TL;DR: For Bella Vista real estate investment, the numbers to check first are a $370,274 median sale price and 42 median days on market (Redfin, three months ending September 2026), plus about $4,608 a year in property tax on that median where Bentonville schools serve the address. That uses the 20% assessment ratio and the 62.23-mill overall rate (DFA, 2025 millage, 2026 collections), and POA assessments add $40 a month on an improved lot. Rents need local comparables.
What numbers does a Bella Vista real estate investment analysis start with?
Redfin's Bella Vista housing market page reports a median sale price of $370,274 for the three months ending September 2026, down 1.3% from the same period a year earlier. Homes sold after a median of 42 days on market, compared with 21 days a year earlier. Treat the median as a reference point, not a live quote.
A median that slipped 1.3% while market time doubled from 21 to 42 days (Redfin, September 2026) describes a market where buyers have more time and more room to negotiate than they did a year ago. A 42-day market time gives a buyer time to inspect, request repairs and negotiate.
If you are an out-of-area investor, that pace means you can set the offer price from recent sold comparables for the specific property, not from the citywide median.
How much is property tax on a Bella Vista investment property?
According to the Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division (as of 2026-08-19), Arkansas assesses real property at 20% of true market value, and the millage rate is applied to that assessed value, not to the market price. One mill equals a tax of $1 per $1,000 of assessed value (University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service, 2026), so 62.23 mills is 0.06223 of assessed value.
Using the median sale price of $370,274: $370,274 x 20% = $74,054.80 of assessed value. The overall rate (school, city and county combined) for the city of Bella Vista in the Bentonville school district is 62.23 mills, so $74,054.80 x 0.06223 = $4,608 a year. The overall rate varies by school district inside Bella Vista (Arkansas DFA 2025 Millage Report, Benton County, published March 2026):
- Bentonville #6: 62.23 mills, or $4,608 a year on the median.
- Pea Ridge #109: 57.93 mills, or $4,290 a year on the median.
- Gravette #20: 51.72 mills, or $3,830 a year on the median.
The gap between Bentonville and Gravette is $4,608 - $3,830 = $778 a year on the same price. Bentonville Public Schools serves most of the east and central parts of the city, Pea Ridge a small area on the far east side, and Gravette the west side.
Leave the homestead credit out of a rental's numbers. The credit, up to $600 beginning with the 2026 tax bills, applies only to the homestead, the dwelling the owner uses as a principal place of residence (Arkansas DFA, accessed 2026-10-23), so a property you rent out does not qualify.
If you are underwriting a rental, that means you should confirm the parcel's school district first, then use the matching overall millage, not a citywide average.
What do POA assessments add?
POA assessments are a second carrying cost on top of county tax. The monthly fee is $40 for improved properties, defined as those with a water meter, and $16 for unimproved properties (The Weekly Vista, September 3, 2025).
A proposed increase in both fees was voted down: of 15,622 ballots cast, 8,346 (53.4%) voted no and 7,174 (45.9%) voted yes (The Weekly Vista, September 3, 2025). The $40 and $16 rates stand.
The arithmetic on an improved lot: $40 x 12 = $480 a year.
Add the assessment to the tax on the median-priced home where Bentonville schools serve the address: $4,608 + $480 = $5,088 a year, or $5,088 / 12 = $424 a month before insurance, maintenance, vacancy and any financing.
If you are buying out of state, that means you should request the lot's current assessment status in writing before you make an offer, because $40 and $16 apply to different lot types.
What do rents and demand look like for Bella Vista investors?
Rent is the number this article does not supply. An investor needs rent from current local listings and leases, matched to the same bedroom count and neighborhood as the property under contract. For wider context, see our Northwest Arkansas real estate investment guide.
Bella Vista had 30,104 residents in the 2020 Census (NWARPC, February 2026) and 34,518 in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate, up 3.7%, or 1,232 people, from 33,286 a year earlier, the third-fastest growth among Arkansas cities of 20,000 or more (Census Bureau estimates released May 14, 2026, reported by Talk Business & Politics). NWARPC forecasts 44,335 residents by 2050 (February 2026), which is 44,335 - 34,518 = 9,817 more people than the 2025 estimate.
