Photo of Canoe Installation at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, in Bentonville AR by Mick Haupt on Unsplash
Northwest Arkansas has found itself on the radar of thousands of professionals. Currently one of the fastest-growing economies in the US, it is home to three Fortune 500 companies plus several other businesses and startups rapidly building infrastructure and manpower. The Northwest Arkansas region has a per capita income that’s 14% higher than the national average. There are currently 10,000 open positions, with an exceedingly low unemployment rate of just 2.8%.
The region promises more than job opportunities. Northwest Arkansas also has one of the best costs of living, plenty of outdoor lifestyle activities as well as vibrant arts, culture, and cuisine scenes -- giving residents a unique opportunity to realistically achieve work-life balance.
When the Northwest Arkansas Council announced the “Life Works Here” initiative in November 2020, it sparked the interest of more than 26,000 applicants from 115 countries and all 50 US states.
The incentive offers top remote working talent $10,000 in cash to move to the region. The funds are meant to help with everything needed to set up their new life there. In addition to the money, incentive recipients will be gifted a street or mountain bike. This is a great way to take advantage of the 162 miles of paved trails, the 37-mile Razorback Regional Greenway, and the 322 miles of world-class mountain biking trails. For participants who are not outdoor enthusiasts, they can alternatively choose an annual membership to one of the world-class arts and cultural institutions in the area such as Crystal Bridges, Momentary, Amazeum, TheatreSquared, Walton Arts Center or Walmart AMP.
The council is looking for all kinds of talent, but the most in-demand for the region are STEAM professionals and entrepreneurs. To be eligible for the program, applicants must be at least 24 years old, have at least two years work experience, have full-time remote employment, currently reside outside the state of Arkansas, be able to relocate to Northwest Arkansas within six months of acceptance, sign a lease for local housing or purchase a house, be a US citizen or have the necessary credentials to work legally in the US. Successful applicants will have to remain at least a year to get the full incentive benefit.
The council is investing more than $1 million in the initiative. It is made possible by the philanthropic support from the Walton Family Foundation at the recommendation of Steuart Walton and Tom Walton.
“Professionals all over the country are starting to see the benefits of life in the Heartland, and Bentonville and Northwest Arkansas are at the top of the list,” Steuart Walton said in a statement. “This region welcomes innovators and thought leaders to a community defined by world-class mountain biking, cultural experiences and a true entrepreneurial spirit.”
In the program pilot, the NWA Council accepted 25 applicants. According to the council, the recipients represent a wide range of professions from the arts to technology to the culinary industries. Some of the notable recipients include an executive chef and James Beard Foundation Impact Fellow from Atlanta, GA; a music producer and creative community curator from Los Angeles, CA; a cloud technology manager from San Francisco, CA; a digital marketing manager from Denver, CO and more.
“This first wave of new talent to the Northwest Arkansas region generated by the “Life Works Here” campaign is just a sampling the exceptional individuals we’ve been able to attract to our region with the incentive program,” NWA Council president and CEO Nelson Peacock said. “This program is not only a benefit to the recipients and new talent for our region, but it also contributes to the vibrancy of our existing, growing market and our local economy. We’re overwhelmed by the unbelievable response and interest and look forward to announcing additional recipients as new talent is selected.”