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CITY

Fort Smith

Arkansas · 90,855 residents (2025 est.) · 64.189 sq mi
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The short version

Fort Smith has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $54,816. Population has held roughly steady since 2000. Median home value has more than doubled since 2000, reaching $178,100.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 36.5
US median: 38.9
Less educated
24% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 34%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
89,805
+12%since 2000
from 80,268 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,399 / sq mi
+7%since 2009
from 1,310 / sq mi in 2009
US average: 281
Median age
36.5
+3%since 2000
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9

PEP 2025 EST:90,855 residents (Census Bureau Vintage 2025, released March 2026)

Population, 1990 – 2024
71K76K81K86K92K1990201020202024Fort Smith
202490K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.5%(5,845)
US avg: 5.6%
5 to 96.5%(5,855)
US avg: 6%
10 to 146.6%(5,898)
US avg: 6.4%
15 to 196.6%(5,898)
US avg: 6.6%
20 to 247%(6,266)
US avg: 6.5%
25 to 3414.7%(13,229)
US avg: 13.7%
35 to 4412.3%(11,034)
US avg: 13.2%
45 to 5411.5%(10,316)
US avg: 12.2%
55 to 6412.3%(11,083)
US avg: 12.7%
65 to 749.7%(8,708)
US avg: 10.2%
75 to 844.3%(3,830)
US avg: 5.1%
85 and over2.1%(1,843)
US avg: 1.9%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$54,816
−6%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,157 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$34,413
+81%since 2000
from $18,994 in 2000
US average: $44,673
Households earning $100K+
35.2%
+16.3 ptssince 2009
from 19.0% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Poverty rate
18.3%
+2.5 ptssince 2000
from 15.8% in 2000
US average: 12.5%
Income inequality (Gini)
0.521
+7%since 2010
from 0.486 in 2010
US average: 0.476
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade18.4%
US avg: 9.9%
Information10.6%
US avg: 10.8%
Finance & insurance5.6%
US avg: 5.9%
Wholesale trade5.6%
US avg: 6.9%
Professional, scientific, technical5.1%
US avg: 5.1%
Other services4.8%
US avg: 6.7%
Public administration3.5%
US avg: 4.8%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
US avg: 2.2%
Arts, entertainment, food1.2%
US avg: 1.9%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.2%
US avg: 1.6%
Construction0.8%
US avg: 1.2%
Education & health services0.5%
US avg: 0.9%
Manufacturing0.4%
US avg: 0.4%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$178,100
+34%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $72,900 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$884
+14%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $424 in 2000
US average: $1,442
Owner-occupied
53.4%
−3.0 ptssince 2000
from 56.3% in 2000
46.6% rent
Vacancy rate
9.1%
−1.8 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% in 2009
US average: 10.0%
Owner cost-burdened
16.6%
−3.0 ptssince 2009
from 19.6% in 2009
US average: 22.9%
Renter cost-burdened
39.5%
−5.9 ptssince 2009
from 45.4% in 2009
US average: 47.4%
Afford Score
3.2
+10%since 2009
from 3.0 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index: median home value divided by median household income. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
RELATED:See current rent listings in Fort Smith on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic74%(59,436)
Black8.6%(6,874)
Hispanic / Latino8.8%(7,048)
Asian4.6%(3,661)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic58.1%(52,218)
Black7%(6,285)
Hispanic / Latino20.5%(18,421)
Asian5.3%(4,738)
Other9.1%(8,143)
Diversity Score
75
+19%since 2009
from 64 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Hispanic origin
Mexican13.6%(12,255)
Central American4.8%(4,327)
Salvadoran3.2%(2,837)
Guatemalan0.9%(787)
Honduran0.6%(497)
Puerto Rican0.4%(357)
Spaniard0.2%(189)
Costa Rican0.2%(147)
Cuban0.1%(108)
Dominican0.1%(97)
Colombian0.1%(89)
+ 3 more hispanic origin groups with data
Peruvian0.1%(84)
Nicaraguan0.1%(56)
Asian origin
Vietnamese2.2%(1,938)
Laotian2.1%(1,845)
Filipino0.3%(280)
Asian Indian0.3%(232)
Hmong0.1%(79)
Korean0.1%(64)
Chinese0.1%(57)
Nepalese0.1%(55)
Pakistani0.1%(50)
Japanese0%(13)
Kazakh0%(8)
+ 2 more asian origin groups with data
Thai0%(1)
Pacific Islander origin
Ancestry
German11.4%(10,239)
English10.2%(9,180)
Irish9.9%(8,867)
American4.7%(4,236)
Scottish2.1%(1,866)
Italian1.6%(1,440)
French1.6%(1,402)
Dutch0.9%(829)
Welsh0.8%(761)
British0.6%(539)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Swedish0.6%(524)
Polish0.5%(421)
Norwegian0.3%(310)
Hungarian0.3%(256)
Russian0.2%(202)
West Indian0.2%(155)
Nigerian0.1%(108)
Swiss0.1%(91)
Canadian0.1%(86)
Greek0.1%(72)
Arab0.1%(63)
Danish0.1%(51)
Czech0%(38)
Ukrainian0%(32)
Israeli0%(24)
Finnish0%(20)
Slovak0%(18)
Iranian0%(16)
Lebanese0%(11)
Serbian0%(7)
RANKED:Largest Mexican population · Largest German population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest Central American population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
23.9%
+5.3 ptssince 2000
from 18.6% in 2000
US average: 35.6%
High school or higher
83.7%
+8.0 ptssince 2000
from 75.7% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Graduate degree
9.9%
+3.2 ptssince 2000
from 6.7% in 2000
US average: 14.0%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
16.8 min
+59%since 2000
from 10.6 min in 2000
US average: 26.5
Drive alone to work
77.4%
−5.3 ptssince 2009
from 82.7% in 2009
US average: 68.9%
Carpooled to work
11.5%
−1.6 ptssince 2009
from 13.2% in 2009
US average: 8.5%
Public transit
0.1%
−0.3 ptssince 2009
from 0.4% in 2009
US average: 3.2%
Worked from home
7.8%
+6.3 ptssince 2009
from 1.5% in 2009
US average: 15.0%
Walked to work
1.2%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 0.9% in 2009
US average: 2.4%
Biked to work
0.2%
−0.1 ptssince 2009
from 0.3% in 2009
US average: 0.4%
No vehicle available
7.6%
+0.1 ptssince 2009
from 7.5% in 2009
US average: 8.3%
Section 07

