City profile · Arkansas · Census ACS 2023

Fort Smith, AR

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Fort Smith - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

89,496
Residents
$52,692
Median income
$168,100
Median home
$937
Median rent (state)

Fort Smith - the verdict

Out of every US city with 1,000+ residents, Fort Smith places in the 24th percentile for household income and the 5th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

24th
percentile, household income
33rd
percentile, home value
9th
percentile, median rent
5th
percentile, safety
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Fort Smith, AR

Arkansas's Fort Smith is a small city, with 89,496 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. The typical household in Fort Smith brings in $52,692 a year, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 13.2%. Home values in Fort Smith run a median of $168,100, and the median resident age is 36.6 years. 25.3% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 57.5% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 253 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 22% from five years earlier. Fort Smith's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program logs 4526.7 total incidents per 100,000 residents here, above the national average (agency reporting is voluntary, so this measures reporting activity, not a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Arkansas run below the national norm: the state registers 86.9 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $937 per month. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Arkansas's average monthly utility costs around $210 (state average). Commute times here average 16.0 minutes, with 77.8% driving alone and 7.4% working from home, per Census ACS commuting data. On FEMA's National Risk Index, this area rates 86.8 out of 100 for natural-hazard exposure (Very High).

Population

89,496 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Arkansas

Median Household Income

$52,692 /yr

Poverty 13.2%

Cost of Living Index (state)

86.9 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Arkansas average

How does Fort Smith compare to other US cities?

Where Fort Smith sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 24% higher than other cities
Home value 33% pricier than other cities
Median rent 9% pricier than other cities
Safety 5% safer than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

Zoom in to just Arkansas and the picture shifts: Fort Smith ranks #148 of 160 Arkansas cities by lowest crime rate, a different read than the national percentile above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Fort Smith's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Arkansas, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

24thIncome percentile
5thSafety percentile

24th percentile nationally for median household income · 5th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Fort Smith's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Fort Smith's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 36 Avg. percentile National median
Fort Smith's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Fort Smith's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$168,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 67% of 15,600 US cities

$0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). This entry sits in this band. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Fort Smith $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Fort Smith, AR Fort Smith, AR's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Fort Smith, AR-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Fort Smith, AR median $52,692/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Fort Smith, AR's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Fort Smith, AR. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 25.3%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 13.2%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 57.5%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
89,496
Median Income
$52,692
Median Home Value
$168,100
Median Age
36.6
Poverty Rate
13.2%
Labor force participation
57.5%
Bachelor's Degree+
25.3%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4526.7
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
842.4
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3684.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
28
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
88,000 residents89,000 residents90,000 residents91,000 residents92,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 89,156 residents 90,855 residents ▲ +1.9%
Fort Smith's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
253
housing units authorized
Single-Family
149
detached homes
Multifamily
104
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
2.8
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 326
2020 313
2021 325
2022 241
2023 350
2024 253

Permit volume decreased 22% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
16.0 minutes
Drive Alone
77.8%
Carpool
11.0%
Public Transit
0.2%
Walk
1.5%
Work from Home
7.4%
Other
2.1%

Based on 40,203 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Arkansas - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$110
avg/month
Natural Gas
$58
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$210
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Arkansas state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Arkansas state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Fort Smith sits in

Cost of Living Index
86.9
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$937/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
86.8 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Arkansas

Springdale
87,388 people
Fayetteville
97,227 people
Jonesboro
79,187 people
Rogers
71,411 people
Conway
66,288 people
North Little Rock
64,504 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Smith's 89,496 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Clifton, NJ
89,247 people
Merced, CA
89,766 people
Trenton, NJ
89,966 people
Waukegan, IL
88,919 people
Westminster, CA
90,147 people
Bloomington, MN
88,838 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Fort Smith's $52,692 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Miller, MO
$52,695 median income
Oil City, PA
$52,688 median income
Mount Morris, NY
$52,697 median income
Rainbow Park, FL
$52,685 median income
White Hall, IL
$52,685 median income
Tallapoosa, GA
$52,700 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Fort Smith, AR Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Fort Smith, AR - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 61.2% 7.7% 13.3% 10.9% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 20.0% White 61.2% Black or African American 7.7% Asian 5.7% American Indian 0.9% Native Hawaiian 0.2% Some other race 13.3% Two or more races 10.9% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Fort Smith compares to nearby Arkansas cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Fort Smith (this city) 89,496 $52,692
Springdale 87,388 $66,044
Fayetteville 97,227 $59,074
Jonesboro 79,187 $52,559
Census ACS 5-year FIPS AR FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Fort Smith, AR?

What is the population of Fort Smith, AR? +

The population of Fort Smith, AR stands at 89,496 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Fort Smith, AR? +

The median household income in Fort Smith is $52,692 per year, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Fort Smith? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Fort Smith; the closest available measure is the Arkansas state average, a cost of living index of 86.9 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Arkansas vary by metro area.

Is Fort Smith, AR safe? +

Fort Smith has a total crime rate of 4526.7 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Fort Smith, AR? +

The median home value in Fort Smith is $168,100, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

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Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.