Top Rankings Continue to Roll In

Forbes, BusinessWeek, RelocateAmerica Love Springdale

Springdale's Award-Winning Arvest Ballpark

There's more good news for Springdale and Northwest Arkansas in the 20th annual Forbes ranking of the Best Places for Business and Careers. Our region was named the 15th best among Large Metros in the United States in the ranking released April 14th. Springdale's metro has been ranked in the top 20 Large Metros by Forbes in each of the last six years and in the Top 10 in four of the last six years. In 2004, the region was the fourth best Small Metro in the U.S.

Springdale has also been named as one of the 100 Top Places to Live in 2010 by RelocateAmerica and one of only four Arkansas cities to make the list. For the second straight year, Springdale is ranked as Arkansas' Best Place to Raise Kids by BusinessWeek.

In Forbes' latest list, Springdale's metro of 465,000 residents ranks 15th in the country (of the 200 largest U.S. metros) in Job Growth, 22nd for Cost of Doing Business, 30th in Cost of Living, 35th in Projected Job Growth, 37th in low Crime Rate and 57th in Estimated Economic Growth.

Des Moines, IA, Provo, UT, Raleigh, NC, Fort Collins, CO, and Lincoln, NE comprise the top five metros for Business and Careers in 2010. Springfield, MO was ranked 42nd while Little Rock (49), Tulsa (72), Ft. Smith (85) and Memphis (123) were also included in the ranking.

In RelocateAmerica's 100 Top Places to Live in 2010, Springdale was highlighted for being a community poised for recovery and future growth. Springdale earned high marks for strong local leadership, employment opportunities, improving real estate markets and outstanding amenities for its residents.

"Blessed with an abundance of wildlife, majestic mountains, rivers and streams, this area enjoys four distinct but gentle seasons of the year," explains the website. "Low unemployment, low crime, excellent schools, cultural attractions, hunting, fishing, hiking, camping, fairs, festivals, and sporting events are only a few of the attractions of the area."

Springdale's "old fashioned sense of family" is noted along with its nationally ranked Rodeo of the Ozarks held each July and its Arvest Ballpark, home of the Texas League Northwest Arkansas Naturals baseball team.

Located in one of the fastest growing areas of the United States, Springdale's metro is home to the world headquarters of Tyson Foods, Wal-Mart, JB Hunt Transport, the University of Arkansas and a host of diverse employers.

With affordable housing ranging in cost from the 50's to the million dollar range, housing in Springdale ranges from 3-10 percent less than many other cities in the region. A new multi-million dollar expansion to the emergency room at Northwest Medical Center helps cement Springdale as Arkansas' best place to raise families, as ranked by BusinessWeek each of the last two years. Other Arkansas cities on the list include Little Rock, Hot Springs Village and Bella Vista.

To see the two lists, click on one of the links below: