Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area

Metro Area

Population: 228,916 (2023 estimate)

Core-Based Statistical Area (CBSA)

Metro area data from the U.S. Census Bureau. Core-Based Statistical Areas (CBSAs) are defined by the Office of Management and Budget and group counties with a central urban core plus surrounding communities that are economically tied to it. Metro areas often cross county and state lines, making them the best unit for understanding regional labor markets, housing costs, and commute patterns.

Metro income rankings Compare to another metro

Trends 2017–2023

Income Poverty Home Values Rent Homeownership Education Unemployment Commute Time Work From Home Foreign-Born Uninsured

Data: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023 (released December 2024).

Quick Facts — Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area

What is the median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area?: The median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area is $56,717 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023).
What is the poverty rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area?: The poverty rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area is 11.6% (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the median home value in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area?: $160,100 (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What is the average rent in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area?: The median gross rent in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area is $841 per month (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).
What percentage of Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area residents have a college degree?: 21.4% of adults in Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area hold a bachelor's degree or higher (U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023).

Population

228,916

Median Income

$56,717

Median Home Value

$160,100

Poverty Rate

11.6%

Unemployment (ACS 2023)

5.5%

Median Age

38.0 yrs

Since 2019 Median Income: +$11,967 (+26.7%) Home Value: +$45,100 (+39.2%) Poverty Rate: -2.1 pp (-15.3%) Bachelor's+: +3.3 pp (+18.2%) Unemployment: +0.5 pp (+10%)

Demographics

Total Population 228,916

Median Age 38.0

Female 50.7%

Race & Ethnicity

Hispanic or Latino 11.8% White (non-Hisp.) 69.3% Black 3.9% Asian 2.9% Two or More 10.7% Other 6.7%

Asian Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Vietnamese

0.9%

Filipino

0.2%

Indian

0.1%

Chinese

0.1%

Korean

0.1%

Hispanic Subgroups (% of total pop.)

Mexican

7.6%

Puerto Rican

0.3%

Cuban

0.1%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Income & Poverty

Median Household Income $56,717 ±$1,803

Per Capita Income $83,931

Median Family Income $70,594

Poverty Rate 11.6%

Child Poverty Rate 19.2%

Working-Age Poverty Rate —

SNAP Recipients 12.6%

Social Security Income —

Retirement Income 25.6%

Household Income Distribution

< $10k

4.9%

$10–15k

5.6%

$15–25k

9.0%

$25–35k

10.8%

$35–50k

14.7%

$50–75k

18.8%

$75–100k

12.6%

$100–150k

13.7%

$150–200k

5.1%

$200k+

5.0%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Housing

Total Housing Units 100,960

Owner-Occupied 66.2%

Renter-Occupied 33.8%

Vacancy Rate 10.7%

Median Home Value $160,100

Median Gross Rent $841

Owner Cost Burden (30%+) 15.3%

Renter Cost Burden (30%+) 35.0%

Home Value Distribution

< $50k

9.0%

$50–100k

17.2%

$100–200k

20.3%

$200–300k

20.5%

$300–500k

11.9%

$500k–$1M

3.9%

$1M+

0.4%

Gross Rent Distribution

< $500

10.1%

$500–1k

59.4%

$1–1.5k

25.1%

$1.5–2k

3.6%

$2–2.5k

0.6%

$2.5–3.5k

0.4%

$3.5k+

0.9%

Vehicle Availability

No vehicle

5.7%

1 vehicle

33.5%

2 vehicles

37.6%

23.2%

Housing Type

Single-fam. det.

71.5%

Single-fam. att.

1.9%

2–4 units

5.9%

5–19 units

2.6%

20+ units

3.3%

Mobile home

8.1%

Housing Age

Pre-1940

4.5%

1940–1969

5.0%

1970–1999

18.5%

2000–2009

13.7%

2010+

9.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Education

High School or Higher 85.4%

Bachelor's or Higher 21.4%

Graduate Degree 7.6%

Some College / Associate 22.4%

Less Than High School 5.5%

Enrolled in School —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Employment

Labor Force Participation 57.9%

Unemployment Rate 5.5%

Work from Home 6.1%

Self-Employed 5.4%

Government Workers 14.0%

Private For-Profit 80.2%

Industry

Edu/Health

22.2%

Manufacturing

16.3%

Retail

11.2%

Prof. Services

9.4%

Arts/Entmt.

8.8%

Construction

6.8%

Transportation

6.2%

Finance

4.9%

Public Admin

4.2%

Wholesale

2.3%

Agriculture

1.7%

Information

0.9%

Occupation

Management

33.3%

Sales

21.7%

Production

18.8%

Food Prep

16.9%

Construction

9.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Commute

Median Travel Time 21.6 min

Drove Alone 81.3%

Carpool 9.8%

Public Transit 0.2%

Work from Home 6.1%

Walked 1.3%

Bicycle —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Households & Families

Total Households 90,129

Avg. Household Size 2.00

Avg. Family Size —

Married-Couple Households 48.7%

Single-Mother Households —

Single-Father Households —

Living Alone —

Households with Children 18.4%

Multigenerational —

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Age Distribution

Under 5

6.3%

5–9

6.8%

10–14

6.6%

15–19

6.5%

20–24

6.2%

25–34

12.9%

35–44

12.2%

45–54

12.1%

55–64

6.4%

65–74

6.6%

75–84

10.2%

85+

5.1%

Under 18: 24.0% Working age (18–64): 76.0% 65 and over: 17.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023

Social Characteristics

Immigration

Foreign Born 6.4%

Naturalized Citizen 45.0%

Speaks English Less Than Very Well 4.8%

Foreign-Born Origin

Latin America

64.8%

Asia

27.1%

Europe

4.1%

Africa

1.6%

Veterans & Disability

Veteran 8.7%

With a Disability 21.4%

Cognitive Difficulty —

Ambulatory Difficulty —

Health Insurance

Insured 88.9%

Uninsured 11.1%

Employer Insurance —

Medicaid —

Medicare —

Technology & Mobility

Broadband Internet 83.5%

Has a Computer 92.5%

Same House 1 Year Ago 86.4%

Moved from Abroad 0.2%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates, 2023