Benton County | |
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Clockwise from top: Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Beaver Lake, downtown Rogers, Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, and downtown Bentonville | |
Coordinates: 36°21′08″N94°14′03″W / 36.352222222222°N 94.234166666667°W | |
Country | United States |
State | Arkansas |
Founded | September 30, 1836 |
Named for | Thomas Hart Benton |
Seat | Bentonville |
Largest city | Rogers |
Area | |
• Total | 884 sq mi (2,290 km2) |
• Land | 847 sq mi (2,190 km2) |
• Water | 37 sq mi (100 km2) 4.1% |
Population (2020) | |
• Total | 284,333 |
• Estimate (2022) | 302,863 |
• Density | 320/sq mi (120/km2) |
Time zone | UTC−6 (Central) |
• Summer (DST) | UTC−5 (CDT) |
Congressional district | 3rd |
Website | www |
Benton County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas' 35th county on September 30, 1836, Benton County contains thirteen incorporated municipalities, including Bentonville, the county seat, and Rogers, the most populous city. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas statehood.
The county is located within the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks. Much of eastern Benton County is located along Beaver Lake, a reservoir of the White River. The county contains three protected areas: Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Devil's Eyebrow Natural Area, as well as parts of the Ozark National Forest, Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area, and two state wildlife management areas.
Benton County occupies 884.86 square miles (229,180 ha) and contained a population of 284,333 people in 100,749 households as of the 2020 Census, [1] ranking it tenth in size and second in population among the state's 75 counties. The county's economy is heavily influenced by the presence of Walmart, headquartered in Bentonville, and hundreds of associated businesses, with agriculture, tourism, and construction also important sectors. Benton County's median household income is the highest in Arkansas and slightly above the national median. [2] [3]
Prior to white settlement of the county, the region was used by roving bands of Osage and Delaware who used the area for seasonal hunting grounds. Initial white settlement on Benton County took place around Maysville around 1830, followed by areas around Garfield, Cross Hollow, and Centerton. Settlers were predominantly from Tennessee, followed by Southern Piedmont states. [4] Benton County was created from neighboring Washington County by the Arkansas General Assembly on September 30, 1836. Created shortly after statehood, it was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas's statehood. [5]
Following establishment, a citizen committee was established to select the county seat. It decided to create Bentonville, with a town square and 136 lots around it, in 1837. The first building serving as courthouse was the home of George P. Wallace, the first county judge, for the 1837 court term. By the following year, a log structure on the north side of the Bentonville square was complete and served as the first permanent courthouse. In 1841, a contractor was building a brick courthouse in the middle of the Bentonville square. It was burned by Union troops during the Civil War in 1862. Court resumed after the war in a rented office for a few months until a new two-story frame building was constructed east of the county jail. In 1870, the search for a more permanent home for county government began, and a new structure was finished after significant struggle and controversy, in 1874. This building was replaced by the present-day Benton County Courthouse in 1928. [6]
On May 26, 2024, Benton County experienced the largest tornado in Arkansas history, an EF3 with a width of 1.8 miles (2.9 km). This also initiated the first ever Arkansas appearance of FEMA for emergency disaster relief.[ citation needed ]
Benton County is located within the Springfield Plateau subset of the Ozark Mountains. The plateau is gently rolling compared to the steeper Boston Mountains to the south and east, and contains karst features such as springs, losing streams, sinkholes and caves. Groundcover historically consisted of oak hickory forest or savannas and tall grass prairies. Today, most of the forest and almost all of the prairie have been replaced by agriculture or expanding residential areas. Poultry, cattle, and hog farming are primary land uses; pastureland and hayland are common. Application of poultry litter to agricultural fields is a non-point source that can impair water quality. Total suspended solids and turbidity values in streams are usually low, but total dissolved solids and water hardness values are high. [7]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 884 square miles (2,290 km2), of which 847 square miles (2,190 km2) is land and 37 square miles (96 km2) (4.1%) is water. [8] Most of the water is in Beaver Lake.
