METRO AREA
Fort Smith Metro
Fort Smith, AR-OK · 3 counties · 234,140 residents (2025 est.) · 1,800 sq mi
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The short version
Fort Smith is home to 229,899 people. 21% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, below the 36% national rate. Home values have more than doubled since 2000, reaching $171,575. Median rent is $864 a month. The foreign-born share is 7%. Median household income is $58,315, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $82,259
Mid-age
median age 38.8
US median: 38.9
Less educated
21% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 39%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Section 01
Population & growth
229,899
+11%since 2000
from 207,290 in 2000
234,140 in 2025 (Census Bureau estimate)
1990 – 2025
Land area
1,800 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
2024230K
Age distribution, 2024
Under 56.2%(14,243)
5 to 96.9%(15,894)
10 to 146.4%(14,775)
15 to 196.6%(15,091)
20 to 246.2%(14,345)
25 to 3412.9%(29,620)
35 to 4412.3%(28,314)
45 to 5412%(27,550)
55 to 6412.9%(29,725)
65 to 7410.4%(23,909)
75 to 845.2%(11,901)
85 and over2%(4,532)
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02
Income & economy
$58,315
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $32,448 in 2000
US average: $82,259
1990 – 2024
Households earning $100K+
37.8%
+18.7 ptssince 2009
from 19.1% in 2009
US average: 53.3%
Workforce by industry, 2024
Retail trade16.4%
Information11.8%
Wholesale trade6.7%
Finance & insurance5.7%
Other services5%
Professional, scientific, technical4.7%
Public administration3.6%
Transportation & warehousing2.1%
Agriculture, forestry, fishing1.6%
Construction1.1%
Arts, entertainment, food1%
Education & health services1%
Manufacturing0.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 03
Housing
$171,575
+39%inflation adjusted, since 2000
from $67,689 in 2000
US average: $376,019
1990 – 2024
2.9
+18%since 2009
from 2.5 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Years of local income it takes to buy a local home, on a scale of about 0 to 15. Lower is more affordable.
45
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means faster recent growth in incomes, home values, and college degrees.
Section 04
Race & ethnicity
2000
White, non-Hispanic80.4%(166,605)
Black4%(8,189)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(10,246)
Asian2.3%(4,715)
Other0%
2024
White, non-Hispanic68.7%(157,984)
Black3.6%(8,189)
Hispanic / Latino12.1%(27,908)
Asian2.8%(6,468)
Other12.8%(29,350)
60
+27%since 2009
from 47 in 2009
2009 – 2024
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means a more even mix of racial and ethnic groups.
34
−15%since 2020
from 40 in 2020
Our index, 0 to 100. Higher means White and non-White residents are more separated across neighborhoods.
Section 04 · Origins
Detailed origins & ancestry
Hispanic origin
Mexican7.8%(17,941)
Central American3%(6,949)
Salvadoran2.1%(4,884)
Guatemalan0.6%(1,313)
South American0.2%(518)
Honduran0.3%(517)
Puerto Rican0.2%(481)
Spaniard0.2%(366)
Peruvian0.1%(289)
Cuban0.1%(251)
Colombian0.1%(165)
Costa Rican0.1%(147)
+ 4 more hispanic origin groups with data
Asian origin
Vietnamese1%(2,236)
Laotian1%(2,210)
Filipino0.2%(566)
Chinese0.1%(285)
Asian Indian0.1%(240)
Hmong0.1%(225)
Korean0.1%(216)
Pakistani0.1%(174)
Nepalese0%(55)
Sri Lankan0.1%(41)
Thai0%(21)
Japanese0%(13)
+ 3 more asian origin groups with data
Pacific Islander origin
Native Hawaiian0.1%(204)
Marshallese0%(63)
Samoan0%(37)
Guamanian0%(36)
Chamorro0%(11)
Ancestry
English11.3%(26,039)
German10.8%(24,784)
Irish10.7%(24,623)
American8.5%(19,440)
Scottish1.7%(4,012)
Italian1.6%(3,689)
French1.5%(3,562)
Scotch-Irish1%(2,390)
Dutch0.8%(1,825)
Welsh0.6%(1,464)
Polish0.6%(1,283)
Swedish0.5%(1,095)
+ 40 more ancestry groups with data
Subsaharan African0.4%(968)
British0.4%(924)
Norwegian0.4%(834)
Czech0.2%(531)
French Canadian0.2%(494)
Arab0.2%(381)
West Indian0.1%(327)
Russian0.1%(309)
Hungarian0.1%(296)
Canadian0.1%(281)
Swiss0.1%(265)
