Places › Arkansas › Bentonville

Living in Bentonville, AR

Small city in Arkansas

Bentonville is a small city in Arkansas, home to about 56,000 people, with 491,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, most trips are by car. Life moves at a slow, calm pace, and homes are a mix of apartments and houses.

Is Bentonville a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Strong healthcare: 3 top-rated (4–5★) hospitals within 31 mi
  • Safe: violent crime is 0.6× the US rate (FBI 2019)
  • Dog-friendly: 20 dog parks within 9 mi
  • Low taxes: about $902 state income tax per resident, 0.73% property tax

👎 Cons

  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Quieter on culture: few museums and attractions nearby
  • Smaller job market: about 491,000 people live within 31 mi

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Bentonville ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
56,000
491,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
49°F / 88°F
Average daily highs · 10″ snow a year
3-bedroom home
$378k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,870/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
91
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$902
State income tax per resident · 0.73% property tax
Safety
0.6× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
11 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, ice storms
Top-rated hospitals
3
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
54%
1 research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
TUL
93 mi away

Living in Bentonville: common questions

What is the cost of living in Bentonville?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $378k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,870 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 91, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Bentonville?

Arkansas collects about $902 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.73% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Bentonville safe?

Violent crime is well below the national rate (0.6× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Bentonville?

Bentonville has cool winters: winter days average around 49°F and summer days around 88°F, with roughly 10″ of snow a year.

Does Bentonville get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding and ice storms: 11 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.7 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Bentonville?

The nearest major airport is TUL, about 93 mi away.

How Bentonville scores

Each bar compares Bentonville with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small city Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Suburban Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Mostly car Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Cool winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Slow & calm Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Private AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Apartments & houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Good
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Below average
🏥Healthcare Excellent
🎓Education Average
🧸Kids & family Average
🐕Dog-friendly Excellent
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Very safe
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Good
✈️Airport Average

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Is Bentonville right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.