The county is located approximately 112 miles (180 km) east of Tulsa, Oklahoma, 212 miles (341 km) south of Kansas City, Missouri, and 215 miles (346 km) northwest of Little Rock, Arkansas. [Note 1] Benton County is surrounded by Barry County, Missouri and McDonald County, Missouri to the north, Delaware County, Oklahoma and Adair County, Oklahoma to the west, Carroll County to the east, and the other two counties of the NWA metropolitan area: Madison County to the east, and Washington County to the south. The highest point in Benton County is near the Lost Bridge Village Community Center on Whitney Mountain (formerly known as Poor Mountain). [10]
Benton County is divided into five watersheds. The eastern part of the county is drained by the White River, which includes Beaver Lake. Major tributaries include War Eagle Creek, Little Clifty Creek, Spider Creek, Indian Creek, Prairie Creek and Esculapia Creek. Northern Benton County is within the Elk River watershed; the northeast corner is drained by tributaries to Big Sugar Creek; north central Benton County drains to Little Sugar Creek. The southwest part of Benton County is within the Illinois River watershed; southwest and south-central parts of the county drain to Osage Creek and western Benton County drains to Flint Creek or Spavinaw Creek. Northeastern Benton County drains to tributaries of the Neosho River. [10] A very small part of northwestern Benton County drains to the Grand Lake.
The county has natural springs, which were very important to early settlers. Benton County communities named for their nearby springs include Cave Springs, Eldorado Springs, Elm Springs, Osage Mills, Siloam Springs, Springdale, Springtown, and Sulphur Springs.
Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
---|---|---|---|
1840 | 2,228 | — | |
1850 | 3,710 | 66.5% | |
1860 | 9,306 | 150.8% | |
1870 | 13,831 | 48.6% | |
1880 | 20,328 | 47.0% | |
1890 | 27,716 | 36.3% | |
1900 | 31,611 | 14.1% | |
1910 | 33,389 | 5.6% | |
1920 | 36,253 | 8.6% | |
1930 | 35,253 | −2.8% | |
1940 | 36,148 | 2.5% | |
1950 | 38,076 | 5.3% | |
1960 | 36,272 | −4.7% | |
1970 | 50,476 | 39.2% | |
1980 | 78,115 | 54.8% | |
1990 | 97,499 | 24.8% | |
2000 | 153,406 | 57.3% | |
2010 | 221,339 | 44.3% | |
2020 | 284,333 | 28.5% | |
2023 (est.) | 311,013 | [11] | 9.4% |
U.S. Decennial Census [12] 1790–1960 [13] 1900–1990 [14] 1990–2000 [15] 2010–2020 [16] 2020 [1] |
As of the 2000 United States Census, [18] there were 153,406 people, 58,212 households, and 43,484 families residing in the county. The population density was 181 inhabitants per square mile (70/km2). There were 64,281 housing units at an average density of 76 per square mile (29/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 90.87% White, 0.41% Black or African American, 1.65% Native American, 1.09% Asian, 0.08% Pacific Islander, 4.08% from other races, and 1.82% from two or more races. 8.78% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
As of 2005 estimates, Benton County's population was 81.7% non-Hispanic white, while the percentage of Latinos grew by 60 percent in the time period. 1.1% of the population was African-American; 1.6% was Native American (the historical presence of the Cherokee Indians live in close proximity to Oklahoma); 1.7% was Asian (there was a large influx of Filipinos, Vietnamese and South Asian immigrants in recent decades) and 0.2% of the population was Pacific Islander. 1.6% reported two or more races, usually not black-white due to a minuscule African-American population. 12.8% was Latino, but the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce believed the official estimate is underreported and Latinos could well be 20 percent of the population. [19]
There were 58,212 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.00% were married couples living together, 8.20% had a female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $40,281, and the median income for a family was $45,235. Males had a median income of $30,327 versus $22,469 for females. The per capita income for the county was $19,377. About 7.30% of families and 10.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over.
As of the 2010 census, the county population was 221,339. The racial makeup of the county was 76.18% Non-Hispanic white, 1.27% Black or African American, 1.69% Native American, 2.85% Asian, 0.30% Pacific Islander. 15.49% of the population was Hispanic or Latino. [20]
Race | Number | Percentage |
---|---|---|
White (non-Hispanic) | 191,761 | 71.34% |
Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 4,523 | 1.59% |
Native American | 3,799 | 1.34% |
Asian | 13,602 | 4.78% |
Pacific Islander | 2,598 | 0.91% |
Other/Mixed | 17,510 | 6.16% |
Hispanic or Latino | 50,540 | 17.61% |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 284,333 people, 100,749 households, and 72,399 families residing in the county.
After the end of Prohibition in 1933, Benton County voters voted that year to stay dry and voted twice in 1944 to stay dry. [22] In 2012, Benton County voters elected to make the county wet, allowing countywide retail alcohol sales. [23]
The historic Trail of Tears is on US highways 62 and 71 and connects with U.S. Route 412 in nearby Washington County.
