Actual urban size of "Northwest Arkansas" (Fayetteville, Benton: neighborhoods, construction)

[Rock Climber]

With all that is happening in the four big-towns of NWA, I've begun to feel like the cities themselves can sometimes be viewed as "neighborhoods" within a larger city. While the cities currently are distinct in most ways, they are growing together. Each downtown is beginning to assert its own distinct identity again, with revitalization happening. In short, you can start to identify several different "cool neighborhoods" in the region, with restaurants, bars, walkable "urban density.

I thought, with that in mind, it would be interesting to compare the actual "urban area" of NWA with some other familiar cities to show you how we stack up, if we were considered one big city.

This site allows you to map one area and then superimpose the boundaries on another area, actual size.

Austin: http://mapfrappe.com/?show=48052

Dallas: http://mapfrappe.com/?show=48053

Tulsa: http://mapfrappe.com/?show=48056

Nashville: http://mapfrappe.com/?show=48055

Denver: http://mapfrappe.com/?show=48054

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Rock Climber

With all that is happening in the four big-towns of NWA, I've begun to feel like the cities themselves can sometimes be viewed as "neighborhoods" within a larger city. While the cities currently are distinct in most ways, they are growing together. Each downtown is beginning to assert its own distinct identity again, with revitalization happening. In short, you can start to identify several different "cool neighborhoods" in the region, with restaurants, bars, walkable "urban density.

I thought, with that in mind, it would be interesting to compare the actual "urban area" of NWA with some other familiar cities to show you how we stack up, if we were considered one big city.

This site allows you to map one area and then superimpose the boundaries on another area, actual size.

Austin: MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

Dallas: MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

Tulsa: MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

Nashville: MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

Denver: MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

Thanks Rock,

It is interesting as a comparison. Of course NWA really is a bit unusual right now. I think it will, one day be another Tusla or Nashville. I am not sure about the others.

[Slytrix]

Hard to tell by those comparisons. For example Dallas, when you include Southlake, Arlington, Grapevine and Plano,& Frisco areas it is quite enormous compared to NWA. It is also 7 million people.

[Rock Climber]

Originally Posted by Slytrix

Hard to tell by those comparisons. For example Dallas, when you include Southlake, Arlington, Grapevine and Plano,& Frisco areas it is quite enormous compared to NWA. It is also 7 million people.

Definitely true. My intention was to show how the entire urban area of NWA easily fits into the boundaries of some larger cities. When you consider that Frisco and Southlake and places like that are "far-flung" from the actual city of Dallas, you realize how relatively compact this region is.

[Rock Climber]

Here's a broader DFW view for comparison, since this is what I think you were referring to:

MAPfrappe - Legacy Page

You can also just zoom in or out on any of the links I provided in the OP.

[Slytrix]

Originally Posted by Rock Climber

Definitely true. My intention was to show how the entire urban area of NWA easily fits into the boundaries of some larger cities. When you consider that Frisco and Southlake and places like that are "far-flung" from the actual city of Dallas, you realize how relatively compact this region is.

Gotcha

[Rock Climber]

Driving "all the way from Fayetteville" to enjoy Crystal Bridges or downtown Bentonville, or driving "all the way to Fayetteville" to attend a musical or an event at the University is like "driving across town" in a larger metro area. Less stressful, too.

[Loveswater_outdoors]

Originally Posted by Rock Climber

Driving "all the way from Fayetteville" to enjoy Crystal Bridges or downtown Bentonville, or driving "all the way to Fayetteville" to attend a musical or an event at the University is like "driving across town" in a larger metro area. Less stressful, too.

True very true compared to those areas, however after recently visiting Denver, I can go from Centennial to the northern side in less than an hour, some days in Northwest Arkansas it takes an hour to go from south Fayetteville to Crystal Bridges due to construction and slog on 49. I wish we had 12 lanes 6 each way like Denver but I know we don't really need it :P

[nmnita]

Originally Posted by Slytrix

Hard to tell by those comparisons. For example Dallas, when you include Southlake, Arlington, Grapevine and Plano,& Frisco areas it is quite enormous compared to NWA. It is also 7 million people.

That is what I was thinking exactly. But it is still surprising how large this part of our state is and how we do compare with with some mid sized urban areas. I am sure our size and growth is why we are seeing so many chain restaurants opening up here, as well as Whole Foods and Fresh Market. Now, my usual question: where is Trader Joe when we need him?

[Johnhw2]

Interesting threat about how massive the NW Arkansas area is. What is the population of that same area? I suspect it significantly different then a comparable sized urban area hence Trader Joe's slow to move up there?