Fayetteville was one of four cities in the U.S. to top more than 100,000 residents for the first time in 2023, according to the latest census estimates.
The intrigue: But the region's fastest-growing cities are its smaller towns. Centerton was sixth in the country for growth from 2022 to 2023 among cities with populations of at least 20,000, census data reveal.
It grew 11.2% to its 23,953 residents. Since 2020, the city has grown by 34.1%.
Why it matters: More people warrants more amenities, like Centerton's planned community center. We're watching how other NWA cities accommodate the growth.
Zoom in: Tontitown's population increased by 71.3% in three years — from 4,300 to 7,364.
Pea Ridge saw a 31.4% increase to 8,680 people.
Farmington's count rose by 28.7% to 9,761.
Lowell saw a 16.5% uptick to 11,466.
Prairie Grove was not far behind with a 15.9% increase to 8,186 residents.
The big picture: The region — Benton and Washington counties combined — grew about 8% from 2020 to 2023 for a total population of about 572,560.
The Arkansas Economic Development Institute at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock predicts NWA's population will reach 1 million by 2050.
By the numbers: Of NWA's four largest cities, Bentonville has seen the highest growth rate, rising by 9.7%, or 59,471 residents, from 2020 to 2023.
Fayetteville grew by 7.8% to 101,680, making it the second-largest city in the state behind Little Rock.