The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad parallels US Highways 62 and 71 in the county.
The St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (commonly known as the "Frisco") was completed across Benton County in 1881. The Bentonville Railway Company operated a freight and passenger railroad between Rogers and Bentonville between 1883 and 1898. [24]
As is typical of the Ozarks and the Bible Belt, Benton County is strongly Republican. It was one of the first counties in Arkansas to break from the Democratic Solid South, supporting Republicans Herbert Hoover in 1928 and Thomas E. Dewey in 1944. It has not been carried by a Democratic presidential nominee since Harry S. Truman in 1948. [25] Along with nearby Sebastian County, it was one of the few counties in Arkansas to resist the appeal of Southern Democratic “favorite sons” Lyndon B. Johnson, Jimmy Carter, and Arkansas governor Bill Clinton, [a] while also voting for Republican Richard Nixon in 1968 as George Wallace won Arkansas on the pro-segregation American Independent Party ticket. Carter in 1976 remains the last Democrat to win even forty percent of the county's vote.
In Benton County, voters have supported the GOP in the last nineteen presidential elections.
Year | Republican | Democratic | Third party(ies) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
No. | % | No. | % | No. | % | |
2024 | 79,798 | 62.15% | 45,150 | 35.16% | 3,452 | 2.69% |
2020 | 73,965 | 61.68% | 42,249 | 35.23% | 3,698 | 3.08% |
2016 | 60,871 | 62.87% | 28,005 | 28.92% | 7,948 | 8.21% |
2012 | 54,646 | 68.95% | 22,636 | 28.56% | 1,975 | 2.49% |
2008 | 51,124 | 67.20% | 23,331 | 30.67% | 1,618 | 2.13% |
2004 | 46,571 | 68.37% | 20,756 | 30.47% | 794 | 1.17% |
2000 | 34,838 | 64.94% | 17,277 | 32.21% | 1,531 | 2.85% |
1996 | 23,748 | 51.89% | 17,205 | 37.59% | 4,815 | 10.52% |
1992 | 21,126 | 48.81% | 15,774 | 36.45% | 6,379 | 14.74% |
1988 | 24,295 | 71.23% | 9,399 | 27.55% | 416 | 1.22% |
1984 | 24,296 | 75.90% | 7,306 | 22.82% | 408 | 1.27% |
1980 | 18,830 | 63.96% | 9,231 | 31.36% | 1,379 | 4.68% |
1976 | 12,670 | 52.75% | 11,289 | 47.00% | 61 | 0.25% |
1972 | 14,621 | 77.86% | 4,083 | 21.74% | 74 | 0.39% |
1968 | 8,104 | 49.94% | 4,088 | 25.19% | 4,036 | 24.87% |
1964 | 5,977 | 51.25% | 5,655 | 48.49% | 30 | 0.26% |
1960 | 7,832 | 67.58% | 3,619 | 31.23% | 139 | 1.20% |
1956 | 6,500 | 63.08% | 3,744 | 36.33% | 61 | 0.59% |
1952 | 7,916 | 68.83% | 3,558 | 30.94% | 26 | 0.23% |
1948 | 2,911 | 44.70% | 3,281 | 50.38% | 321 | 4.93% |
1944 | 3,305 | 53.52% | 2,861 | 46.33% | 9 | 0.15% |
1940 | 1,962 | 43.86% | 2,442 | 54.59% | 69 | 1.54% |
1936 | 1,672 | 40.64% | 2,418 | 58.77% | 24 | 0.58% |
1932 | 1,275 | 24.53% | 3,775 | 72.62% | 148 | 2.85% |
1928 | 3,248 | 57.29% | 2,348 | 41.42% | 73 | 1.29% |
1924 | 1,694 | 37.04% | 2,313 | 50.58% | 566 | 12.38% |
1920 | 1,916 | 39.34% | 2,838 | 58.28% | 116 | 2.38% |
1916 | 1,293 | 29.39% | 3,106 | 70.61% | 0 | 0.00% |
1912 | 541 | 14.05% | 2,353 | 61.12% | 956 | 24.83% |
1908 | 1,527 | 31.77% | 3,067 | 63.82% | 212 | 4.41% |
1904 | 1,202 | 35.08% | 1,963 | 57.30% | 261 | 7.62% |
1900 | 1,087 | 26.36% | 2,980 | 72.28% | 56 | 1.36% |
1896 | 685 | 16.05% | 3,548 | 83.15% | 34 | 0.80% |
1892 | 1,212 | 29.29% | 2,587 | 62.52% | 339 | 8.19% |
Note: Most Arkansas counties have names for their townships. Benton County, however, has numbers instead of names.
Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of a county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Benton County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. [27] [28]
School districts include: [29]
Delaware County is a county located in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. As of the 2020 census, the population was 40,397. Its county seat is Jay. The county was named for the Delaware Indians, who had established a village in the area prior to the Cherokees being assigned to relocate to Indian Territory in the 1830s. Delaware County was created in 1907. Prior to becoming Delaware County, a large portion of the area was known as the Delaware District of the Cherokee Nation. Today, Delaware County continues to be recognized by the Cherokee Nation as the Delaware District.
Washington County is a regional economic, educational, and cultural hub in the Northwest Arkansas region. Created as Arkansas's 17th county on November 30, 1848, Washington County has 13 incorporated municipalities, including Fayetteville, the county seat, and Springdale. The county is also the site of small towns, bedroom communities, and unincorporated places. The county is named for George Washington, the first President of the United States. Located within the Ozark Mountains, the county is roughly divided into two halves: the rolling Springfield Plateau in the more populous north of the county and the steeper, forested Boston Mountains in the much less populated south. It contains three segments of the Ozark National Forest, two state parks, two Wildlife Management Areas, the Garrett Hollow Natural Area, and dozens of city parks. Other historical features such as Civil War battlefields, log cabins, one-room school houses, community centers, and museums describe the history and culture of Washington County. Washington County occupies 951.72 square miles and contained a population of 245,871 people in 89,249 households as of the 2020 Census, ranking it 4th in size and 3rd in population among the state's 75 counties. The economy is largely based on the business/management, education, sales, office/administration, and poultry production industries. Poverty rates, median household income, and unemployment rates best state averages, but lag national trends. Washington County has long had a reputation for education in the state. The University of Arkansas, the largest four-year college in the state, was established in Fayetteville in 1871. A Washington County campus of the Northwest Arkansas Community College was opened in 2019 in Springdale. Today, Washington County contains eight public school districts, including two of the largest districts in the state and two private schools. It is included in the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Sharp County is a county located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,271. The county seat is Ash Flat. The county was formed on July 18, 1868, and named for Ephraim Sharp, a state legislator from the area.
Marion County is located in the Ozark Mountains in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The county is named for Francis Marion, the famous "Swamp Fox" of the Revolutionary War. Created as Arkansas's 35th county in 1836, Marion County is home to one incorporated town and four incorporated cities, including Yellville, the county seat. The county is also the site of numerous unincorporated communities and ghost towns. The county included part of what is now Searcy County, Arkansas, with many opposing to dividing them, which helped fueled the bloody Tutt-Everett War between 1844 and 1850.
Franklin County is a county in Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 17,097. The county has two county seats, Charleston and Ozark. The county was formed on December 19, 1837, and named for Benjamin Franklin, American statesman. Franklin County is a damp county, with alcohol sales allowed except in Prairie & Alix townships, and limits on liquor sales in the city of Branch.
Crawford County is a county located in the Ozarks region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. As of the 2020 census, the population was 60,133. The county seat and largest city is Van Buren. Crawford County was formed on October 18, 1820, from the former Lovely County and Indian Territory, and was named for William H. Crawford, the United States Secretary of War in 1815.
Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The community has taken advantage of the natural setting within the Springfield Plateau of the Ozark Mountains since first established in 1917 as a summer resort destination. The oak/hickory forests, valleys, creeks, and steep rises that characterize the city's topography have slowly given way to a series of reservoirs, golf courses, and other amenities. A largely residential city, early settlement was predominantly summer cabins, later giving way to single-family housing of a retirement community developed by Cooper Communities with services and amenities provided by a strong property owners' association (POA).
Bentonville is the ninth-most populous city in the US state of Arkansas, and the county seat of Benton County. The city is centrally located in the county with Rogers adjacent to the east. The city is the birthplace and headquarters of Walmart, the world's largest retailer. It is one of the four main cities in the three-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ranked 105th in terms of population in the United States with 546,725 residents in 2020, according to the United States Census Bureau. The city itself had a population of 54,164 at the 2020 Census, an increase of 53% from the 2010 Census. Bentonville is considered to be one of the fastest growing cities in the state and consistently ranks amongst the safest cities in Arkansas.
Cave Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas. The population was 5,495 at the time of the 2020 census, up from 1,729 in 2010 census. It is part of the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area. In June 2022, Cave Springs was named the 3rd highest average home values in the state of Arkansas.
