The beautiful and historical city of Fayetteville is the center of everything that happens in Northwest Arkansas. Surrounded by the Ozark Mountains, natural beauty is something you come to expect when you’re here. Fayetteville offers the small-town feel that Arkansas is known for, while always having something exciting going on.

Fayetteville continues to be recognized by national business magazines and quality of life publications for its extremely healthy economy. Northwest Arkansas is bustling, with three of Arkansas’ top five employers—Wal-Mart, Tyson Foods and J.B. Hunt—headquartered less than a half-hour drive from Fayetteville. The result of this economic picture is business success and top-notch living conditions for the town’s current estimated population of 73,580.

People get an education, start a career, enjoy the outdoors or just have a great vacation here. Now you can, too. Keep reading or click on the links above for additional information.

Climate

On average, Fayetteville enjoys 218 days of sunshine per year.
Average Hi/Lo Temps:
Winter 23 / 50
Spring 37 / 76
Summer 63 / 89
Fall 37 / 81
Average Annual Precipitation:
Rainfall …………44 inches
Snowfall…………10 inches
Elevation: 1400 feet

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Location & Taxes

Fayetteville is located in Northwest Arkansas, only 25 miles from Missouri and 20 miles from Oklahoma.

Personal property and real estate taxes are about 1%. Sales tax is 9.25%

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Population

Fayetteville: 73,580
Washington County: 203,065
Northwest Arkansas MSA: 464,623 (Fayetteville, Springdale, Rogers & Bentonville)
Arkansas: 2,889,450

Note: statistics based on 2010 census data

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Cost of Living

Based on a national average of 100, Fayetteville enjoys a 92.1, which is calculated using cost-of-living indexes from the American Chamber of Commerce Research Association, or ACCRA, an economic research firm (2010).

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Green Facts

A regional leader in sustainability efforts, the city of Fayetteville is known for making the environment a priority.

• The Office of Sustainability, a rarity among small cities in the United States, was created in 2007 to partner with city divisions to promote and incorporate ecological practices into city projects and planning. A Sustainability Plan for Fayetteville is in the process of being developed for future use.
• Fayetteville is a member of the Green Valley Network, a non-profit coalition that fosters collaboration and commercialization of sustainability technology.
• Fayetteville boasts a constantly expanding trail system that currently covers 16 miles throughout the city. Another 129 miles for future tails have been identified to continue connecting Fayetteville neighborhoods and parks. Click here to get a map of our trails.
• The Natural Resources Defense Council recently (July 6, 2009) released a study ranking Fayetteville 6th out of 650 small cities in the U.S. for sustainable development.

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Relocation Information

Click here to learn more about making Fayetteville your home.

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Fayetteville History

To truly experience the city, start at its beginning. The Osage Indians were the first inhabitants of Fayetteville, which became Cherokee Territory through the Treaty of 1817. In 1827, Fayetteville was known as Lovely County, named for Mayor William L. Lovely. The following year, Washington Country was created by the Arkansas territorial legislature when a treaty with the Cherokees removed them beyond the present Oklahoma state line. As a part of the Indian removal, Cherokees passed through Fayetteville on the Trail of Tears.

The county seat was located in the geographic center of Washington County, which was then much larger. First called Washington Courthouse, the name was changed to Fayetteville within six months because of confusion with Old Washington in south Arkansas. Fayetteville got its name from Fayetteville, Tenn., the original home of two commissioners who helped located the county seat.

Many historic buildings are still standing in the older part of the city. Click here to find a listing of the places you can visit. And, for a map of all our walking tours, click here.

To find more information about the history of Fayetteville, visit fayettevillehistory.com.

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Recent Accolades

#4 Best Places for Business and Careers - 2009 by Forbes
#7 Best Places to Live, Work and play - 2008 by Kiplinger
#9 Healthiest Housing Markets - 2009 by Builder Magazine
#7 Top College Sports Towns- 2010 by Forbes
"Best Small Cities for Startups” and “Best City in Arkansas” - 2009 by Business Week

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