Bentonville, Arkansas

Bentonville, Arkansas is a city in Northwest Arkansas, and county seat of Benton County, Arkansas, United States The population was 35,301 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Fayetteville–Springdale–Rogers, AR-MO Metropolitan Statistical Area. Bentonville is also home to the Wal-Mart Home Offices, headquarters of Walmart Stores, the largest private employer and retailer in the world.

History
The city was named after Senator Thomas Hart Benton of Missouri. Senator Benton helped Arkansas obtain statehood in 1836, and his namesake, Bentonville, became the first town established in Benton County. Two years later, in 1838, thousands of Cherokee Indians from Georgia passed through Benton County as part of the Trail of Tears route to Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma. During the Civil War, Bentonville was occupied by Union forces, and several of the city's buildings were burned. After the war, the area established a vibrant apple industry, with Benton County becoming the leading apple producing county in the nation in 1901. In the 1920s and 1930s the county developed a reputation as a leader in poultry production, which the area still maintains today.

Geography
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 21.3 sqmi, of which, 21.2 sqmi of it is land and 0.04 sqmi of it (0.09%) is water.

Demographics
As of 2010 Bentonville had a population of 21500. The racial and ethnic composition of the population was 77.0% non-Hispanic white, 2.4% non-Hispanic black, 1.2% Native American, 5.8% Asian Indian, 2.8% other Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, 3.9% from some other race and 2.5% from two or more races. 8.7% of the population was Hispanic or Latino of any race.

As of the census of 2000, there were 19,730 people, 7,458 households, and 5,265 families residing in the city. The city grew substantially in the 1990s; the 1990 population was 11,257 and the city is expected to reach 50,000 people by the year 2030. According to the US Census, Bentonville and surrounding communities in Benton County is second in growth for Arkansas and among the 100 fastest growing counties in the United States.

The population density was 928.9 people per square mile (358.7/km²). There were 7,924 housing units at an average density of 373.1 per square mile (144.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 90.92% White, 0.88% Black or African American, 1.33% Native American, 2.40% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander, 2.68% from other races, and 1.76% from two or more races. 6.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

The 2005 Special Census reported 24,837 Whites/non-Hispanic whites (86.8%), 2,428 Hispanics of any race (8.5%), 1,135 Asians (4.0%), and 510 Blacks/African Americans 1.8%. Bentonville is home to a significant large Hispanic immigrant community, consisting of Mexicans and nationalities from Central America such as El Salvador and Honduras, came to find blue-collar jobs in the area's booming economy during the 1990s and 2000s.

There were 7,458 households out of which 40.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 55.6% were married couples living together, 11.9% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.4% are classified as non-families by the United States Census Bureau. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.7% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.59 and the average family size was 3.11.

Bentonville is a popular real estate destination for senior citizens and families with young children for quite some time, due to relative affordability, lower crime rates for a city its size and a social conservative culture known in Northwest Arkansas. Bentonville and Benton County is said to have the most registered Republican voters of the state by its rural character, small town values and new suburban characteristics.

In the city the population was spread out with 29.5% under the age of 18, 9.8% from 18 to 24, 34.2% from 25 to 44, 17.9% from 45 to 64, and 8.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 93.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $39,936, and the median income for a family was $46,558. Males had a median income of $31,816 versus $23,761 for females. The per capita income for the city was $20,831. 10.3% of the population and 7.5% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 13.7% are under the age of 18 and 10.9% are 65 or older.

Bentonville is served by Northwest Arkansas Regional Airport, which also serves Fayetteville, Arkansas and Springdale, Arkansas.

Education

 * Bentonville High School
 * Bentonville Public Library
 * NorthWest Arkansas Community College

Museums
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is a $450,000,000 museum of American Art designed by architect Moshe Safdie located within walking distance of downtown Bentonville, AR.

Planning and Development
Planners see I-540 overtaxed in future An article concerning long range planning, population and traffic studies for NW Arkansas.

Notable residents

 * Jim Walton, the 20th-richest person in the world, lives in Bentonville.
 * James Henderson Berry, Arkansas Politician
 * Louise Thaden Aviation pioneer, holder of numerous aviation records, and the first woman to win the Bendix Trophy.
 * Dan Folger, American singer
 * Willis Ricketts, the 1962 Arkansas Republican gubernatorial nominee, was born in Bentonville and operated a pharmacy in Fayetteville for twenty years. He later lived in Benton, Arkansas, the seat of Saline County.
 * Karri Turner, actress on the adventure/drama television show JAG, grew up in Bentonville.