Census Results for Northwest Arkansas

The results are in and it’s good news for Northwest Arkansas.

Fayetteville now has 73,580 people, a growth of 26.8% since the 2000 Census.

Springdale grew to 69,797 residents, an increase of 52.4%.

Bentonville’s growth of 78.9% topped all the cities in Arkansas. Its population is now 35,301.

Rogers experienced a 44.1% increase to bring its population to 55,964.

Little Bella Vista isn’t so little any more. It now boasts 26,461 people, an increase of 59.6%.

These are huge increases in a short ten-year span. To put them in perspective, total population in all of Arkansas increased by 9.1%. Little Rock, the state capitol located in Pulaski County, increased 5.7 percent, from 183,133 in 2000 to 193,524 in 2010.

Pulaski County itself grew 5.9%.

Benton County, which includes Bentonville and Rogers, is now home to 221,339 people. That’s a 44.3% increase.

Washington County, which includes Fayetteville and Springdale, now has 203,065 people, a growth rate of 28.8%.

It would appear Benton and Washington Counties are the driving force for growth in Arkansas.

As required by law, legislative districts must be redrawn after each ten-year census. The state must ensure that population in each of the districts is equal within 1% variation.

The result is that the geographical area of Congressional District #3 will shrink. It now includes Benton, Boone, Carroll, Crawford, Franklin, Johnson, Madison, Marion, Newton, Pope, Sebastian, and Washington Counties.

Arkansas has usually kept counties intact when drawing districts. Looks like that practice will have to be replaced with some counties being split for the first time.

So, change happens. All in all, the growth is good news for NW Arkansas. As our population grows, so does our influence and clout.

Let’s face it. No one wants to move to a declining area.

For more information: Census Bureau Website

2010 Census Coming Soon to Your Mailbox

National Census Day is April 1, 2010. Use that date as your reference point for completing the census forms which will be arriving in mailboxes all over the country in March.

The Census Bureau says this census will be one of the shortest in history - just ten simple questions. Most Americans grew up knowing the national census takes places every ten years. But for newcomers, the census can cause questions, uncertainty, and apprehension.

There is nothing to fear about the census. There are no questions regarding whether you are living in this country legally or illegally, Social Security numbers are not collected, and your privacy is secure.

The data are grouped together and used in a variety of important ways (for example):

--Congressional districts will be redrawn and reapportioned.

--$400 billion is distributed annually to state and local governments for infrastructure and community services (think bridges, hospitals, senior citizen centers, and job training, for example).

--Pools of skilled workers can be located.

Completing the census is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and it makes good sense for the welfare of our community.

All you have to do is take about ten minutes to complete ten questions and mail it back in its postage-paid envelope. If you don’t do that promptly, a census worker will have to drive to your home, knock on your door and ask the questions - and that costs considerably more than the postage-paid envelope. So give yourself a break and save the government some money at the same time.

For more information:
http://2010.census.gov/2010census/why/community-benefits.php

To see the actual questions:

http://2010.census.gov/2010census/how/interactive-form.php

And to get a part time job as a census taker:

http://ar.thebeehive.org/jobs/job-articles/2010-census-jobs