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
median household income $58,315, 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
Unique to this place
What stands out about Fort Smith
What changed most since 1990
Adults with a bachelor's degree11.8% → 21.0%(+9.3 pts)US over the same years: +15.3 pts
Among the 19 metro and micro areas based in Arkansas
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)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)26.1%(3,758)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era32.3%(4,637)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War5.2%(753)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II1.6%(224)
US avg: 1%
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
Over time
Fort Smith, decade by decade
Fort Smith population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
175,911
$53,680
$108,746
11.8%
26.5
2000
207,290
$59,109
$123,305
13.8%
42.8
2010
230,083
$56,246
$144,408
15.5%
52.0
2020
227,213
$57,111
$148,624
20.3%
65.2
2024
229,899
$58,315
$171,575
21.0%
60.0
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.
