Conway is the Faulkner County seat, about 30 miles from Little Rock on Interstate 40. Home to three colleges and its own city-owned utility company, it mixes a historic downtown and older streets with a long run of newer neighborhoods.
The feel
Conway grew up around the railroad. Engineer Asa P. Robinson platted Conway Station in 1871, and the town incorporated on October 16, 1875, named for the family of Governor James Sevier Conway. It became the seat of Faulkner County, and colleges followed: Hendrix College, then Central Collegiate Institute, moved here from Altus after Conway won the site in 1889, the state normal school that became the University of Central Arkansas opened in 1908, and Central Baptist College later took over a former women's college campus. The city had about 64,100 residents at the 2020 Census.
The homes
The streets around downtown and near Hendrix hold older homes, including early twentieth century houses and cottages, many on tree-lined blocks. Mid-century brick ranches fill neighborhoods spreading out from the center. Since the 1990s, Conway has added a long list of subdivisions to the west, south and north, with newer single-family homes, townhomes and some larger custom builds. Student rentals are common near the campuses. Lot sizes and HOA rules vary a lot between older and newer areas.
Schools
Most of Conway is served by Conway Public Schools, which has one high school, Conway High School. Small parts of the city fall in the Greenbrier and Mayflower districts. Attendance zones are assigned by address and can change, so check any home with the district. Higher education is a big part of town life, with the University of Central Arkansas, Hendrix College and Central Baptist College all in the city.
Getting around
Interstate 40 runs along the city's south and east sides with several exits, and downtown Little Rock is about 30 miles southeast, usually a 35 to 40 minute drive. US 64 runs east and west through town, and US 65 heads north toward Greenbrier. Arkansas Highway 60 heads west to the Toad Suck crossing of the Arkansas River. Most daily needs are close by, including Conway Regional Health System, which opened as the county hospital in 1925.
Life here
Toad Suck Daze, a three-day festival held since 1982, fills downtown each spring, usually the first weekend of May. Lake Conway, a 6,700-acre Game and Fish lake created between 1945 and 1951, sits south of the city near Mayflower for fishing and boating. The city has about 15 parks, including Laurel Park. College sports, theater and lectures at UCA and Hendrix add to the calendar, and downtown has local restaurants and shops around Oak Street and Front Street.
Owning here
Conway Corporation, a city-owned utility, provides electricity, water, cable TV, internet and phone service inside the city, which simplifies setup for most buyers. Homes outside city limits may use other providers or wells and septic. Property taxes go through Faulkner County, and the school district affects the millage. Many newer subdivisions have HOAs with covenants and dues. Check FEMA flood maps near creeks and low areas around Lake Conway. Ask whether a home is inside city limits, since that decides which utilities serve it.
