CensusEasy
METRO AREA · 1990 CENSUS

Fort Smith Metro

Fort Smith, AR-OK · 3 counties · 175,911 residents · 1,800 sq mi
Time machine
COMPARE TO
Compare
The short version

Fort Smith is a metro area of 175,911 people. Median home value sits at $45,309. 12% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher. Renters pay $306 a month at the median. Median household income is $22,366, under the $30,130 national median. There are 31,379 fewer people here than in 2000.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $30,130
Mid-age
median age 33.4
US median: 33.0
Less educated
12% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 20%
More affordable
home values down 12%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $93,722
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
175,911
−15%vs 2000
vs 207,290 in 2000
1990 – 2025
Population density
98 / sq mi
−15%vs 2000
vs 115 / sq mi in 2000
Median age
33.4
−6%vs 2000
vs 35.6 in 2000
US average: 33.0
Land area
1,800 sq mi
Population, 1990 – 2024
170K187K204K221K238K19902000201020202024Fort Smith
2024230K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 1990
Under 57.3%(12,856)
US avg: 7.3%
5 to 97.7%(13,560)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 147.7%(13,626)
US avg: 6.9%
15 to 197.3%(12,855)
US avg: 7.1%
20 to 246.4%(11,262)
US avg: 7.5%
25 to 3416.1%(28,380)
US avg: 17.5%
35 to 4414.4%(25,374)
US avg: 15.1%
45 to 5411.1%(19,444)
US avg: 10.2%
55 to 648.6%(15,088)
US avg: 8.5%
65 to 747.6%(13,338)
US avg: 7.3%
75 to 844.4%(7,698)
US avg: 4%
85 and over1.4%(2,430)
US avg: 1.2%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$22,366
−9%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $32,448 in 2000
US average: $30,130
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$11,083
−33%vs 2000
vs $16,605 in 2000
US average: $14,340
Poverty rate
16.1%
+1.1 ptsvs 2000
vs 14.9% in 2000
US average: 13.2%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$45,309
−12%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $67,689 in 2000
US average: $93,722
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$306
−1%inflation adjusted, since 2000
vs $408 in 2000
US average: $450
Owner-occupied
69.6%
+0.7 ptsvs 2000
vs 68.9% in 2000
30.4% rent
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

2000
White, non-Hispanic80.4%(166,605)
Black4%(8,189)
Hispanic / Latino4.9%(10,246)
Asian2.3%(4,715)
Other0%
1990
White, non-Hispanic88.4%(155,575)
Black3.8%(6,706)
Hispanic / Latino0.9%(1,644)
Asian2%(3,604)
Other5.7%(10,026)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican7.8%(17,941)
Salvadoran2.1%(4,884)
Guatemalan0.6%(1,313)
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
Dominican0.1%(140)
Argentine0.1%(64)
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
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
British0.4%(924)
Norwegian0.4%(834)
Czech0.2%(531)
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)
Haitian0%(29)
Israeli0%(24)
Turkish0%(17)
Lebanese0%(16)
Iranian0%(16)
Syrian0%(15)
Latvian0%(7)
Serbian0%(7)
Slovene0%(5)
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
11.8%
−2.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 13.8% in 2000
US average: 20.3%
High school or higher
67.4%
−6.6 ptsvs 2000
vs 74.1% in 2000
US average: 75.2%
Graduate degree
3.9%
−1.0 ptsvs 2000
vs 4.9% in 2000
US average: 7.1%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
18.7 min
+32%vs 2000
vs 14.2 min in 2000
US average: 21.9
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status (2024)
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

Showing 2024 (the nearest year with coverage data).

Uninsured
11.0%
−8.7 ptssince 2013
from 19.7% 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%
+0.1 ptssince 2020
from 12.3% in 2020
US average: 13.8%
Medicare
21.1%
−0.1 ptssince 2020
from 21.1% in 2020
US average: 18.4%
Medicaid
27.4%
+0.6 ptssince 2020
from 26.8% in 2020
US average: 20.9%
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)
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
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

Sebastian CountyCENTRAL130,641Crawford CountyCENTRAL62,657Sequoyah County40,842
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 Smith
Head to head

Compare Fort Smith side by side

FORT SMITH VS
Lake Havasu City
Income$57,684+158%
Home value$281,000+520%
Population228,102−3%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Macon-Bibb County
Income$59,225+165%
Home value$186,510+312%
Population238,553+2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Las Cruces
Income$56,848+154%
Home value$220,800+387%
Population229,091−2%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
FORT SMITH VS
Johnson City
Income$58,506+162%
Home value$222,250+391%
Population216,416−8%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Fort Smith, AR-OK?

Fort Smith, AR-OK has about 175,911 residents according to the 1990 Census.

What is the median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK?

The typical household in Fort Smith, AR-OK earns about $22,366 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 $45,309, and the typical rent is about $306 a month.

How educated are people in Fort Smith, AR-OK?

About 11.8% 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 16.1% of people in Fort Smith, AR-OK live below the federal poverty line.

Keep going

Explore from here

DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →