Rogers is a city in Benton County, Arkansas, United States. It's located in the Ozarks region. Rogers is part of Northwest Arkansas, which is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country.

Rogers is famous for being the home of the very first Walmart store. Walmart's main office is in nearby Bentonville. Another well-known company, Daisy Outdoor Products, which makes air rifles, has its main office and a museum in Rogers. The city also has a popular shopping center called the Pinnacle Hills Promenade. Plus, there's a music venue, the Walmart AMP, where big-name artists and local musicians perform.

In 2020, Rogers had a population of 69,908 people. By 2022, the population was estimated to be 72,999. This makes Rogers the sixth-largest city in Arkansas. The entire Northwest Arkansas area has a population of over 576,000 people.

History of Rogers

Rogers was named after Captain Charles W. Rogers. He was a leader at the St. Louis and San Francisco Railway, also known as the Frisco railroad. The town started in 1881 when the Frisco train line arrived. People in the area decided to name the town after Captain Rogers to honor him. The community officially became a city on June 6, 1881.

In 1883, Rogers became the starting point for the Bentonville Railroad. This railroad connected Rogers to Bentonville, which was about six miles away. Today, only the part of the line between Rogers and Bentonville is still used.

Early Businesses in Rogers

One of the first big stores in Rogers was called Stroud's Mercantile. It was a dry goods store that opened in 1884. The Stroud family had run businesses in the area even before that. Stroud's Mercantile grew and became a very important store in Rogers. In 1899, the owner, H.L. Stroud, built a brick building for his store on West Walnut Street.

Stroud's was the main shopping spot in Rogers until the 1960s. In 1962, Sam Walton opened the first Walmart store just seven blocks away. As more people started shopping at malls and larger stores, Stroud's customer base slowly got smaller. After 109 years, Stroud's Mercantile closed its doors in 1993.

In 1912, city leaders wanted to pave the streets in downtown Rogers. People had complained about dusty or muddy streets for a long time. Even famous citizens like Coin Harvey supported the idea. However, arguments about the cost and how to pave the streets delayed the project. Finally, in July 1924, the downtown area was paved with concrete and bricks. The work finished in December 1924, and the brick streets are still there today, with some updates made in 2010.

Rogers Geography and Climate

Rogers covers a total area of about 33.6 square miles (87 square kilometers). Most of this area is land, with a small part being water.

Weather in Rogers

The weather in Rogers usually has warm, humid summers. Winters are generally mild to cool. This type of weather is called a humid subtropical climate.

People of Rogers

Historical population
Census	Pop.	%±
1890	1,265	—
1900	2,158	70.6%
1910	2,820	30.7%
1920	3,318	17.7%
1930	3,554	7.1%
1940	3,550	−0.1%
1950	4,962	39.8%
1960	5,700	14.9%
1970	11,050	93.9%
1980	17,429	57.7%
1990	24,692	41.7%
2000	38,829	57.3%
2010	55,964	44.1%
2020	69,908	24.9%
U.S. Decennial Census

Rogers Population in 2020

In 2020, there were 69,908 people living in Rogers. There were 24,297 households and 16,517 families.

Rogers racial composition
Group	Number	Percentage
White (not Hispanic)	38,783	56.91%
Black or African American (not Hispanic)	1,016	1.45%
Native American	534	0.76%
Asian	1,920	2.75%
Pacific Islander	1,015	1.45%
Other/Mixed Race	3,265	4.67%
Hispanic or Latino	23,375	33.44%

Culture and Fun in Rogers

Daisy Airgun Museum in downtown Rogers

Rogers has many historic places, including the Rogers Commercial Historic District. Many buildings in Rogers are listed on the National Register of Historic Places, like the Pea Ridge National Military Park. For shopping, Rogers has two malls: the Frisco Station Mall and the Pinnacle Hills Promenade.

Yearly Events

Since 2007, Rogers has hosted the Walmart NW Arkansas Championship. This is a professional golf tournament for women on the LPGA Tour. It takes place every year in late June at the Pinnacle Country Club.

Rogers also hosts a Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure. This event helps raise money and awareness for breast cancer.

Parks and Recreation

Lake Atalanta

Rogers has many places for outdoor fun. There are five large sports parks and 14 neighborhood parks. The city also has the Rogers Aquatic Center, a skateboard park, and a splash park. You can find 26 athletic fields, an activity center, and a YMCA. There are two lakes and five golf courses.

