Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
Conway grades C overall, 52nd of 123 graded towns in Arkansas, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. On the other side, it reports more crime per resident than 85% of U.S. towns, including 347 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025. It also does better than most on schools: its schools outperform 74% of the state's. A typical home there costs about $250K, 3.7 years of the Little Rock metro’s $67K median household income. 41% of working residents work locally in Conway, against 21% in Arkansas’ towns and 8% across U.S. towns. Its National Register listings include Brown House and Farmers State Bank. Only 8 of the 123 Arkansas towns we compare have a higher share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Conway.
Where Conway beats most towns.
Faulkner County Jail| College | Students |
|---|---|
| University of Central Arkansas | 8,426 |
| Hendrix College | 1,107 |
| Central Baptist College | 500 |
| School | Grades | Students |
|---|---|---|
| Carolyn Lewis Elementary School | K–4 | 514 |
| Theodore Jones Elementary School | K–4 | 491 |
| Ellen Smith Elementary School | K–4 | 461 |
Census counts: 1,028 in 1880, 64,134 in 2020. The archive holds 30 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 3 maps from 1961 on.
35 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Arkansas), ordered by how far Conway is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Who provides power, water and the rest in Conway, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Nov 18, 2024.
Ordered by what stands out in Conway.
Conway is healthier than towns with similar incomes, has seen reported crime fall by a fifth or more and is mostly renters.
Reported crimes fell from 2,094 to 1,693 over the last three FBI years, a drop beyond ordinary year-to-year swings.
The violent crime rate in Conway is 4.8 per 1,000 residents. Conway reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 85% report less. The property crime rate in Conway is 18.6 per 1,000 residents.
| Conway | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 4.8 per 1,000 residents | 3.6 | 1.6 |
| Property crimes per 1,000 (2025) | 18.6 per 1,000 residents | 13.5 | 9.9 |
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Conway School District. Three of its 20 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Carl Stuart Middle SchoolLargest public middle schoolGrades 5–7 | Grades 5–7 | 752 | A− |
| Conway High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 10–12 | Grades 10–12 | 2,350 | B+ |
| Woodrow Cummins Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades K–4 | Grades K–4 | 450 | A+ |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within AR on state tests and graduation
11 miles of trail in 13 parks and preserves. The biggest park or preserve is Conway Soccer Complex, at 50 acres.
| Conway | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 0.8% | 0.8% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.2 miles per square mile | 0.3 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Jewel Moore Nature Reserve | 0.8 mi | 30 |
| 2. Conway Station Park | 0.7 mi | 39 |
| 3. Laurel Park | 0.7 mi | 20 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
Conway has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Conway’s July high is 93°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 66% of U.S. communities. Since 1982, 47 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Conway.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
17% of residents live below the poverty line in Conway. The top destinations are Little Rock (22%), North Little Rock (5%) and Maumelle (2%). Half commute less than 18 miles.
| Conway | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 17% | 18% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $63,000 | $55,000 | $80,000 |
| Work from home | 9.9% | 6.1% | 11% |
| Average trip to work | 23 minutes | 21 minutes | 25 minutes |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
45% of Conway households own their home. The typical Conway home is worth about $250,000, up 2.5% in a year, 12% above the Arkansas typical home.
| Conway | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 45% | 60% | 73% |
| Median rent | $1,011 a month | $875 a month | $1,185 a month |
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Against the 9,594 U.S. towns with household incomes like Conway’s, it is healthier than 68%, so its B− isn’t only a matter of income. Within Arkansas it is healthier than 80% of the 123 graded towns: much of Arkansas scores lower on these measures.
Conway beats the Arkansas average on 14 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 2.
| Conway | Arkansas towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 27% | 25% | 23% |
| Diabetes (CDC PLACES) | 10% | 13% | 12% |
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 34% | 41% | 35% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 14% |
| What stands out | Conway | AR |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer adults with heart disease | 5.4% | 7.7% |
| Fewer adults who have had a stroke | 2.9% | 4% |
| Fewer adults treating high blood pressure | 71.6% | 76.9% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
3 within 15 miles of the center of Conway
College town 16 of every 100 Conway residents are enrolled in college, against 5 across Arkansas.
3 colleges in town.
35 places in Conway on the National Register of Historic Places.
17 notable people were born in Conway.
City in Arkansas, United States
Conway is a city in Faulkner County, Arkansas, United States, and its county seat. It had a population of 64,134 at the 2020 census, making Conway the eighth-most populous city in Arkansas. It is located within Central Arkansas and serves as a regional hub for Faulkner County and surrounding areas. Conway is home to three post-secondary educational institutions, earning it the nickname The City of Colleges.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Conway grades C overall, better than 30% of U.S. towns and #52 of 123 in Arkansas. It grades B− for health, C− for safety and B+ for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a C−.
Within Arkansas, it does better than 38% of towns.
Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C+.
17 notable people were born here, including Rebecca Roanhorse and Ray Thornton.
