{"generated":"2026-11-10","title":"Chart of the Day queue: each headline computed from a named data file","source":"Source: see each candidate","terms":"Free to use with attribution to The 479 Report and the original source named in each payload. Provided as-is, no warranty; market commentary, not advice. No MLS or listing data is served here.","as_of":"2026-10-20","as_of_basis":"set by the endpoint","notes":"Each candidate is computed from the newest snapshot of the named data file. Publish one per weekday, newest data first; drop a candidate once used or when its data file updates (rebuild first).","source_url":"derived from 479 feeds (see each candidate's data_file)","tables":{"candidates":[{"id":"mortgage-30y","topic":"Rates","headline":"Mortgage rates are 1.13 points higher than a year ago","what_happened":"The 30-year fixed rate averaged 7.40% the week of 2026-10-15, up from 6.27% a year earlier (2025-10-16). Its low in the past year was 5.98% (2026-02-26).","why_it_matters":"Every point on a $350,000 loan is roughly $230 a month in payment, which shows up in NWA home sales and permits a few months later.","what_to_watch":"Freddie Mac posts the next weekly rate Thursday 2026-10-22.","data_file":"summaries__federal-mortgage-rates_2026-10-20.json","series":["pmms30"],"chart":{"type":"line","window":"last 3 years","y":"percent"},"key_numbers":{"latest":7.4,"year_ago":6.27,"low_52wk":5.98},"source":"Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey\u00ae","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-10-15"},{"id":"xna-record","topic":"Airport","headline":"XNA moved a record 2.52 million passengers in 2025","what_happened":"Passengers rose 10.3% from 2024 (2,287,555) to 2025 (2,524,256), the highest of the 28 years on file (1998-2025). In 2026, July 2026 was the busiest month so far at 257,615.","why_it_matters":"Airport traffic tracks business travel to Bentonville's corporate base and tourism; it is one of the quickest reads on whether outside money is coming in.","what_to_watch":"XNA posts monthly reports with a lag of about two months; August and September 2026 are next.","data_file":"summaries__xna-traffic_2026-10-20.json","series":["annual_passengers_total","monthly_passengers_total"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"year","highlight":"2025"},"key_numbers":{"2025":2524256,"2024":2287555,"pct_change":10.3,"busiest_2026_month":["2026-07",257615]},"source":"Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA)","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2025"},{"id":"permits-12mo","topic":"Building","headline":"Benton and Washington counties permitted 8,823 new homes in the past year, down 1.0%","what_happened":"In the 12 months through August 2026, Benton County permitted 5,273 housing units (prior 12 months: 5,422) and Washington County 3,550 (prior: 3,491).","why_it_matters":"Permits are the earliest hard sign of future supply; fewer permits now means fewer new homes and apartments about a year from now.","what_to_watch":"Census posts the next month of county permits around the 18th business day of the following month.","data_file":"summaries__census-bps-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["benton_county_units_total","washington_county_units_total"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"month","series_stack":["benton","washington"],"overlay":"12-month total"},"key_numbers":{"benton_12mo":5273,"benton_prior_12mo":5422,"washington_12mo":3550,"washington_prior_12mo":3491},"source":"U.S. Census Bureau BPS","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-08"},{"id":"jobs-slowing","topic":"Jobs","headline":"NWA job growth slowed to 0.5% from 2.8% a year earlier","what_happened":"The metro had 276,349 jobs covered by unemployment insurance in 2026-Q1, up 1,285 from 2025-Q1. A year before, the gain was 7,520 (2.8%).","why_it_matters":"This is the full count of payroll jobs (not a survey), so it is the most reliable read on whether the region is still adding work.","what_to_watch":"BLS posts the next quarter (2026 Q2) in early December 2026.","data_file":"summaries__bls-qcew-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["nwa_msa_jobs"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"quarter","compare":"same quarter a year earlier"},"key_numbers":{"latest":276349,"year_ago":275064,"two_years_ago":267544},"source":"BLS QCEW","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-Q1"},{"id":"home-prices","topic":"Housing","headline":"NWA home prices are still rising, but at 3.66% a year, the slowest pace since 2014 Q2","what_happened":"The FHFA all-transactions index for the metro was up 3.66% from a year earlier in 2026-Q2, down from 4.45% in 2025-Q2.","why_it_matters":"Slower price growth with higher mortgage rates usually means buyers have more room to negotiate.","what_to_watch":"FHFA posts 2026 Q3 in late November 2026.","data_file":"summaries__fhfa-hpi-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["msa_at_yoy_pct"],"chart":{"type":"line","x":"quarter","y":"percent change from a year earlier"},"key_numbers":{"latest":3.66,"year_ago":4.45},"source":"FHFA HPI (computed from NSA index)","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-Q2"},{"id":"restaurants-tax","topic":"Spending","headline":"Restaurant and hotel sales tax in the six big cities is up 6.1%, faster than everything else (1.7%)","what_happened":"City sales tax from restaurants and hotels (industry 72) totaled $34.4 million in the 12 DFA files 2025-10 to 2026-09, vs $32.4 million the year before. All city sales tax was $266.1 million, up 1.7%.","why_it_matters":"Eating out and travel are where discretionary spending shows first; this is spending by residents and visitors