Rogers has a trail system that is over 23 miles (37 km) long. The NWA Razorback Regional Greenway is a 36-mile (58 km) trail. It connects the region's trails to different attractions. Foerster Park in Rogers has the largest soccer program in Arkansas.

Other fun places nearby include Beaver Lake, Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area, and War Eagle Mill & Cavern. The historic Civil War battlefield, Pea Ridge National Military Park, is also about 10 miles from Rogers.

Media in Rogers

Rogers is served by television stations from Fort Smith and Fayetteville. The main TV stations are KFSM (CBS), KFTA (Fox), KHOG (ABC), and KNWA (NBC).

You can listen to several radio stations in Rogers:

KAMO 94.3 FM
KDUA 96.5 FM
KHEL 97.3 FM
KURM 790 AM & FM 100.3
KXNA 104.9 FM
KFFK 1390 AM

The local newspaper is the Rogers Morning News. It has a special section just for news about Rogers. The rest of the paper is the Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, which is the regional edition of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.

Sports in Rogers

In 2023, the United Soccer League announced plans to bring professional men's and women's soccer teams to Northwest Arkansas. These teams will be called Ozark United FC. They plan to build a 5,000-seat stadium in Rogers, near the Pinnacle Hills Promenade. The men's team is expected to start playing in the USL Championship before the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The women's team will join the USL Super League in the fall of 2026.

Education in Rogers

Rogers has several public and private schools.

Schools for Kids and Teens

Most of Rogers is served by the Rogers School District. Both Rogers High School (RHS) and Rogers Heritage High School (RHHS) have won awards for being top schools. They are among the largest high schools in Arkansas, each with about 2,000 students. Both schools offer the same classes and sports.

Rogers New Technology High School (RNTHS) opened in 2013. It uses a special teaching method called project-based learning. This means students learn by working on projects and using technology in the classroom.

Some parts of Rogers are served by Bentonville Public Schools. The Arkansas Arts Academy High School is a public charter school. St. Vincent de Paul is a private Catholic school and the largest private school in Rogers.

Colleges and Universities

Rogers has campuses for the University of Phoenix, Bryan College, Harding University, and John Brown University.

Other nearby colleges include the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville and Northwest Arkansas Community College in Bentonville.

Getting Around Rogers

Mercy Hospital in Rogers, Arkansas

Air Travel

Rogers Municipal Airport (ROG) is used by Walmart's airplanes. However, for regular passenger flights, people use the Northwest Arkansas National Airport (XNA). It's about 15 miles west of Rogers.

Public Transportation

Ozark Regional Transit provides bus services in Rogers. They have regular bus routes and also a "dial-a-ride" service where you can call for a ride.

For longer trips by bus, the nearest service is Jefferson Lines in Fayetteville.

Major Roads

Several important highways pass through or near Rogers:

Interstate 49
U.S. Route 62
U.S. Route 71 Business
U.S. Route 71
Arkansas Highway 12
Arkansas Highway 94

City Services

Rogers Water Utilities administration office

Rogers Water Utilities (RWU) manages the city's water and sewer systems. RWU buys treated water from Beaver Water District, which gets its water from Beaver Lake. In 2019, RWU served over 70,000 people, making it one of the largest water providers in Arkansas. Wastewater is cleaned at the Rogers Pollution Control Facility.

Famous People from Rogers

Sarah Austin (entrepreneur) (born 1986), an author, tech entrepreneur, and YouTuber.
Cecile Bledsoe (born 1944), an Arkansas state senator from Rogers.
John Boozman (born 1950), a U.S. Senator.
Jim R. Caldwell (born 1936), the first Republican state senator in Arkansas in the 1900s.
Craig Colorusso (born 1970), an artist who lives in Rogers.
Matt Cornett (born 1998), an actor born in Rogers.
Ryan Hale (born 1975), an American football player.
Britt McKenzie, a member of the Arkansas House of Representatives.
Thomas P. Morgan (1864–1928), a humorist.
Joe Nichols (born 1976), a country music artist born in Rogers.
Vernon Oxford (1941–2023), a country singer born in Rogers.
Titanic Thompson (1892–1974), a famous gambler and golfer who grew up in Rogers.
Sam Walton (1918–1992), the founder of Wal-Mart, who opened the first Wal-Mart in Rogers in 1962.
Steve Womack, a former mayor of Rogers and a U.S. Representative.

Rogers, Arkansas facts for kids

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