Cities · Core city · Benton County
Bella Vista
16,582 residents in 2000, 26,461 in 2010, 30,104 in 2020 — +13.8% over the last census decade, across 47 square miles.
Sales-tax growth rank: #11 of 31 NWA cities (#1 of 6 Core cities), +9.4% over the twelve months to 2026-08 vs the twelve before. See the full ranking.
Momentum: 12-month sales-tax growth +9.4%, +13.1% a year ago (slowing). Five-year pace +10.0% a year; population +2.7% a year. Growth Lab.
Follow Bella Vista: city feed (new sales-tax and permit months, large permits, hearings; works in any feed reader or feed-to-email service).
479 Growth Pressure Score: 63 of 100 (High), #6 of 30 cities. What goes into it. Compare Bella Vista with another city.
Unemployment: 3.5% in Aug 2026, labor force 15,577 (BLS, residents of Bella Vista).
Home values (FHFA index), 2020–2025: ZIP 72715 +70.5% (last year +5.1%). Every ZIP.
Businesses with employees (Census), ZIP 72714 and 72715: 374 locations in 2023, +12.3% since 2018, including 21 restaurants and bars and 0 doctors' offices and outpatient clinics. Tenant explorer.
Who lives in Bella Vista
Census ACS 2020-2024 · 5-year estimates
| Bella Vista | Benton County | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,697± 34 | 303,632 | 3,049,391 |
| Median household income | $88,055± $5,771 | $93,506± $2,205 | $60,773± $467 |
| Median home value (owner estimate) | $296,700± $12,093 | $323,500± $6,193 | $188,000± $1,754 |
| Median rent | $1,395± $239wide | $1,277± $31 | $947± $6 |
| Median age | 51.3± 2.8 | 35.9± 0.1 | 38.5± 0.2 |
| Renters | 12.0% | 33.0% | 33.6% |
| Homes vacant | 7.4% | 8.8% | 13.5% |
| In buildings of 5+ units | 1.2% | 11.8% | 10.5% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's or more | 41.8% | 37.8% | 25.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 3.6% | 7.6% | 16.0% |
| Median year built | 1996 | 2001 | 1987 |
U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020-2024 5-year estimates. "±" is the margin of error at 90% confidence: the true value is likely within that range. "Wide" marks an estimate whose margin is more than 15% of the value; compare those with care. Percentages are computed from ACS counts. Home value is what owners estimate, not a sale price; see home values for price trends.
Jobs
BLS · residents of Bella Vista
What's selling
local sales tax by business type
| Business type | Local tax, 12 months | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | $5.1M | 48.9% | +11.3% |
| Services | $1.1M | 11.0% | +9.6% |
| Rental & leasing | $671,500 | 6.5% | +24.5% |
| Restaurants & hotels | $524,616 | 5.1% | +1.6% |
| Information & telecom | $514,054 | 5.0% | +2.1% |
| Manufacturing | $439,345 | 4.3% | +11.1% |
| Wholesale | $411,732 | 4.0% | +13.6% |
| Utilities | $398,672 | 3.9% | +19.2% |
| Construction | $175,269 | 1.7% | −33.4% |
| Everything else | $1.0M | 9.8% | +2.3% |
DFA report months Aug 2025–Jul 2026, the same months as the sales-tax chart above. DFA prints each business's NAICS code with its local tax; the 479 groups the lines into ten categories. Categories add back to DFA's printed TOTAL within $1. Single lines can be negative (refunds and audit adjustments).
Permits pulled
city permit records
Bella Vista doesn't publish a permit list we can read yet, so its commercial permits aren't here. Residential permits above come from the Census survey. City permit records are live for Fayetteville and Bentonville.
On the agenda
1 project cards
- STR 200' separation zoning ordinance amendmenthearing 2026-09-03 strzoning amendmentbella vista
Hearings
public meetings
| 2026-10-12 | Planning Commission | 3 items | agenda |
| 2026-09-28 | Planning Commission | 3 items | agenda · work session |
| 2026-09-14 | Planning Commission | 1 items | agenda |
| 2026-09-03 | Planning Commission | 1 items | agenda · work session |
| 2026-08-10 | Planning Commission | 1 items | agenda |
Full calendar on Hearings. Outcomes are not recorded until verified.
Corridors
- I-49 corridor139 permits in 90 days · 3,534 commercial addresses · 29 programmed road jobs
Programmed road work
ARDOT TIP
- W. McNelly Rd. – Missouri State Line (Bella Vista) (S)1" Level Up & UTBWC · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2027 · $5.1M est.
- Hwy. 279 – Hwy. 94 (Bella Vista) (S)2" Overlay · 2" Mill & 2" Overlay · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2026 · $3.0M est.
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Also in Benton County: Rogers · Bentonville · Centerton · Siloam Springs · Lowell · Pea Ridge · Cave Springs · Gentry · Gravette · Little Flock · Decatur · Highfill · Garfield · Avoca · Sulphur Springs · Springtown
Core cities: Fayetteville · Springdale · Rogers · Bentonville · Siloam Springs · all 32 cities