Centerton is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located west of Bentonville on Highway 102, Centerton has grown from a railroad stop and fruit orchard community in the early 20th century into a suburban bedroom community within the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas (NWA) region. The city's population has grown from 491 in 1990 to 16,244 in 2019. Centerton is considered to be one of the fastest growing cities in Arkansas and consistently ranks amongst the safest cities in the state.
Elm Springs is a city in Benton and Washington Counties, Arkansas, United States. Located immediately west of Springdale in the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan statistical area, Elm Springs has been gaining population in recent years, including a 47% increase in population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.
Gentry is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. The population was 3,790 as of the 2020 census. The city was founded in the Ozark Mountains in 1894 along what would become the Kansas City Southern Railroad. The city's prior prosperity in the orchard industry, especially apples, was further strengthened by the rail connection. Following the decline of the apple industry in the 1930s, Gentry shifted its economy towards poultry along with many other areas of Northwest Arkansas.
Lowell is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located within the Ozarks, the first settlement was along Old Wire Road in the 1840s, and although destroyed during the Civil War, the community was reestablished by J. R. McClure and thrived when the St. Louis–San Francisco Railway came through the area in the 1880s. The city is a growing bedroom community within the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas region. Lowell is the headquarters of trucking company J.B. Hunt. Lowell's population was 9,839 at the 2020 census, an increase of 34% since 2010.
Prairie Creek is a census-designated place (CDP) in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Per the 2020 census, the population was 2,217. It is a lakefront community adjacent to Beaver Lake and Rogers within the Northwest Arkansas region.
Rogers is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. Located in the Ozarks, it is part of the Northwest Arkansas region, one of the fastest growing metro areas in the country. Rogers was the location of the first Walmart store, whose corporate headquarters is located in neighboring Bentonville. Daisy Outdoor Products, known for its air rifles, has both its headquarters and its Airgun Museum in Rogers. The city houses a popular shopping center, the Pinnacle Hills Promenade, and a music venue, the Walmart AMP, that has housed performances by big-name artists and local performers alike.
Siloam Springs is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States, and located on the western edge of the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area. As of the 2020 census, the population of the city was 17,287. The community was founded in 1882 and was characterized by the purported healing powers of the spring water feeding Sager Creek and trading with nearby Native American tribes. The city shares a border on the Arkansas–Oklahoma state line with the city of West Siloam Springs, Oklahoma, which is within the Cherokee Nation territory. It is home of John Brown University.
Springdale is the fourth-most populous city in Arkansas, United States. It is located in both Washington and Benton counties in Northwest Arkansas. Located on the Springfield Plateau deep in the Ozark Mountains, Springdale has long been an important industrial city for the region. In addition to several trucking companies, the city is home to the world headquarters of Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat producing company. Originally named Shiloh, the city changed its name to Springdale when applying for a post office in 1872. It is included in the four-county Northwest Arkansas Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is ranked 102nd in terms of population in the United States with 546,725 in 2020 according to the United States Census Bureau. The city had a population of 84,161 at the 2020 Census.
Johnson is a city in Washington County, Arkansas, United States. The community is located in the Ozark Mountains and is surrounded by valleys and natural springs. Early settlers took advantage of these natural features and formed an economy based on mining lime, the Johnson Mill and trout. Although a post office was opened in the community in 1887, Johnson did not incorporate until it required the development of a city government to provide utility services in 1961. Located between Fayetteville and Springdale in the heart of the rapidly growing Northwest Arkansas metropolitan statistical area, Johnson has been experiencing a population and building boom in recent years, as indicated by a 46% growth in population between the 2000 and 2010 censuses.
Township 4 is one of thirteen current townships in Benton County, Arkansas, USA. As of the 2010 census, its total population was 25,596.
Northwest Arkansas (NWA) is a metropolitan area and region in Arkansas within the Ozark Mountains. It includes four of the ten largest cities in the state: Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers, and Bentonville, the surrounding towns of Benton and Washington counties, and adjacent rural Madison County, Arkansas. The United States Census Bureau-defined Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Area includes 3,213.01 square miles (8,321.7 km2) and 590,337 residents, ranking NWA as the 98th most-populous metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. and the 13th fastest growing in the United States.
Benton County voters overwhelmingly approved of countywide retail alcohol sales, in an effort to keep dollars from flowing north and south where off-premise alcohol is sold. This bold change will wipe away nearly 70 years of 'dry' history.