Benton County, Arkansas

Not to be confused with Benton, Arkansas.

Benton County
County
Clockwise from top: Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Beaver Lake, downtown Rogers, Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, and downtown Bentonville
Flag Seal
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°21′08″N 94°14′03″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.bentoncountyar.gov

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, 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.

History

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. 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.

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.

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.

Geography

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.

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. 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. 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).

Hydrology

See also: List of lakes in Benton County, Arkansas

Beaver Lake as seen from the Prairie Creek community

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. 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.

Protected areas

• Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge
• Ozark National Forest (part)
• Pea Ridge National Military Park
• Beaver Lake Wildlife Management Area
• Hobbs State Park - Conservation Area
• Wedington Wildlife Management Area
• Cave Springs Cave Natural Area
• Chesney Prairie Natural Area
• Devil's Eyebrow Natural Area (part)
• Healing Springs Natural Area
• Searles Prairie Natural Area

Demographics

Historical population

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		9.4%
U.S. Decennial Census 1790–1960 1900–1990 1990–2000 2010–2020 2020

Age pyramid Benton County

2000 census

As of the 2000 United States Census, 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.

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.

2010 census

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.

2020 census

Benton County racial composition

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.

Culture

After the end of Prohibition in 1933, Benton County voters voted that year to stay dry and voted twice in 1944 to stay dry. In 2012, Benton County voters elected to make the county wet, allowing countywide retail alcohol sales.

Economy

• Walmart was founded in Rogers, and its corporate headquarters is located in Bentonville.
• Daisy Outdoor Products, known for its air rifles, is headquartered in Rogers.
• JB Hunt Transport Services corporate headquarters is located in Lowell.
• Tyson Foods, based in Springdale, has a distribution center located in Rogers.
• Simmons Foods, a major supplier of poultry, pet, and animal nutrition products, is based in Siloam Springs.
• America's Car-Mart, one of the largest American publicly held automotive retailers, is based in Rogers.

Transportation

Major highways

• Interstate 49
• U.S. Highway 62
• U.S. Highway 71
• U.S. Highway 412
• Highway 12
• Highway 16
• Highway 43
• Highway 59
• Highway 72
• Highway 94
• Highway 102
• Highway 112
• Highway 127
• Highway 244
• Highway 264
• Highway 265
• Highway 279
• Highway 303
• Highway 340
• Highway 549
• Highway 612

The historic Trail of Tears is on US highways 62 and 71 and connects with U.S. Route 412 in nearby Washington County.

Airports

• Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA) is located near Highfill.
• Rogers Municipal Airport (ROG) serves the county and surrounding communities.

Rail

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.

Politics

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. 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, 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.

United States presidential election results for Benton County, Arkansas

Year	Republican		Democratic		Third party(ies)
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
2024	79,907	62.14%	45,231	35.17%	3,457	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%

Communities

Cities

• Bella Vista
• Bentonville (county seat)
• Cave Springs
• Centerton
• Decatur
• Elm Springs (mostly in Washington County)
• Gentry
• Gravette
• Little Flock
• Lowell
• Pea Ridge
• Rogers
• Siloam Springs
• Springdale (mostly in Washington County)
• Sulphur Springs

Towns

• Avoca
• Garfield
• Gateway
• Highfill
• Springtown

Census-designated places

• Cherokee City
• Hiwasse (former CDP)
• Lost Bridge Village
• Maysville
• Prairie Creek

Townships

Townships in Benton County, Arkansas as of 2010

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.

