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CITY

Fort Smith

Arkansas · 90,855 residents (2025 est.) · 64.2 sq mi
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The short version

With 89,805 people, Fort Smith is a city in Arkansas. 24% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $178,100. 53% of homes are owner-occupied. Getting to work takes 17 minutes on average. Renters pay $884 a month at the median.

At a glance
Lower income
median household income $54,816, 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
Unique to this place

What stands out about Fort Smith

What changed most since 1990

  • White share85.9% → 58.1% (−27.7 pts)US over the same years: −17.8 pts
  • Hispanic share1.1% → 20.5% (+19.5 pts)US over the same years: +9.9 pts
  • Adults with a bachelor's degree16.7% → 23.9% (+7.1 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts

Among the 50 cities and towns in the Fort Smith metro

  • 22nd in household income$54,816
  • 9th in share with a bachelor's degree23.9%
  • 15th in home value$178,100
  • 4th in diversity score75.5

Its weight in Sebastian County

Fort Smith's population equals 70% of Sebastian County's. Its number of foreign-born residents equals 92% of the county's.

Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
89,805
+12%since 2000
from 80,268 in 2000
90,855 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Population density
1,399 / sq mi
+12%since 2000
from 1,250 / sq mi in 2000
US average: 281
Median age
36.5
+3%since 2000
from 35.3 in 2000
US average: 38.9
Land area
64.2 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
71K76K81K86K92K19902000201020202024Fort 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%
Persons per household
2.40 people
−3%since 2009
from 2.48 people in 2009
US average: 2.54
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
1990 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
Gentrification Score
49
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
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
1990 – 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)
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%
Women 20-64 in the labor force
73.7%
+3.2 ptssince 2020
from 70.5% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Self-employed
11.7%
+1.6 ptssince 2009
from 10.1% in 2009
US average: 13.1%
Management & professional
35.9%
+8.1 ptssince 2009
from 27.8% 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%
−4.2 ptssince 2009
from 11.0% 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%
−9.0 ptssince 2013
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Broadband at home
85.4%
+17.8 ptssince 2017
from 67.6% in 2017
US average: 91.0%
Computer in household
94.3%
+4.7 ptssince 2020
from 89.6% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Same house as last year
83.4%
+1.8 ptssince 2020
from 81.6% in 2020
US average: 87.7%
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
Section 09

Health coverage

Uninsured
12.7%
−9.0 ptssince 2013
from 21.7% in 2013
US average: 8.4%
Employer-based
43.6%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 43.0% in 2020
US average: 54.8%
Direct-purchase
12.4%
+0.4 ptssince 2020
from 12.0% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
19.6%
+1.6 ptssince 2020
from 18.0% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.1%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 27.1% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
VA health care
3.6%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 3.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.3%
+0.5 ptssince 2020
from 54.8% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
43.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 42.8% in 2020
US average: 36.7%

Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.

Section 09 · Service history

Veterans

Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)31.6%(1,463)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)28.3%(1,311)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era22.4%(1,036)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War3.6%(169)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.2%(57)
US avg: 1%

Share of the 4,635 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.

BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time

Fort Smith, decade by decade

Fort Smith population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
YearPopulationMedian household incomeMedian home valueBachelor's degree+Diversity score
199072,798$57,206$119,76316.7%31.9
200080,268$58,579$132,79918.6%54.1
201086,209$52,573$157,66719.3%67.9
202089,142$54,824$160,95924.3%77.9
202489,805$54,816$178,10023.9%75.5

Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.

Drill deeper

Places similar to Fort Smith

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Pop 91,195
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Pop 85,591
Daytona Beach
Pop 88,471
Deerfield Beach
Pop 89,339
Places similar to Fort Smith
Head to head

Compare Fort Smith to nearby cities

FORT SMITH VS
Van Buren
Income$61,149+12%
Home value$181,500+2%
Population24,556−73%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Greenwood
Income$66,844+22%
Home value$182,900+3%
Population9,793−89%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Poteau
Income$50,511−8%
Home value$157,400−12%
Population9,171−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Sallisaw
Income$48,036−12%
Home value$134,100−25%
Population8,790−90%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
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

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