CONWAY

As home to the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College and Central Baptist College, Conway has been dubbed the “City of Colleges.” Nearly 75% of its more than 65,000 residents are under the age of 45 (median age is 27.9), making the city a vibrant place to call home. Not to mention affordable, as the median sale price is around $165,000, well below the national average.

Conway is also a city with a thriving business environment, growing technology sector, many scenic lakes and parks and cultural prolificacy – the perfect bait for getting local college graduates to stick around. In fact, 40% of Conway’s adults have a post-secondary degree, giving Conway an uncommon advantage in economic development.

The Conway Regional Medical Center, Baptist Health Medical Center-Conway and Conway Human Development Center employ thousands of health professionals. Conway’s biggest employer is Acxiom LLC, a software company specializing in database marketing. More tech jobs can be found at Hewlett-Packard, which employs 800 at its technical support and sales office. Nabholz, Vireo and Snap-on all have a large presence here, while the three local colleges and Conway Public School District employee thousands more in education.

While the city strives to continually improve the quality of life for its people, Conway has always been a wonderful place to call home. Locals can take their pick from a number of shopping hubs including Lewis Crossing, Conway Commons and Conway Towne Center. These retail destinations are known for stores like Sam’s Club, Bed Bath & Beyond, Books-A-Million and Ulta as well as restaurants like On the Border. Historic downtown is also a popular district to shop, with 40 retailers and restaurants selling a mix of old and new.

Speaking on restaurants, Conway boasts a burgeoning food scene. The locals love Mike’s Place, Pasta Grill, The Patio Cafe, and Tacos 4 Life Grill, an eatery with a mission that donates a meal to a hungry child for every purchase.

The city is not lacking in recreation either. Outdoor activities have become even more popular here as of late because of tremendous citywide sustainability efforts. It’s now one of the state’s greenest communities.