Cities · Core city · Washington County
Fayetteville
58,047 residents in 2000, 73,580 in 2010, 93,949 in 2020 — +27.7% over the last census decade, across 56.1 square miles.
Sales-tax growth rank: #20 of 31 NWA cities (#4 of 6 Core cities), +2.2% over the twelve months to 2026-08 vs the twelve before. See the full ranking.
Momentum: 12-month sales-tax growth +2.2%, +5.0% a year ago (slowing). Five-year pace +5.2% a year; population +2.4% a year. Growth Lab.
Follow Fayetteville: 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: 55 of 100 (High), #11 of 30 cities. What goes into it. Compare Fayetteville with another city.
Unemployment: 3.1% in Aug 2026, labor force 58,983 (BLS, residents of Fayetteville).
Recorded sales: 1,669 deeds with a price in the last 12 months (110 commercial), median home $377,250 (+2.2% vs the 12 before). County Assessor records. Every recorded sale.
Home values (FHFA index), 2020–2025: ZIP 72701 +60.6% (last year +1.3%); ZIP 72703 +65.0% (last year +0.5%); ZIP 72704 +71.3% (last year +2.4%). Every ZIP.
Businesses with employees (Census), ZIP 72701 and 72703 and 72704: 3,380 locations in 2023, +11.0% since 2018, including 346 restaurants and bars and 138 doctors' offices and outpatient clinics. Tenant explorer.
Who lives in Fayetteville
Census ACS 2020-2024 · 5-year estimates
| Fayetteville | Washington County | Arkansas | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 99,319± 53 | 256,765 | 3,049,391 |
| Median household income | $62,695± $4,256 | $70,639± $2,107 | $60,773± $467 |
| Median home value (owner estimate) | $349,600± $8,380 | $298,400± $6,386 | $188,000± $1,754 |
| Median rent | $1,065± $31 | $1,071± $23 | $947± $6 |
| Median age | 28.8± 0.8 | 32.5± 0.2 | 38.5± 0.2 |
| Renters | 58.2% | 44.4% | 33.6% |
| Homes vacant | 9.4% | 7.8% | 13.5% |
| In buildings of 5+ units | 34.9% | 20.6% | 10.5% |
| Adults 25+ with a bachelor's or more | 49.0% | 35.2% | 25.7% |
| Below the poverty line | 20.6% | 14.6% | 16.0% |
| Median year built | 1997 | 1995 | 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. 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 Fayetteville
What's selling
local sales tax by business type
| Business type | Local tax, 12 months | Share | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Retail stores | $37.7M | 53.6% | +2.9% |
| Restaurants & hotels | $10.3M | 14.6% | +3.6% |
| Wholesale | $5.2M | 7.4% | +6.7% |
| Services | $4.3M | 6.1% | +4.8% |
| Utilities | $3.4M | 4.8% | +4.9% |
| Manufacturing | $3.0M | 4.3% | −4.3% |
| Rental & leasing | $2.5M | 3.6% | +10.2% |
| Information & telecom | $2.1M | 2.9% | +6.2% |
| Construction | $157,224 | 0.2% | −72.3% |
| Everything else | $1.6M | 2.3% | −2.9% |
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 of Fayetteville permit map service (ArcGIS)
| Month | All permits | Building permits | Building valuation | Largest single permit | Mix |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026-10 · in progress | 347 | 105 | $22.0M | $3.4M | residential 185 · other 147 · retail 11 · multifamily 2 |
| 2026-09 | 537 | 104 | $39.7M | $12.5M | residential 325 · other 180 · retail 20 · civic 6 |
| 2026-08 | 614 | 124 | $51.3M | $25.2M | residential 348 · other 242 · retail 22 · multifamily 2 |
| 2026-07 | 751 | 127 | $44.7M | $16.2M | residential 490 · other 227 · retail 19 · multifamily 7 |
