SPRINGDALE, Ark. — A new poll from the Northwest Arkansas Council outlines how local leaders can help maintain quality of life in the growing region.
The findings include that rising housing costs, traffic, and physical infrastructure issues are the concerns that threaten the quality of life for NWA residents.
"The Northwest Arkansas is growing rapidly. The metropolitan statistical area, which consists of Benton, Madison and Washington counties, has a current population of 576,403 and is predicted to reach 1 million people by 2050," the council said. "Adding an estimated 36 people per day its population, Northwest Arkansas is the 18th fastest-growing metro in the U.S."
The NWA Council said that the growth warranted research in order to create a strategy to address issues in Northwest Arkansas.
"To inform a community-led effort to address growth, the council conducted public opinion research in January and February to gain insight that will shape a regional growth strategy," the council said. "The research identified four consistent concerns: infrastructure, traffic, housing and the need for leadership to devise and execute a growth strategy."
70 percent of NWA residents believe the region is heading in the right direction and rate its quality of life as good or excellent.
However, when looking to the future, 46 percent of residents believe the quality of life is not improving and 26 percent feel it's getting worse.
Of those surveyed, 27 percent believe the quality of life is improving.
Here's a breakdown of some of the results for the quality-of-life survey shared in the report:
- 95 percent of residents surveyed rate outdoor recreation good or excellent.
- 87 percent of residents surveyed rate safety good or excellent.
- 83 percent of residents surveyed rate clean drinking water good or excellent.
- 75 percent of residents surveyed rate jobs good or excellent.
- 73 percent of residents surveyed rate activities and nightlife good or excellent.
- 69 percent of residents surveyed rate health care good or excellent.
- 67 percent of residents surveyed rate job training good or excellent.
- 58 percent of residents surveyed rate flight options good or excellent.
- 55 percent of residents surveyed rate recycling good or excellent.
- 49 percent of residents surveyed rate city/county leadership good or excellent.
- 47 percent of residents surveyed rate shared vision good or excellent.
- 47 percent of residents surveyed rate roads and bridges good or excellent.
- 17 percent of residents surveyed rate affordable housing good or excellent.
The NWA council says that phone polls were conducted from Jan. 19 through Jan. 23, and that 505 registered voters in Benton and Washington County responded.
Additionally, 2,120 people were surveyed online, community leaders were present for one-on-one meetings, and focus groups were conducted with registered voters in the area.
61 percent of survey participants said that they would not oppose a tax if they felt the project benefitted the community, the report adds.
The council says that the growth in NWA is being felt by residents and may threaten the quality of life.
"While this growth trajectory is good news for the already booming economy, Northwest Arkansas is already feeling the impacts of rapid population growth. Rising housing costs, traffic and physical infrastructure issues threaten the quality of life for NWA residents," the report said.
"Leaders will need to work collaboratively to adopt smart growth policies that will accommodate this growth while preserving the character of the communities that make NWA special," the council adds. "While housing is the most visible challenge, many other issues need special consideration – including water and highway infrastructure, regional transit, along with efforts to reduce urban sprawl and preserve precious green space."
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