of all in the area. Yes, there are a lot of people here who do take their religion very seriously and most people you talk to belong and are somewhat active in their church, but they do not push it down your throat. We know your experience and it was totally uncalled for, but please do not think everyone feels that way. Allowing a couple of issues to influence your entire view is as narrow minded as what they did. By the way, she didn't ask if people were religious, she wanted to know if being catholic she would feel out of place.

Are there rich people in NWA? Of course there are, does this make them phony of materistic and unfriendly? Absolutely not. I have run into very few people and we have our share of money in Bella Vista that are influenced by how much money you have or they have.

I agree with the traffic situation from time to time. Depending on where she lives in Florida she might find it a nightmare or it may seem that bad. Again, she wanted to know if Bentonville would seem too small town and if it is a safe place to raise a family.

I am not here to put you or anyone else down, but I do think your ideas of the community are based too much on one issue.

Nita