Conway returned to U.S. News & World Report’s coveted annual list of Best Places to Live, ranking among the top 250 cities in the nation to call home.

The annual ranking accounts for cost of living, value, desirability, job market, and quality of life.

The City of Colleges ranked No. 197 on the list and was the No. 4 Best Place to Live in Arkansas. Among the reasons the outlet found to live in Conway included low cost of living, commute times, and a competitive job market.

“Conway’s recognition as one of the best places to live in the country, and No. 4 in Arkansas, reflects the momentum our community continues to build,” said Conway Mayor Bart Castleberry. “This is a strong, growing community with great schools, vibrant neighborhoods, and people who care deeply about where they live. We’re proud of this recognition and even more proud of the people who help make Conway a great place to call home.”

Conway’s value index was 9.1 out of 10, driven in part by its housing affordability. Its median home value was 72% of the national average, paired with a median household income of $60,088.

“Conway offers a lower cost of living than similarly sized metro areas when you compare housing costs to median household income,” the report found.

This news comes after recent updates from the U.S. Census Bureau showed Faulkner County was one of the country’s fastest-growing, recording a growth rate of 1.37%, and that Conway had topped 72,000 residents.

Faulkner County ranked No. 4 in growth among counties in Arkansas, adding 1,812 new residents in 2025. Eighty percent of the county’s growth was attributed to new movers, totaling 1,448.

The city’s growth trends were among the nation’s fastest when looking at one-year and five-year growth rates. In 2025, the city grew 1.69%, the fourth-highest growth rate in the state and 98th in the country among cities over 50,000.

In the last five years, Conway has added nearly 8,000 residents. The 12.4% growth rate was the third-highest in the state and 76th in the country, again, among cities of at least 50,000.