Springdale, Arkansas

Springdale is a city in Washington and Benton counties in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The population was 84,161 at the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Arkansas. It is part of the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area, which had 546,725 residents in 2020.

Located on the Springfield Plateau deep in the Ozark Mountains, Springdale has long been an important industrial city for the region. It is home to the world headquarters of Tyson Foods, the world's largest meat-producing company, and several trucking companies.

Springdale has grown quickly in recent years, with its population increasing by 133% between the 1990 and 2010 censuses. During this time, the city saw the opening of a Springdale campus of Northwest Arkansas Community College and the Northwest Arkansas Naturals minor league baseball team moving into Arvest Ballpark. Tyson Foods remains the city's top employer and is visible throughout the city. In 2013, Governor Mike Beebe officially recognized Springdale as "The Poultry Capital of the World."

History

Springdale used to be called Shiloh, and it was officially mapped out in 1866 under that name. The town became Springdale in 1878.

In 2020, the nearby city of Bethel Heights joined Springdale after some problems with their city sanitation plant. The merger happened on August 21, 2020.

On March 30, 2022, a strong tornado hit the town, damaging buildings and hurting seven people.

Geography

Springdale is located in the U.S. state of Arkansas. The city covers an area of 49.7 square miles, with most of it being land and a small part being water. Springdale is bordered by several other cities, including Cave Springs, Lowell, Elm Springs, Tontitown, Johnson, and Fayetteville.

The city sits along major highways such as Interstate 49, US Highway 62, and US Highway 71. This area is part of the Springfield Plateau, a region in the Ozarks made up of sandstone and shale, with limestone visible today. Springdale has a humid subtropical climate, meaning it has hot, humid summers and mild to cool winters, much like nearby Fayetteville. The hottest month is July, and the coldest is January.

Demographics

Springdale had a population of 84,161 in the 2020 census. The average age was 31.2 years, with many families and children living in the city. Most people lived in urban areas, and there were many homes with married couples and families.

In 2010, the population was 69,797. Many people in Springdale were from different backgrounds, including Hispanic and Asian communities. The city also has a large community of people from the Marshall Islands, who came to work in jobs and spread the word to others.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1880	249	—
1890	1,146	360.2%
1900	1,251	9.2%
1910	1,755	40.3%
1920	2,263	28.9%
1930	2,763	22.1%
1940	3,319	20.1%
1950	5,835	75.8%
1960	10,076	72.7%
1970	16,783	66.6%
1980	23,458	39.8%
1990	29,941	27.6%
2000	45,798	53.0%
2010	69,797	52.4%
2020	84,161	20.6%
2025 (est.)	90,685	7.8%
Encyclopedia of Arkansas History and Culture

Springdale, Arkansas – Racial and ethnic composition
*Note: the US census treats Hispanic/Latino as an ethnic category. This table excludes Latinos from the racial categories and assigns them to a separate category. Hispanics/Latinos may be of any race.*
Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic)	Pop 2000	Pop 2010	Pop 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	33,926	36,798	34,543	74.08%	52.72%	41.04%
Black or African American alone (NH)	293	1,160	1,733	0.64%	1.66%	2.06%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	370	534	544	0.81%	0.77%	0.65%
Asian alone (NH)	760	1,336	1,791	1.66%	1.91%	2.13%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian alone (NH)	700	3,967	8,662	1.53%	5.68%	10.29%
Other race alone (NH)	24	105	193	0.05%	0.15%	0.23%
Mixed race or Multiracial (NH)	720	1,205	3,408	1.57%	1.73%	4.05%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	9,005	24,692	33,287	19.66%	35.38%	39.55%
Total	45,798	69,797	84,161	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

Racial composition as of the 2020 census
Race	Number	Percent
White	39,343	46.7%
Black or African American	1,884	2.2%
American Indian and Alaska Native	1,352	1.6%
Asian	1,836	2.2%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander	8,711	10.4%
Some other race	20,404	24.2%
Two or more races	10,631	12.6%
Hispanic or Latino (of any race)	33,287	39.6%

Economy

Springdale has a strong poultry processing industry, with big hatcheries and processing plants run by companies like Tyson Foods, Cargill, and George's. Because Tyson Foods and George's are based in Springdale, many people work there in jobs that support these businesses. The city also has many other industries and manufacturing companies, such as Apex Tool Group, Ball Corporation, Brunner & Lay, Dayco Products, and Pratt & Whitney. This makes Springdale different from other big cities in Northwest Arkansas.

