Bella Vista is a city in Benton County, Arkansas. In 2020, about 30,100 people lived there. By 2023, the population grew to an estimated 32,368. It's known for its beautiful natural setting in the Ozark Mountains. It started as a summer vacation spot in 1917.

The city has lovely forests, valleys, and creeks. Over time, it has added lakes, golf courses, and other fun places. Bella Vista is mostly a place where people live. It began with summer cabins, then became a retirement community. A group called the Property Owners Association (POA) helped manage services and fun activities.

Bella Vista is part of the Northwest Arkansas area. It has grown a lot recently, with its population increasing by 82% between 2000 and 2020. Many people who live here work in nearby cities like Bentonville and Rogers. In 2006, residents voted for Bella Vista to become an official city. This meant the city government took over many important services from the POA.

History of Bella Vista
Geography and Location
People of Bella Vista
City Government
Fun Things to Do
- Lakes for Recreation
- Trails for Adventure
Education in Bella Vista
City Services
Famous People from Bella Vista
See also

History of Bella Vista

The land where Bella Vista is now was once used by the Osage and Delaware tribes for hunting. A special rock shelter called Hay Bluff was used by different groups long ago. Early settlers later used it to store hay.

In 1909, a minister from Bentonville started a simple summer resort here. He imagined a place with golf, tennis, and affordable cabins for summer visitors. In 1915, Lake Bella Vista was created by building a dam on Little Sugar Creek. By 1916, the resort was sold and grew to include more attractions. These included the Sunset Hotel and the Wonderland Cave nightclub.

Some of the early cabins are now listed on the National Register of Historic Places. These include the Blackwell-Paisley Cabin and the Sutherlin Cabin. The resort became popular with people who owned cars, and "colonies" of visitors came from cities like Dallas and Tulsa, Oklahoma.

In 1965, Bella Vista became a place mainly for retired people. After a vote in 2006, it officially became a city on January 1, 2007. The new city government took charge of things like the police, fire department, streets, and trash collection. The Property Owners Association (POA) still manages the many fun activities and places for its members.

Geography and Location

Bella Vista is in the northern part of Benton County. Its northern edge touches the state line of Missouri. The city covers about 46.87 square miles (121.4 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, but about 1.57 square miles (4.07 square kilometers) is water. This water mostly comes from the several lakes within the city.

People of Bella Vista

Bella Vista has grown quite a bit over the years.

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1980	2,589	—
1990	9,083	250.8%
2000	16,582	82.6%
2010	26,461	59.6%
2020	30,104	13.8%
2023 (est.)	32,368	22.3%
U.S. Decennial Census Encyclopedia of Arkansas 2020 Census

As of 2023, there are about 12,894 homes in Bella Vista. On average, about 2.39 people live in each home. The average income for a household in the city is $85,932. About 3.5% of the people in Bella Vista live below the poverty line.

Most adults in Bella Vista have a high school diploma (96.1%). Also, about 37.8% of the population has a college degree or higher. The average age in the city is about 51.5 years old.

The main groups of people who reported their background were English (97.7%), Spanish (1.6%), and Asian and Pacific Islander (0.4%).

Bella Vista, 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/Latino people may be of any race.
Race / ethnicity (NH = non-Hispanic)	Pop. 2000	Pop. 2010	Pop. 2020	% 2000	% 2010	% 2020
White alone (NH)	16,109	24,881	26,296	97.15%	94.03%	87.35%
Black or African American alone (NH)	30	169	209	0.18%	0.64%	0.69%
Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH)	113	258	294	0.68%	0.98%	0.98%
Asian alone (NH)	45	122	215	0.27%	0.46%	0.71%
Pacific Islander alone (NH)	1	11	25	0.01%	0.04%	0.08%
Other race alone (NH)	2	28	69	0.01%	0.11%	0.23%
Mixed race or multiracial (NH)	114	304	1,642	0.69%	1.15%	5.45%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	168	688	1,354	1.01%	2.60%	4.50%
Total	16,582	26,461	30,104	100.00%	100.00%	100.00%

City Government

Property Owners Association

The Bella Vista Property Owners Association (POA) has a "rule book" called Declarations and Protective Covenants. This book guides how the POA works. There are two types of members: Class A and Class B. Class B refers to Cooper Communities, the company that developed the land. They get 10 votes for each lot they own. Class A members are private lot owners, and they get one vote per lot. Cooper Communities now owns fewer lots, so they don't control the votes as much. Both types of members must agree for a vote to be final.