Township	FIPS code	ANSI code (GNIS ID)	Population center(s)	Pop. (2010)	Pop. density (/mi2)	Pop. density (/km2)	Total area (mi2)	Total area (km2)	Land area (mi2)	Land area (km2)	Water area (mi2)	Water area (km2)	Geographic coordinates
Township 1	05-93626	01989186	all of: Garfield, Gateway, Lost Bridge Village, Prairie Creek; parts of: Avoca, Rogers	13,223	113.79	43.93	130.964	339.2	116.205	301.0	14.759	38.23	36.412328°N 93.979817°W / 36.412328; -93.979817
Township 2	05-93628	01989194	small parts of: Lowell, Rogers, Springdale	14,279	150.33	58.04	111.844	289.7	94.984	246.0	16.860	43.67	36.280449°N 93.983324°W / 36.280449; -93.983324
Township 3	05-93630	01989187	parts of: Lowell, Rogers, Springdale; most of Bethel Heights	20,037	1,903.93	735.03	10.572	27.38	10.524	27.26	0.048	0.1243	36.272833°N 94.124961°W / 36.272833; -94.124961
Township 4	05-93632	01989188	all of Cave Springs ; most of the following: Lowell, Rogers, Springdale (within Benton County); small parts of Elm Springs	25,596	518.70	200.28	49.693	128.7	49.346	127.8	0.347	0.8987	36.271000°N 94.192603°W / 36.271000; -94.192603
Township 5	05-93634	01989189	part of Rogers	12,792	2,873.32	1,109.45	4.460	11.55	4.452	11.53	0.008	0.02072	36.335732°N 94.140417°W / 36.335732; -94.140417
Township 6	05-93636	01989190	most of Little Flock; almost half of Avoca; small parts of Bentonville, Pea Ridge, Rogers	14,033	671.18	259.15	20.929	54.21	20.908	54.15	0.021	0.05439	36.380291°N 94.128869°W / 36.380291; -94.128869
Township 7	05-93638	01989191	most of Pea Ridge; part of Bella Vista; small part of Bentonville	20,317	331.80	128.10	61.597	159.5	61.233	158.6	0.364	0.9428	36.454130°N 94.153613°W / 36.454130; -94.153613
Township 8	05-93640	01989192	part of Bentonville	12,637	1,575.69	608.43	8.028	20.79	8.020	20.77	0.008	0.02072	36.380199°N 94.200482°W / 36.380199; -94.200482
Township 9	05-93642	01989193	most of: Bentonville, Centerton; small part of Highfill	31,362	638.18	246.36	49.497	128.2	49.143	127.3	0.354	0.9169	36.354443°N 94.269172°W / 36.354443; -94.269172
Township 10	05-93644	01989195	most of: Bella Vista, Hiwasse	16,402	385.73	148.97	43.848	113.6	42.522	110.1	1.326	3.434	36.453560°N 94.307978°W / 36.453560; -94.307978
Township 11	05-93645	01989196	all of: Cherokee City, Decatur, Gravette, Maysville, Sulphur Springs; small parts of: Centerton, Highfill, Hiwasse	12,273	59.13	22.83	207.804	538.2	207.558	537.6	0.246	0.6371	36.393573°N 94.468392°W / 36.393573; -94.468392
Township 12	05-93646	01989197	most of Gentry; more than half of Siloam Springs	15,158	361.65	139.58	43.028	111.4	41.913	108.6	1.115	2.888	36.239052°N 94.522847°W / 36.239052; -94.522847
Township 13	05-93647	01989198	all of Springtown; most of Highfill; small parts of: Elm Springs, Gentry, Springdale	13,230	94.13	36.35	141.642	366.9	140.548	364.0	1.094	2.833	36.193862°N 94.409806°W / 36.193862; -94.409806
Source: "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files: County Subdivisions in Arkansas". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. Archived from the original on May 31, 2014. Source: "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files". U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division.

Education

School districts include:

• Bentonville Public Schools
• Decatur School District
• Gentry Public Schools
• Gravette School District
• Pea Ridge School District
• Rogers Public Schools
• Siloam Springs Schools
• Springdale School District

See also

• National Register of Historic Places listings in Benton County, Arkansas

External links

• Official Website of Benton County, Arkansas
• Benton County Code of Ordinances
• County Records Online