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Living in
Fort Smith.
About
Life in Fort Smith
Fort Smith offers a genuinely affordable place to settle down with a median home value around $178,100 and rents averaging $884 monthly—considerably lower than national averages. The job market is solid with a 4.0% unemployment rate and a diversified manufacturing base, though the economy isn't flashy; this is steady, working-class territory where companies have maintained long-term operations. The community itself is notably diverse with significant Vietnamese, Laotian, and Latino populations that have shaped the local food scene and cultural fabric beyond what you'd expect in Arkansas.
Fort Smith at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
36.5 yrs
Poverty Rate
18.3%
Foreign-Born
11.9%
Broadband Internet
85.4%
of households
Population Growth
+1.9%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics11.9% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Fort Smith: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Fort Smith, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (43.1%), and 15.6% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
23.8%
of residents
65 and Older
16.0%
of residents
Households with Kids
30.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
31.2%
of households
Married Couples
42.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.40
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 7% below AR average
Rent, home values, and income in Fort Smith
In Fort Smith, rent runs 7% below the AR average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
39.5%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.9
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,137
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
53.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1977
median year built
Vacant Homes
9.1%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $193,081 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for AR
Unemployment in Fort Smith
Unemployment in Fort Smith is close to the AR average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Fort Smith Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute16.8 min avg
How Fort Smith residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Fort Smith, most residents drive alone to work (77%), and 89% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Fort Smith Regional Airport (FSM)
Regional airport · few flights60k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 141% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Fort Smith runs 141% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
792.5
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,379.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Fort Smith Police Department
Natural DisastersThunderstorm Wind most common — 17 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
86.8 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Sebastian County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Sebastian County, which includes Fort Smith, the most common type is thunderstorm wind, with 17 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 17 | Hail | $1.5M |
| 2024 | 19 | Thunderstorm Wind | $61,000 |
| 2023 | 26 | Thunderstorm Wind | $703,000 |
| 2022 | 29 | Hail | $936,000 |
| 2021 | 10 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.0M |
| 2020 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $183,000 |
| 2019 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.2M |
| 2018 | 18 | Thunderstorm Wind | $119,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Sebastian County, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Sequoyah County, OK (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 24 miles from Fort Smith) is typically good — 258 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
42
Good Days
258
per year
Moderate Days
99
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Sequoyah County, OK (24 mi away)
Climate92°F summers, 32°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Fort Smith has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and cold winters (avg low 32°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
74°/50°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/70°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
75°/51°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
54°/32°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
47.3"
Annual Snowfall
2.9"
Hot Days/Year
78
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
63
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
99
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 51°F | 30°F | 2.91" |
| Feb | 57°F | 33°F | 2.69" |
| Mar | 66°F | 42°F | 3.90" |
| Apr | 75°F | 50°F | 4.87" |
| May | 81°F | 60°F | 5.63" |
| Jun | 89°F | 68°F | 4.56" |
| Jul | 94°F | 72°F | 3.39" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.60" |
| Sep | 87°F | 63°F | 4.04" |
| Oct | 76°F | 51°F | 4.42" |
| Nov | 63°F | 40°F | 3.85" |
| Dec | 53°F | 32°F | 3.48" |
Healthcare3 hospitals, avg 2.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Fort Smith
Fort Smith has 3 hospitals, averaging 2.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
3
within city limits
Uninsured
12.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.5 / 5
Mercy Hospital Fort Smith
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Baptist Health - Fort Smith
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Valley Behavioral Health System
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Baptist Health - Van Buren
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 6.3 mi away · Van Buren
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.6:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Fort Smith
Fort Smith's student/teacher ratio is 13.6:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 23.9% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
29
within city limits
Private Schools
9
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.9%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.6:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Fort Smith
University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
Public · 2-year · 4,091 students · in-state tuition $7,888 · 45% graduate · median earnings $44,252 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Fort Smith National Historic Site, 4 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Fort Smith
Fort Smith has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Fort Smith National Historic Site (4 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Fort Smith National Historic Site
National Historic Site
4 mi awayPea Ridge National Military Park
National Military Park
79 mi awayHot Springs National Park
National Park
93 mi awayBuffalo National River
National River
95 mi awayPublic Libraries in Fort Smith
Fort Smith Public Library
3201 Rogers Avenue, Fort Smith
Dallas Street Branch Library
8100 Dallas Street, Fort Smith
Miller Branch Library
8701 S. 28th St., Fort Smith
Windsor Drive Branch Library
4701 Windsor Drive, Fort Smith
Cities Near Fort Smith
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Fort Smith?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Fort Smith FAQ
Is Fort Smith, Arkansas affordable?⌄
Fort Smith's median rent is $884/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $54,816/year. Median home value is $178,100.
Is Fort Smith, Arkansas safe?⌄
Fort Smith's violent crime rate was 793 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3379 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Fort Smith, Arkansas?⌄
Fort Smith has an unemployment rate of 4.0%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Fort Smith, Arkansas?⌄
The cost of living in Fort Smith is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $884/month and median household income is $54,816/year. The median home value is $178,100. About 40% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Fort Smith, Arkansas?⌄
The average commute in Fort Smith is 17 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from