Work & employment

Unemployment rate
6.5%
+0.3 ptssince 2011
from 6.3% in 2011
US average: 5.2%
Labor force participation
61.9%
+0.8 ptssince 2011
from 61.1% in 2011
US average: 63.5%
Self-employed
11.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.9%
−24.0 ptssince 2009
from 59.9% in 2009
US average: 42.5%
Section 08

People & community

Male
49.5%
+0.7 ptssince 2009
from 48.8% in 2009
Female
50.5%
−0.7 ptssince 2009
from 51.2% in 2009
Foreign born
11.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.6% in 2009
US average: 14.1%
Veterans
6.8%
−41.2 ptssince 2009
from 48.0% in 2009
US average: 6.2%
With a disability
22.7%
+5.7 ptssince 2012
from 17.0% in 2012
US average: 13.3%
Uninsured
12.7%
−65.6 ptssince 2013
from 78.3% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.4%
+17.8 ptssince 2017
from 67.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
English only at home
79.1%
−0.2 ptssince 2016
from 79.3% in 2016
US average: 77.7%
Spanish at home
15.6%
+1.3 ptssince 2016
from 14.3% in 2016
US average: 13.6%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married35.3%(12,511)
Married48.5%(17,169)
Widowed3.3%(1,158)
Divorced12.9%(4,571)
Women 15+
Never married28.7%(10,579)
Married46.9%(17,253)
Widowed9.4%(3,452)
Divorced15%(5,514)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
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FORT SMITH VS
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FORT SMITH VS
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Frequently asked

How many people live in Fort Smith, Arkansas?

Fort Smith, Arkansas has about 89,805 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.

What is the median household income in Fort Smith, Arkansas?

The typical household in Fort Smith, Arkansas earns about $54,816 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Fort Smith, Arkansas expensive?

In Fort Smith, Arkansas, the median home is worth about $178,100, and the typical rent is about $884 a month.

How educated are people in Fort Smith, Arkansas?

About 23.9% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Smith, Arkansas hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Fort Smith, Arkansas?

About 18.3% of people in Fort Smith, Arkansas live below the federal poverty line.

Has Fort Smith, Arkansas grown since 1990?

Yes, Fort Smith, Arkansas has grown since 1990. The population has added about 17,007 residents, a change of about 23 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →