Benton County, Arkansas

Benton County
Benton County Courthouse
Downtown Bentonville
Beaver Lake
Downtown Rogers
Clockwise from top: Benton County Courthouse in Bentonville, Beaver Lake, downtown Rogers, Mildred B. Cooper Memorial Chapel in Bella Vista, and downtown Bentonville
Flag of Benton County
Official seal of Benton County
Map of Arkansas highlighting Benton County
Location within the U.S. state of Arkansas
Map of the United States highlighting Arkansas
Arkansas's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°21′08″N 94°14′03″W / 36.352222222222°N 94.234166666667°W / 36.352222222222; -94.234166666667
Country United States
State Arkansas
FoundedSeptember 30, 1836
Named forThomas Hart Benton
SeatBentonville
Largest cityRogers
Area
 • Total
884 sq mi (2,290 km2)
 • Land847 sq mi (2,190 km2)
 • Water37 sq mi (100 km2)  4.1%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total
284,333
 • Estimate 
(2022)
302,863 Increase
 • Density320/sq mi (120/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Congressional district3rd
Websitewww.bentoncountyar.gov

Benton County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Arkansas. Created as Arkansas' 35th county on September 30, 1836, Benton County contains thirteen incorporated municipalities, including Bentonville, the county seat, and Rogers, the most populous city. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton, a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas statehood.

The county is located within the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks. Much of eastern Benton County is located along Beaver Lake, a reservoir of the White River. The county contains three protected areas: Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge, Pea Ridge National Military Park, and Devil's Eyebrow Natural Area, as well as parts of the Ozark National Forest, Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area, and two state wildlife management areas.

Benton County occupies 884.86 square miles (229,180 ha) and contained a population of 284,333 people in 100,749 households as of the 2020 Census,[1] ranking it tenth in size and second in population among the state's 75 counties. The county's economy is heavily influenced by the presence of Walmart, headquartered in Bentonville, and hundreds of associated businesses, with agriculture, tourism, and construction also important sectors. Benton County's median household income is the highest in Arkansas and slightly above the national median.[2][3]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference 2020 Census was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ "U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts: Benton County, Arkansas". www.census.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2023.
  3. ^ "Income and Poverty in the United States: 2020". Census.gov. Retrieved March 13, 2023.