combined.","what_to_watch":"DFA posts the next city file in mid-November 2026 (about two months after the sales).","data_file":"summaries__naics-history_bella_vista_2022-03_2026-09.json, naics-history_bentonville_2022-03_2026-09.json, naics-history_fayetteville_2022-03_2026-09.json, naics-history_rogers_2022-03_2026-09.json, naics-history_siloam_springs_2022-03_2026-09.json, naics-history_springdale_2022-03_2026-09.json","series":["months[].sector_2digit_totals_computed['72']","months[].totals_as_printed.total"],"chart":{"type":"line","x":"file month","y":"12-month total","cities":["Bella Vista","Bentonville","Fayetteville","Rogers","Siloam Springs","Springdale"]},"key_numbers":{"sector72_12mo":34397705.14,"sector72_prior_12mo":32410150.5,"all_12mo":266143038.63,"all_prior_12mo":261733077.7},"source":"Arkansas DFA local distribution by NAICS","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-09"},{"id":"bentonville-ap","topic":"Tourism","headline":"Bentonville's hotel and restaurant tax collections are up 3.8% this year","what_happened":"Businesses reported $2.7 million in the city's 2% advertising-and-promotion tax January to July 2026, vs $2.6 million in the same months of 2025. Hotels paid $1.1 million of this year's total; restaurants the rest. May 2026 ($479,388) was the biggest month in the file.","why_it_matters":"Visit Bentonville's tax is a direct read on visitor and resident spending at hotels and restaurants in the city.","what_to_watch":"Visit Bentonville posts each month's collections report about four weeks after the month; late filers can revise the newest month.","data_file":"summaries__bentonville-ap-tax_2026-10-20.json","series":["bentonville_ap_lodging_usd","bentonville_ap_food_beverage_usd"],"chart":{"type":"stacked bar","x":"month","stack":["lodging","food & beverage"],"exclude":"delinquent_estimated_usd"},"key_numbers":{"ytd_reported":2738633,"prior_ytd_reported":2637468,"ytd_lodging":1118020,"best_month":["2026-05",479388]},"source":"Visit Bentonville (Bentonville Advertising & Promotion Commission)","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2026-07"},{"id":"hiring-q4","topic":"Jobs","headline":"Employers in Benton and Washington counties hired 41,349 people in 2025 Q4","what_happened":"Private hires were 22,870 in Benton County and 18,479 in Washington County in 2025-Q4; a year earlier, 22,744 and 19,127.","why_it_matters":"Hires count every new start, including replacements, so it shows how much churn and opportunity there is beyond the net job count.","what_to_watch":"Census adds the next quarter to the Quarterly Workforce Indicators about every three months.","data_file":"summaries__qwi-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["benton_hires","washington_hires"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"quarter","compare":"same quarter a year earlier"},"key_numbers":{"benton":22870,"washington":18479,"benton_year_ago":22744,"washington_year_ago":19127},"source":"Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2025-Q4"},{"id":"new-hire-pay","topic":"Pay","headline":"New hires in Benton County earn about 56% of what established workers make","what_happened":"In 2025-Q3, new hires on the job the whole quarter averaged $3,964 a month vs $7,052 for all workers.","why_it_matters":"The gap shows how much of Benton County's high average pay sits with long-tenured corporate jobs rather than open positions.","what_to_watch":"Q1 figures jump every year with annual bonuses; compare the same quarter year to year.","data_file":"summaries__qwi-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["benton_avg_monthly_earnings_new_hires","benton_avg_monthly_earnings"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"quarter","two_bars":true},"key_numbers":{"new_hires":3964,"all_workers":7052},"source":"Census LEHD Quarterly Workforce Indicators","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2025-Q3"},{"id":"storm-damage","topic":"Weather","headline":"2024 storms did $112.1 million in property damage in NWA, more than any year since at least 2010","what_happened":"NOAA's Storm Events database records $112.1 million in reported property damage in the NWA counties in 2024, out of $147.0 million for the ten years 2016-2025.","why_it_matters":"Damage history feeds insurance costs, which are now one of the fastest-rising parts of owning property here.","what_to_watch":"NOAA refreshes the database monthly; full-year 2026 lands in spring 2027.","data_file":"summaries__noaa-storms-nwa_2026-10-20.json","series":["nwa_storm_property_damage_by_year"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"year"},"key_numbers":{"peak_year":"2024","peak_damage":112099000,"ten_year_total":147049000},"source":"NOAA NCEI Storm Events","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2025"},{"id":"home-loans-2025","topic":"Lending","headline":"Home-loan originations rose in both counties in 2025: Benton 12.0%, Washington 9.0%","what_happened":"Lenders made 10,608 loans in Benton County and 6,230 in Washington County in 2025 (2024: 9,475 and 5,718).","why_it_matters":"Loan counts are a cleaner read on home buying and refinancing than dollar totals, which a few very large loans can distort (see the corrections log).","what_to_watch":"2026 HMDA data is released next summer.","data_file":"summaries__federal-hmda_2026-10-20.json","series":["originations_count_05007","originations_count_05143"],"chart":{"type":"bar","x":"year","two_series":true},"key_numbers":{"benton_2025":10608,"washington_2025":6230,"benton_2024":9475,"washington_2024":5718},"source":"CFPB / FFIEC HMDA","status":"ready","review":"numbers computed by build_round7.py from the data file; recheck if the file is newer","as_of":"2025"}]}}