Owners are 50% of Bentonville households and renters pay a median of $1,344. Whether a personal loan fits depends on your own income and debts, not on your ZIP code. Compare written APRs and total cost across three offers, and verify any lender's Arkansas license first.
On this page
- The basics on Bentonville
- Paychecks in Bentonville
- Bentonville households and housing
- Unemployment near Bentonville
- What a typical Bentonville household can carry
- Reading the Bentonville data as a borrower
- Where Bentonville ranks
- How Bentonville stacks up against nearby towns
- Getting to know Bentonville
- One common Bentonville case
- A Bentonville borrower checklist
- Around Bentonville
- Frequently asked questions
The basics on Bentonville
Figures are American Community Survey 2020 to 2024 5-year estimates for the city of Bentonville, Arkansas, with margins of error. They describe the place, not you.
Paychecks in Bentonville
Three sectors dominate the Bentonville workforce in the ACS: retail (29% of workers), professional, scientific and administrative services (17%) and education and health care (14%). Retail stands out: 29% of Bentonville workers, versus 11% for the median place we cover. Think of these shares as context for the local economy rather than a prediction about any one household.
A median hides the edges. The ACS counts 11% of Bentonville households under $35,000 and 56% at $100,000 or higher, with 24% above $200,000. For comparison, the median place in our U.S. city set has 20% under $35,000 and 39% at $100,000 or more. A Gini reading of 0.44 sums up how unevenly income is spread in Bentonville. If you are near the lower end, a smaller amount and a shorter term protect you most.
Bentonville households and housing
On education and age, Bentonville shows 55% of adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher and a median age of 32.5. Next to the median place in our set (37.2 years; 37% with a degree), Bentonville is younger, with schooling above the middle. Age and schooling describe a place. A lender reads your own file.
Of every 100 homes in Bentonville, about 62 are detached houses and 25 sit in larger apartment buildings. For the U.S. city set as a whole, the middle is 61% detached and 22% multifamily.
Unemployment near Bentonville
For September 2026, the BLS county estimate of unemployment in Benton County is 3.0% (not seasonally adjusted, preliminary), down 0.3 points from 3.3% a year earlier. Averaged across 2020 to 2024, the ACS shows 3.1% for Bentonville proper. Rates move monthly. Treat this one as a snapshot rather than a forecast.
What a typical Bentonville household can carry
Before taxes, the median Bentonville household takes in about $9,399 a month. Typical rent of $1,344 is 14% of it, compared with the 30% rule of thumb of $2,820. A widely cited debt-to-income benchmark is 36%, which at the median would be about $3,384 a month for all debts together, rent or mortgage included. Lenders set their own limits. The price-to-income ratio for housing is roughly 3.8. A household with roommates, a second earner or a rent-controlled lease will look different from these medians.
Reading the Bentonville data as a borrower
Renters in Bentonville are less cost-burdened than in most of the 784 U.S. city places we cover, with 28% paying 30 percent or more of income on rent. A comfortable rent-to-income ratio can mean a bigger borrowing cushion, so choose the shortest term you can pay.
Housing costs are manageable for most mortgaged owners in Bentonville (10% are burdened), compared with the 784-place U.S. city group. Owners with that kind of margin have more choices, including whether to use equity at all.
Commutes are comparatively short in Bentonville: only 4% of workers travel 45 minutes or more, in the lower third of the 784 U.S. city places we cover. Lower vehicle wear can leave more room in the budget.
Where Bentonville ranks
Out of 784 U.S. city places in the data, Bentonville lands with a median household income of $112,792 (144th highest of 784), a median gross rent of $1,344 (475th highest of 784), and a median home value of $428,500 (246th highest of 784).
Nearby in size, and also in Arkansas, are North Little Rock ($52,707 income, $1,069 rent), where Bentonville runs 114% above on income and 26% above on rent and Conway ($63,004 income, $1,011 rent), where Bentonville runs 79% above on income and 33% above on rent. Size any payment to your own budget rather than to a neighbor's.
How Bentonville stacks up against nearby towns
A short list of nearby communities, sorted by distance from Bentonville, to show how quickly costs change over a few miles.
| Place | Distance | Residents | Household income (median) | Rent (median) | Rent vs Bentonville |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Centerton | 4 mi | 21,920 | $115,713 | $1,465 | +$121 |
| Rogers | 5 mi | 72,981 | $86,728 | $1,270 | -$74 |
| Little Flock | 6 mi | 3,056 | $60,878 | $955 | -$389 |
| Cave Springs | 6 mi | 6,008 | $146,473 | $2,222 | +$878 |
| Lowell | 8 mi | 10,849 | $95,527 | $1,136 | -$208 |
| Bella Vista | 8 mi | 31,697 | $88,055 | $1,395 | +$51 |
| Pea Ridge | 9 mi | 8,108 | $95,521 | $1,818 | +$474 |
| Gravette | 9 mi | 3,714 | $68,214 | $1,037 | -$307 |
Tally: 2 nearby places out-earn Bentonville at the median and 4 rent for less.Cave Springs has the top median income on the list ($146,473); Little Flock is the cheapest place to rent ($955) and Cave Springs the priciest ($2,222). Lenders look at your own rent or mortgage, not the town average, but the spread shows how much local costs vary.
Getting to know Bentonville
Bentonville is the seat of Benton County in Northwest Arkansas and the headquarters of Walmart. Supplier offices, the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art and rapid growth have pushed housing costs up quickly.
One common Bentonville case
Large financial-sector employers in Bentonville mean many salaried households and bonus calendars. Lenders count regular pay, so plan around the base.
A Bentonville borrower checklist
- Look the lender up with your state's financial regulator, and know that the CFPB takes complaints too.
- Keep every document in one folder: disclosure, agreement, payment confirmations.
- Read your free credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com and fix errors before you shop.
- Run the offer checklist before you sign.
- Compare three written offers by APR, fees and total cost, using the side-by-side calculator.
Around Bentonville
Frequently asked questions
Is a personal loan a good idea in Bentonville if rent is already a big expense?
It can be when the loan lowers your total cost, for example by replacing high-interest cards, and when the new payment fits after rent. In Bentonville, 28% of renters spend 30 percent or more of income on rent, so test every payment against a tight month and avoid long terms that raise total cost.
What is the best way to compare lenders in Bentonville if my income is strong?
Prequalify with soft pulls at three lenders, compare APR and total cost, and choose the shortest term you can afford.
Will my Bentonville address affect my match?
No. The check looks at what you borrow, your credit range, your income from any source and your monthly payments, and treats every applicant the same. A lender's own decision is separate, and fair-lending laws bind lenders.
Where do I file a complaint about a lender in Bentonville?
Your state attorney general and financial regulator take complaints, as does the CFPB online. For advance-fee scams, use ReportFraud.ftc.gov.