Economy
Supported by a strong regional economy and a rapidly growing workforce, Northwest Arkansas has been one of the fastest growing metropolitan areas in the country over the past 25 years.
There is a large concentration of Northwest Arkansas-based corporate headquarters, with Walmart in the lead ($496 billion), Tyson ($38 billion), JB Hunt ($7 billion), Simmons Foods ($1.5 billion), America's Car Mart ($587 million), and PAM Transport ($432 million).
Northwest Arkansas is in a unique position, employing nearly seven times the number of people in corporate headquarters and subsidiary offices when compared to the US average.
Led by the University of Arkansas, John Brown University, and Northwest Arkansas Community College, Northwest Arkansas is a center of higher education. Over 37,000 college students attend universities and colleges in Northwest Arkansas, giving companies a talent-rich pipeline of potential employees.
Much of Northwest Arkansas' growth is centered around Retail Consumer Packaged Goods, Food, Logistics, and Education.
The fastest growing occupations are currently in Health Care, Information Technology, and Corporate Services.