Tyson World Headquarters

Top Employers
Springdale Chamber of Commerce
#	Employer	# of Employees
1	Tyson Foods	4,300
2	George's	2,500
3	Springdale Public Schools	2,235
4	Cargill Meat Solutions	1,200
5	Northwest Medical Center-Springdale	900
6	Rockline Industries	535
7	A.E.R.T.	500
8	Harps Food Stores	495
9	Kawneer	465
10	Multi-Craft Contractors	400

Arts and culture

See also: Culture of Arkansas and Bible Belt

Points of interest

Arts Center of the Ozarks
Arvest Ballpark
Fitzgerald Station and Farmstead
Shiloh Historic District
Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
Springdale Poultry Industry Historic District
The Springdale Post Office has a mural from 1939 painted by Natalie Smith Henry, called Local Industries. It shows pictures of poultry and fruit farmers, showing early work done by Tyson Foods and Welch's Grape Juice Company. Springdale was where Welch's had its main office for the southwest area.

Parsons Stadium in the east part of Springdale holds many events each year. The biggest is the Rodeo of the Ozarks. This four-day event started in Springdale in 1944 and brings skilled horse riders to the city. It happens every year on Independence Day weekend and includes a parade, a contest to choose Miss Rodeo of the Ozarks, and a big entrance into the stadium. The stadium also hosts Buckin' in the Ozarks (a Professional Bull Riders event), Arenacross (a motorcycle competition with shows by pros and amateurs) during Bikes Blues and BBQ weekend, and other motor shows.

Sports

Springdale is home to the Northwest Arkansas Naturals, a minor league baseball team that plays in the Texas League. The team moved to Springdale in 2008 after finishing building Arvest Ballpark. The ballpark has 6,500 seats and space for more fans on grassy areas. The Naturals play about 70 home games each year there. In 2013, the ballpark hosted an important game for the Texas League.

Government

Springdale uses a mayor-city council system. The mayor is chosen by all the city's voters and serves as the leader, managing city activities and decisions. The mayor assigns tasks to city workers and can serve many terms. The city council has eight members who make laws and manage the city's money. Two members come from each of the city's four areas. They meet twice a month.

People can share ideas through special groups chosen by the mayor and approved by the council. Springdale is part of Arkansas's 3rd congressional district, represented by Steve Womack.

Education

Springdale Public Schools is the largest school district in Arkansas, serving over 23,000 students across 29 campuses. It includes pre-kindergarten, seventeen elementary schools, four middle schools, Springdale High School, Har-Ber High School, and the Don Tyson School of Innovation. The district offers special programs such as the International Baccalaureate Programme and the EAST Initiative, along with college prep academies focused on Engineering and Architecture, IT, Law and Public Safety, and Medical Profession Education.

Springdale High School

Besides Springdale Public Schools, parts of the city are covered by Bentonville Public Schools and Rogers Public Schools. Shiloh Christian School is a private school with around 900 students from pre-kindergarten to 12th grade. Northwest Technical Institute offers training for jobs, and Northwest Arkansas Community College has a campus in Springdale, providing two-year degrees and other courses. Ecclesia College is a small religious college in western Springdale.

Infrastructure

Springdale has several important roads that help people travel in and out of the city. The main road is Interstate 49, which connects to other big cities. There are also many other roads like US Route 62, US Route 71, and several state highways that make it easy to get around.

US 412 and US 71B briefly overlap in Springdale along Thompson Avenue

The city has a public bus system called Ozark Regional Transit that helps people move around Washington and Benton Counties. For travel far from Springdale, people can use Jefferson Lines buses in nearby Fayetteville. There is also a small airport in Springdale called the Springdale Municipal Airport, but most people fly from the bigger Northwest Arkansas National Airport in Highfill.

The city has police and firefighters to keep everyone safe. The Springdale Police Department works to make sure the streets are safe, and the Springdale Fire Department helps with emergencies, fires, and other safety needs.

Notable people

Springdale has been home to many interesting people. George W. Bond was an educator there and later became president of Louisiana Tech University. Albert E. Brumley was a famous composer of southern gospel music and is in the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. The Duggar Family, known from the TV show 19 Kids and Counting, also lived in Springdale. Jim Bob Duggar served in the Arkansas House of Representatives from 1999 to 2002.

Other notable individuals include Jenee Fleenor, a musician who won Musician of the Year several times, and Ronnie Floyd, a pastor who led a large church group. Many former sports players, like Joshua Frazier and Damian Williams, grew up or lived in Springdale. The city has also been home to politicians, business leaders, and coaches who have made their mark in different fields.