Romanian0.2%(228)
Armenian0.3%(203)
Finnish0.1%(200)
Austrian0.1%(145)
Egyptian0.2%(137)
Portuguese0.1%(137)
Danish0.1%(130)
Nigerian0.1%(128)
Australian0.2%(100)
Greek0.1%(100)
Belgian0.1%(51)
Slovak0%(50)
Croatian0%(39)
Bulgarian0.1%(35)
Ukrainian0%(35)
Lithuanian0%(30)
Haitian0%(29)
Israeli0%(24)
Turkish0%(17)
Lebanese0%(16)
Iranian0%(16)
Syrian0%(15)
Palestinian0%(12)
Brazilian0%(9)
Jordanian0%(8)
Jamaican0%(8)
Latvian0%(7)
Serbian0%(7)
Slovene0%(5)
Section 05
Education
High school or higher
85.7%
+11.7 ptssince 2000
from 74.1% in 2000
US average: 89.6%
Section 06
Commute & transportation
Section 07
Work & employment
Women 20-64 in the labor force
68.8%
+1.7 ptssince 2020
from 67.1% in 2020
US average: 74.6%
Section 08
People & community
Computer in household
94.0%
+5.9 ptssince 2020
from 88.1% in 2020
US average: 95.5%
Marital status
Men 15+
Never married30.1%(27,240)
Married54.3%(49,135)
Widowed3.4%(3,095)
Divorced12.1%(10,962)
Women 15+
Never married24%(22,695)
Married51.6%(48,767)
Widowed10%(9,443)
Divorced14.4%(13,650)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2024
Section 09
Health coverage
Direct-purchase
12.4%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
VA health care
4.2%
Unchangedsince 2020
from 4.1% in 2020
US average: 2.2%
Any private
55.9%
+0.2 ptssince 2020
from 55.7% in 2020
US average: 67.1%
Any public
45.3%
+0.9 ptssince 2020
from 44.4% 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)27.9%(4,017)
Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(3,758)
Vietnam era32.3%(4,637)
Korean War5.2%(753)
World War II1.6%(224)
Share of the 14,373 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
In this metro
Largest cities
Fort SmithCENTRAL90,855Van Buren24,556Greenwood9,793Sallisaw8,790Alma6,071Barling5,452Roland4,146Muldrow3,375Lavaca2,528Mulberry1,635Cedarville1,458Vian1,386Kibler1,029Gore996Hackett857Dyer807Brushy777Redbird Smith659Nicut609Bonanza603Brent583Remy580Mountainburg535Hartford499Evening Shade489Huntington486Central City469Long450Akins450Carlisle435
The 30 most populous of 51 cities and towns in this metro. CENTRAL marks the metro's principal cities.
What's inside
3 component counties
Drill deeper
Metros similar to Fort Smith
Lake Havasu City
Pop 228,102
Macon-Bibb County
Pop 238,553
Las Cruces
Pop 229,091
Johnson City
Pop 216,416
Places similar to Fort SmithHead to head
Compare Fort Smith side by side
FORT SMITH VS
Lake Havasu City
Income$57,684−1%
Home value$281,000+64%
Population228,102−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Macon-Bibb County
Income$59,225+2%
Home value$186,510+9%
Population238,553+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Las Cruces
Income$56,848−3%
Home value$220,800+29%
Population229,091−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Johnson City
Income$58,506same
Home value$222,250+30%
Population216,416−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked
How many people live in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
Fort Smith, AR-OK has about 229,899 residents according to the 2024 American Community Survey.
What is the median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The typical household in Fort Smith, AR-OK earns about $58,315 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.
Is Fort Smith, AR-OK expensive?
In Fort Smith, AR-OK, the median home is worth about $171,575, and the typical rent is about $864 a month.
How educated are people in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
About 21.0% of adults age 25 and over in Fort Smith, AR-OK hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
What is the poverty rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
About 16.4% of people in Fort Smith, AR-OK live below the federal poverty line.
Has Fort Smith, AR-OK grown since 1990?
Yes, Fort Smith, AR-OK has grown since 1990. The population has added about 53,988 residents, a change of about 31 percent over that period.
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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024