| 2026-06 | 644 | 159 | $77.8M | $41.1M | residential 346 · other 278 · retail 14 · civic 3 |
| 2026-05 | 585 | 114 | $53.9M | $14.2M | residential 341 · other 217 · retail 20 · multifamily 3 |
| 2026-04 | 762 | 139 | $37.9M | $8.5M | residential 492 · other 245 · retail 23 · multifamily 1 |
| 2026-03 | 1052 | 238 | $264.1M | $115.4M | residential 803 · other 227 · retail 12 · multifamily 8 |
| 2026-02 | 775 | 191 | $53.9M | $4.2M | residential 508 · other 247 · retail 16 · multifamily 2 |
| 2026-01 | 504 | 133 | $80.6M | $6.9M | residential 303 · other 163 · retail 21 · multifamily 14 |
| 2025-12 | 646 | 168 | $33.0M | $4.7M | residential 375 · other 242 · retail 15 · multifamily 8 |
| 2025-11 | 429 | 87 | $19.5M | $3.7M | residential 255 · other 159 · retail 10 · multifamily 3 |
All permits includes trade (electrical, plumbing, mechanical), right-of-way and grading permits; compare cities on building permits. Valuations as printed on the permit, not appraisals. See every permit on the map, or look up one address.
On the agenda
17 project cards
- 3.92 ac on W Van Asche Dr rezone R-A to Community Serviceshearing 2026-10-13 rezoningfayetteville
- 24.34 ac rezone to Community Services at Joyce & Old Missourihearing 2026-10-13 rezoningfayettevillecommercial
- City to buy ~42 ac at 4995 W Wedington Dr for $7.6M (bond project)hearing 2026-10-13 land-salepublic-acquisitionfayetteville
- City park with three turf fields at 2600 W Judge Cummings Rdhearing 2026-10-12 publicparksfayetteville
- 23,700 sq ft medical clinic SW of I-49 & Stephen Carr Memorial Blvdhearing 2026-10-12 medical-officefayetteville
- Rezone ~4.80 ac on West 22nd Street (RSF-4 to RI-12)hearing 2026-10-06 rezoningmultifamilyfayetteville
+11 more on Projects.
Hearings
public meetings
| 2026-10-20 | City Council | 12 items | agenda |
| 2026-10-13 | City Council | 13 items | agenda · work session |
| 2026-10-12 | Planning Commission | 13 items | agenda |
| 2026-10-06 | City Council | 10 items | agenda |
| 2026-09-28 | Planning Commission | 10 items | agenda |
| 2026-09-15 | City Council | 15 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
- Hwy 11239 permits in 90 days · 1,126 commercial addresses · 19 programmed road jobs
- Joyce Blvd & College Ave87 permits in 90 days · 1 programmed road jobs
Programmed road work
ARDOT TIP
- Truckers Dr. – Howard Nickell Rd. (Fayetteville) (S)Major Widening · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2025 · $36.7M est.
- Stone Bridge Rd. – East Roberts Rd. (Fayetteville) (S)Major Widening · NARTS TIP 2027–2030 · FY2027 · $9.5M est.
- Poplar St. – Drake St. (Fayetteville) (S)Major Widening · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2025 · $7.8M est.
- W. of I-49 – S. School Ave. (Fayetteville) (S)2" Mill & 2" Overlay · Level Up & 2" Overlay; 2' Shoulders · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2027 · $2.9M est.
- N. College Ave. – Hwy. 265 (Fayetteville) (S)Level Up & UTBWC · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2027 · $2.5M est.
- Hwy. 112 – I-49 (Fayetteville) (S)2" Mill & 2" Overlay · NARTS TIP 2025–2028 · FY2027 · $1.6M est.
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Also in Washington County: Farmington · Prairie Grove · Tontitown · Johnson · Elkins · West Fork · Lincoln · Goshen · Greenland · Winslow
Core cities: Springdale · Rogers · Bentonville · Siloam Springs · Bella Vista · all 32 cities