Benton County, Arkansas

Benton is a county in Arkansas, United States, anchoring the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area in the state’s far northwest corner. It had a population of 284,333 at the 2020 census and covers 884.36 square miles (2,290.49 km2) centred near 36°20′N 94°15′W.

Bentonville is the county seat; its postal code is 72712. The county has 16 incorporated cities, 5 incorporated towns and several census-designated places and unincorporated communities. Benton County sits in the Central time zone (UTC−6, UTC−5 during daylight saving) and carries FIPS code 05007.

Towns & Villages in Benton County

Benton County has 21 incorporated municipalities — 16 cities and 5 towns — plus a handful of census-designated places (CDPs) and dozens of smaller unincorporated communities and lake subdivisions, many clustered around Beaver Lake and the Illinois River. The table below lists every place with a verifiable name; population and ZIP figures are shown only where a 2020 Census or postal source confirms them.

Springdale and Elm Springs both straddle the Benton–Washington county line; the bulk of each city’s population and its municipal core sit in Washington County, so their county-total populations are not attributed to Benton County here. Two dropped names from the old scrape: “Accident” matched no known Benton County place and does not appear in any Arkansas gazetteer; “Rocky Comfort” is a real community, but it sits across the state line in McDonald County, Missouri, not Benton County, Arkansas, and was dropped as likely cross-county contamination.

ZIP Codes

• 72712 — Bentonville (also serves 72713, 72716)
• 72756 — Rogers (also serves 72757, 72758)
• 72714 — Bella Vista (also serves 72715)
• 72719 — Centerton
• 72761 — Siloam Springs
• 72745 — Lowell
• 72751 — Pea Ridge
• 72718 — Cave Springs
• 72734 — Gentry
• 72736 — Gravette
• 72722 — Decatur
• 72768 — Sulphur Springs
• 72732 — Garfield
• 72711 — Avoca (PO Box only)
• 72733 — Gateway (PO Box only)
• 72739 — Hiwasse
• 72747 — Maysville

Little Flock, Bethel Heights, Elm Springs and most of the county’s unincorporated communities and lake subdivisions use a neighboring town’s ZIP code rather than one of their own.

Geography

Benton County sits on the Springfield Plateau of the Ozark Mountains in Arkansas’s northwest corner. Beaver Lake, a 28,000-acre Army Corps reservoir on the White River, covers much of the county’s eastern side; the Illinois River drains the western part of the county toward Oklahoma. Terrain is rolling to hilly, with elevations from roughly 1,100 to 1,600 feet.

The county borders Barry County and McDonald County, Missouri to the north; Delaware County and Adair County, Oklahoma to the west; and Carroll County, Madison County and Washington County, Arkansas to the east and south.

Demographics

Benton County had 284,333 residents at the 2020 census, up sharply from the 2010 count, making it the second-most populous county in Arkansas. Rogers and Bentonville are the two largest communities. Benton County’s median household income is the highest of any Arkansas county, well above the Arkansas median of $58,700, driven by concentrated corporate and professional employment in the Bentonville–Rogers corridor. Population density is roughly 335 people per square mile of land area.

Economy & Local Life

Walmart’s home office and Sam’s Club headquarters are both in Bentonville, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services is headquartered in Lowell — together anchoring one of the country’s densest concentrations of retail, logistics and consumer-goods supplier offices. Tourism, poultry processing and construction round out the local economy. Bentonville is also home to Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, and the county has become a nationally known mountain-biking destination with hundreds of miles of purpose-built trails.

History

Benton County was organized on September 30, 1836, as the 35th county formed in Arkansas, and was named for Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. senator from Missouri who championed Arkansas statehood. The Battle of Pea Ridge, fought here in March 1862, was one of the largest Civil War engagements west of the Mississippi River and is preserved today as Pea Ridge National Military Park. Through the 20th century the county remained largely agricultural before the growth of Walmart, founded in Bentonville in 1962, and its supplier network transformed it into a fast-growing corporate and suburban hub.

Getting There

Interstate 49 runs north–south through the county, and US routes 62, 71 and 412 cross it east–west and north–south. Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA), near Highfill, offers commercial service; Rogers Municipal Airport handles general aviation.

• Fayetteville, Arkansas — about 20 miles south
• Fort Smith, Arkansas — about 55 miles south
• Springfield, Missouri — about 100 miles northeast
• Tulsa, Oklahoma — about 110 miles west

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Benton County, Arkansas?
It is in the far northwest corner of Arkansas, bordering Missouri and Oklahoma, and anchors the Northwest Arkansas metro area.

What is the population of Benton County?
284,333 at the 2020 census, the second-highest of any Arkansas county.

How big is Benton County?
884.36 square miles (2,290.49 km2), most of it land.

What is the county seat of Benton County?
Bentonville, also the home of Walmart’s corporate headquarters.

How many towns and cities are in Benton County?
21 incorporated municipalities — 16 cities and 5 towns — plus several unincorporated communities and CDPs.

What ZIP codes are in Benton County?
Bentonville’s primary ZIP is 72712 and Rogers’ is 72756; the county has roughly 20 ZIP codes in total, listed above.

Is Walmart headquartered in Benton County?
Yes — Walmart’s home office and Sam’s Club’s headquarters are both in Bentonville.

More counties in this state: Towns and villages in Arkansas.