Top 5 Major Cities In Arkansas

• Little Rock is the capital and top major city of Arkansas. It is 81st most populous city in USA with a population of just over 200,000
• Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Springdale and Jonesboro are four other major cities in Arkansas

Top 5 Major Cities In Arkansas: On June 15, 1836 Arkansas became the 25th state in USA after being part of the French Louisiana territory. The state is 29th largest in USA by area and 33rd largest by population. Arkansas is home to 3.1 million residents and constitutes an area of 137,732 sq km.

Arkansas is known for its agriculture driven economy. The state is the largest producer of rice, broilers and turkeys. In cotton production it is among top three states in USA. The lumber industry in Arkansas is 4th largest in USA. On 470,000 acres cotton production is done in Arkansas primarily across immensely fertile Mississippi River Delta. The state is home to headquarters of Walmart in Bentonville. Walmart is one of the five Fortune 500 companies from the state of Arkansas. The other four companies are Tyson Foods, Murphy USA, Dillard’s and JB Hunt Transport Services.

Arkansas has got two nicknames The Diamond State and The Natural State. The former name is because of ⁠Crater of Diamonds State Park in Murfreesboro. It is the only place in the world where one can search for natural diamonds from their original volcanic source. Since 1906 approx 75,000 diamonds have been found here including 40.23-carat Uncle Sam diamond (the largest diamond found in USA). The Natural State name is due to Buffalo National River, a 246 km river that flows through the state.

Little Rock – The Most Populous City Of Arkansas

The first major city in the list is Little Rock. It is the capital of Arkansas and has a population of just over 200,000. Little Rock is located on the south bank of the Arkansas river. Dillard’s is one of the Fortune 500 companies headquartered in the city. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences founded in 1879 is the largest employer in the city with over 10,500 employees.

Little Rock is home to William J. Clinton Presidential Center. It also includes the Clinton Presidential Library which was constructed at a cost of $165 million – the most expensive in USA. It is 13th presidential library in USA. Apart from this some other cultural centres like Museum of Discovery, Arkansas Museum of Fine Arts can also be found here.

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Fayetteville – Home To The University of Arkansas

With a population of just over 100,000 Fayetteville is the second most populous city in Arkansas. The city is situated on the outskirts of Boston mountains. The University of Arkansas is located here. In 1871 this university was founded as Arkansas Industrial University. It is spread across 512 acres and constitutes 378 buildings. The University of Arkansas is the oldest publicly funded institution in the state. This university is also the largest employer in Arkansas.

Walton Arts Center is the city’s largest art presenter made primarily by funding of Walton Family Foundation and other institutions. Walton Family owns the Walmart and it headquarters at Bentonville is not far away from Fayetteville. Same named city Fayetteville is in North Carolina as well. So one has to be careful while referring Fayetteville.

Fort Smith

The third city in the list is Fort Smith. Home to approx 90,000 residents Fort Smith is known for old West heritage and various art scenes. The city is located on the confluence of two rivers – Arkansas and Poteau (Belle Point). It was established as a frontier military post in 1817 and was a major fur trading hub. The area in which Fort Smith is situated is known as Tornado Alley because the city has been struck by three major tornadoes in 1898, 1927 and 1996.

Springdale – Known For Tyson Foods Headquarters

Tyson Foods – the world’s largest meat producer is headquartered in Springdale. Tyson Foods is also the largest employer in the city. Springdale got its name in 1878, before that the city used to be known as Shiloh.

Poultry farming is the top job market here. Several poultry farms owned by Tyson Foods and Cargill are visible throughout the city. One of the world’s top aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney operates MRO (Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul) facility in Springdale. The company further announced $4.7 million investment to expand its footprint in the city.

Jonesboro – Home to Arkansas State University

The 5th and last city in the list is Jonesboro. With a population of slightly less than 85,000 it is the 5th most populous city in Arkansas. Jonesboro is home to the Arkansas State University that is spread across 1,376 acres. It is one of the premier universities in the state. Jonesboro is also known as the cultural and economic center of northeast Arkansas. The Jonesboro Municipal Airport here won Airport of the year award in 2024 by Arkansas division of Aeronautics.

So these were the 5 major cities in Arkansas. If you find this article informative then please share. THANK YOU!