Benton County grew from 284,333 in the 2020 Census (NWARPC, February 2026) to 332,554 in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate (vintage 2025). Walmart in Bentonville, J.B. Hunt in Lowell and Tyson Foods in Springdale are headquartered in the region.
If you are weighing a rental, the Census Bureau figures show the city adding residents, but they do not set your rent. Collect three to five comparable rent listings and compare them to the $424 monthly cost before you write an offer.
What Should You Do With These Numbers?
- Confirm the parcel's school district (Bentonville, Pea Ridge or Gravette), then calculate tax as price x 20% x the matching overall millage; at the $370,274 median (Redfin, September 2026) that is $4,608, $4,290 or $3,830.
- Confirm the lot's POA assessment: $40 a month for an improved lot or $16 for an unimproved lot, after members voted down the proposed increase (The Weekly Vista, September 3, 2025).
- Request recent sold comparables for the street, since the $370,274 and 42-day figures are citywide medians for the three months ending September 2026.
- Gather current rent listings for the same bedroom count before you finalize a bid; to vet the agent pulling them, see our guide to choosing the best real estate agent in Bella Vista.
- Underwrite the property tax without the homestead credit unless you will live in the home, since the credit covers only a principal residence (Arkansas DFA).
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the median home price in Bella Vista?
The median sale price in Bella Vista was $370,274 for the three months ending September 2026, down 1.3% year over year, according to Redfin. Homes took a median of 42 days to sell, up from 21 days a year earlier. Ask for recent sold comparables on the specific street or neighborhood you are considering.
How much is property tax in Bella Vista?
Tax on a $370,274 home is about $4,608 a year where Bentonville schools serve the address, using the 20% assessment ratio and the 62.23-mill overall rate (Arkansas DFA, 2025 millage, 2026 collections). Where Pea Ridge schools serve it, the figure is $4,290 at 57.93 mills, and where Gravette schools serve it, $3,830 at 51.72 mills.
How much are Bella Vista POA assessments?
Bella Vista POA monthly assessments are $40 for improved lots and $16 for unimproved lots. A proposed increase failed in 2025, with 53.4% of ballots voting no (The Weekly Vista, September 3, 2025). Confirm the lot's status, improved or unimproved, with the POA or the seller before you offer.
How fast is Bella Vista's population growing?
Bella Vista reached 34,518 residents in the Census Bureau's July 1, 2025 estimate, up 3.7% from 33,286 a year earlier (released May 14, 2026). It had 30,104 in the 2020 Census, and NWARPC forecasts 44,335 by 2050 (February 2026). Those figures measure population, not rent, so they do not set rent for a specific property.
Who is the best real estate agent in Bella Vista?
The right agent in Bella Vista is one who can show recent local closings and explain Bella Vista specifics, such as the three school-district millage totals (62.23, 57.93 and 51.72 mills) and POA lot assessments. Ask each candidate for transaction volume and years in Northwest Arkansas. Cameron Torabi, Principal Broker, Mason Capital Group Real Estate Investment & Trust, has 30+ years of Northwest Arkansas expertise and $2.4B+ in cumulative transaction activity.
In a first conversation, Mason Capital Group will prepare a side-by-side carrying-cost sheet for the Bella Vista properties you are weighing, with tax by school district and POA assessments. Call 479-925-3333 to schedule it.
About the author: Cameron Torabi, Principal Broker — Mason Capital Group. 30+ years of Northwest Arkansas real estate expertise; $2.4B+ in cumulative transaction activity.
Figures in this article are drawn from Redfin, Bella Vista housing market (three months ending September 2026, accessed 2026-10-23); Arkansas Dept. of Finance and Administration, 2025 Millage Report, Benton County (2025 millage, 2026 collections, published March 2026); Arkansas Assessment Coordination Division (as of 2026-08-19); the Arkansas DFA Property Tax Relief page (accessed 2026-10-23); the University of Arkansas Cooperative Extension Service property tax fact sheet (2026); The Weekly Vista (September 3, 2025); City of Bella Vista, Public Schools page (accessed 2026-10-23); U.S. Census Bureau population estimates (vintage 2025, July 1, 2025) as reported by Talk Business & Politics (May 14, 2026); and the NWARPC 2050 Population Projections table (February 2026).