Arkansas real estate and demographic information

Arkansas' Emerging Economy

A small Southern state once known for its perennially competitive Razorback sports teams, Arkansas has been cast into the spotlight in recent years by two larger-than-life natives: former governor and U.S. President Bill Clinton, and discount merchandising genius Sam Walton, founder of Wal-Mart, the largest retailer on the planet.

The Bentonville-based corporation which now claims $8.90 of every $100 spent in retail stores in the United States, Wal-Mart is one of many major corporations that now make Arkansas their home. Thanks partly to Tyson Foods, Arkansas leads the nation in poultry production; other major corporations based in Arkansas include Dillard's (department stores), Alltel (communications) and J.B. Hunt (trucking).

Wal-Mart's prosperity and the University of Arkansas in nearby Fayetteville (with 18,000 students), as well as sprawling lakefront and golf resort communities like Bella Vista, have made the Bentonville-Rogers-Springdale metro area in the northwest corner of the state one of the fastest growing in the country. However, real estate cost and incomes in Arkansas are low by national standards. In 2009 the median home value was $113,900, just over half the U.S. median value, ranking it 49th. Arkansas also ranks near the bottom for median household income and percentage of high school graduates, and has the 7th highest percentage of those living below the poverty level.

Arkansas Natural Resources

True to its nickname, the Natural State benefits from substantial mineral resources. The nation's major producer of bauxite ore, used in aluminum manufacturing, Arkansas also leads the U.S. in bromine and silica salt production. Its Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro is the only diamond mine in the world open to the public, and more than 100,000 diamonds have been found there since 1906. Arkansas' land area is more than 50% forested, with lumber and wood products another significant industry.

Arkansas Tourism and History

Arkansas' varied topography draws visitors for a variety of recreational opportunities, pumping millions of tourist dollars into its economy. A warm, humid climate and fertile farmlands in the south adjoin the temperate Ozark and Ouchita Mountains in the north and west . Visitors also flock to numerous lakes, rivers and thermal springs, known for their reputed healing properties.

The state holds the distinction of being the only one to codify the pronunciation of its name. In 1881 the state legislature, reacting to widespread confusion about how the name should be pronounced, declared the only correct method is "ARKansaw," and that the alternative pronunciation of "ArKANsas" was to be discouraged.