A nine-member Board of Directors leads the POA. They serve for three years and set the goals for the POA. A general manager runs the daily activities, with different department heads in charge of various services and facilities.

In 2006, residents voted for Bella Vista to become an official city. This happened on January 1, 2007. The POA still manages the fun activities and provides water. But the City of Bella Vista is now responsible for police, fire, streets, the library, and other city services.

Fun Things to Do

Lakes for Recreation

Tanyard Creek falling from Lake Windsor in Bella Vista

Bella Vista has seven lakes. These lakes are mostly for people who live in the community or their guests. You need a POA boat permit and an Arkansas fishing license to use them.

Lake Ann is a man-made lake covering 112.5 acres (0.46 square kilometers). It's 53.5 feet (16.3 meters) deep. You can go water skiing here because there's no power limit for boats.
Lake Windsor is the second largest lake, covering 220 acres (0.89 square kilometers). It's 79.5 feet (24.2 meters) deep. Like Lake Ann, it's an unlimited power lake, so water skiing is allowed.
Loch Lomond is the biggest lake in the city. It's 80 feet (24 meters) deep and covers 477 acres (1.93 square kilometers). You can ski here, and you can even rent boats.
Lake Avalon is a lake where boats have limited power. It has a heated fishing dock. This lake covers 67 acres (0.27 square kilometers) and is 50 feet (15 meters) deep.
Lake Brittany is 77 feet (23 meters) deep and covers 35 acres (0.14 square kilometers). It's also a limited-power lake.
Lake Norwood is near Bella Vista's Town Center. It has 34.5 acres (0.14 square kilometers) of surface area and is 75 feet (23 meters) deep. It's a limited-power lake.
Lake Rayburn is 60 feet (18 meters) deep and covers 47 acres (0.19 square kilometers). It has limited-power rules. There's also a swimming area and a boat ramp.

Trails for Adventure

Tanyard Creek

Lake Bella Vista and its 1.8-mile (2.9 km) walking and biking trail are now part of Bentonville's Parks system. In the middle of Bella Vista, you'll find the Tanyard Creek Nature Trail. It has a footbridge and some waterfalls when it's not too dry.

In October 2016, Bella Vista opened 'The Back 40' trails. These are 40 miles (64 km) of hiking and mountain bike trails on the east side of the city. The Little Sugar trail system opened in 2019. It was built for mountain biking and has about 50 miles (80 km) of trails. In July 2023, the Bella Vista POA approved building 7 new trails. The plan is to have 150 miles (240 km) of trails by 2025.

Education in Bella Vista

Different school districts serve the city. The Bentonville School District is on the east side, and the Gravette School District is on the west. A small part of the east side is in the Pea Ridge School District.

Students in the Bentonville part of Bella Vista go to these schools:

Cooper Elementary School, Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, and Sugar Creek Elementary School.
Most students go to Old High Middle. Some go to Ruth Barker Middle School or Ardis Ann Middle School.
Washington Junior High School and Lincoln Junior High School.
All students in this area attend Bentonville High School.

There is also a private preschool called Bella Vista Montessori Academy. Cooper Elementary, part of the Bentonville District, serves grades K-4. The Bentonville School district is planning two new schools for Bella Vista students.

Northwest Arkansas Community College is also nearby, with its main campus in Bentonville.

City Services

Electricity

Carroll Electric Cooperative provides electricity to homes and businesses in Bella Vista.

Transportation

Bella Vista Way (US 71) at the Lancashire Boulevard (AR 340) exit in Bella Vista

The final part of Interstate 49 (I-49) was finished around Bella Vista on October 1, 2021. This new highway goes around Bella Vista, helping to reduce traffic on Highway 71. I-49 has four exits that connect to Bella Vista.

Bella Vista Way is a four-lane highway that goes through the city from north to south. Two Arkansas state highways also cross Bella Vista: Highway 279 (Forest Hills Boulevard) and Highway 340 (Lancashire Boulevard). Most other streets in Bella Vista are designed like those in large neighborhoods, with many cul-de-sac streets.

Trash Collection

The City of Bella Vista works with Republic Services for trash collection. They also have two special pickups each year for large items.

Water and Wastewater

The POA provides water service to people living in Bella Vista. Village Waste Water provides sewer service to some parts of the city.

Famous People from Bella Vista

Donna Hutchinson, who was a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives from 2007 to 2013.
Jim Sheets, who was also a member of the Arkansas House from 1967 to 1968. He is now retired and lives in Bella Vista.
Garth Smith, a talented pianist, composer, and musician known for his gospel music.

Bella Vista, Arkansas facts for kids

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