Washington County is in the northwest corner of Arkansas in the Ozark Mountains. It was established on October 17, 1828, formed from Lovely County, which was part of Indian Territory. Washington County has grown from small settlements of farms, mills, and orchards into one of the most affluent and prosperous counties in the state. Washington County is part of the Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers Metropolitan Statistical Area. The region has the second largest population in Arkansas, and was named the 3rd best place to live in the US by U.S. News & World Report in 2016.