Fort Smith, AR-OK

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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    2024 Population
    229,899
    2024 Poverty Rate
    16.4%
    4.42% 1-year decrease
    2024 Median Household Income
    $58,468
    3.09% 1-year growth
    2024 Median Property Value
    $171,200
    6.93% 1-year growth
    2024 Employed Population
    99,127
    1.17% 1-year growth

    About

    N/A of the households in Fort Smith, AR-OK reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

    96.6% of the residents in Fort Smith, AR-OK are U.S. citizens.

    In 2024, the median property value in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $171,200, and the homeownership rate was 66.6%.

    Most people in Fort Smith, AR-OK N/A, and the average commute time was 21.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 2 cars per household.

    About the photo: Ozark, AR
    Photo by Edgar Pierce
    United StatesArkansasOklahoma

    Population & Diversity

    Fort Smith, AR-OK is home to a population of 230k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.53% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were born outside of the country (15k people).

    In 2024, there were 9.56 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (158k people) in Fort Smith, AR-OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 16.5k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 15k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    Population & Diversity

    Citizenship

    96.6%
    2024 Citizenship
    96.5%
    2023 Citizenship

    As of 2024, 96.6% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

    The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Fort Smith, AR-OK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Diversity

    Race and Ethnicity

    The 3 largest ethnic groups in Fort Smith, AR-OK
    1. White (Non-Hispanic)
      158k ± 834
    2. Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic)
      16.5k ± 888
    3. Other (Hispanic)
      15k ± 1.17k
    12.1%
    Hispanic Population
    27.9k people

    In 2024, there were 9.56 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (158k people) in Fort Smith, AR-OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 16.5k Two Races Excluding Other, & Three or More Races (Non-Hispanic) and 15k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

    12.1% of the people in Fort Smith, AR-OK are hispanic (27.9k people).

    The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Fort Smith, AR-OK as a share of the total population.

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    Foreign-Born Population

    6.53%
    2024 Foreign-Born Population
    15k people
    6.31%
    2023 Foreign-Born Population
    14.4k people

    As of 2024, 6.53% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents (15k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 6.31%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

    The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Fort Smith, AR-OK compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Military

    Veterans

    Most Common Service Period
    1. Vietnam
      4,465 ± 442
    2. Gulf War (2001-)
      4,017 ± 560
    3. Gulf War (1990s)
      2,217 ± 361

    Fort Smith, AR-OK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.11 times greater than any other conflict.

    The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Fort Smith, AR-OK.

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    Health

    89% of the population of Fort Smith, AR-OK has health coverage, with 37% on employee plans, 23.2% on Medicaid, 12.8% on Medicare, 13.3% on non-group plans, and 2.65% on military or VA plans.

    Primary care physicians in Arkansas see 1,478 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,478 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2044 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 368 patients per year.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    Coverage

    Patient to Clinician Ratios

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Arkansas.
    1,478 to 1
    Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Arkansas

    Primary care physicians in Arkansas see an average of 1,478 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,478 patients).

    The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Arkansas in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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    Health Care Diversity

    In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.1% under 18 years, 20.3% between 18 and 34 years, 37.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 17.3% over 64 years.

    By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 49.1% were men and 50.9% were women.

    The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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    Uninsured People

    11%
    Uninsured
    37%
    Employer Coverage
    23.2%
    Medicaid
    12.8%
    Medicare
    13.3%
    Non-Group
    2.65%
    Military or VA

    Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK declined by 0.71% from 11.1% to 11%.

    The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Fort Smith, AR-OK changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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    Economy

    The economy of Fort Smith, AR-OK employs 99.1k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Fort Smith, AR-OK were Manufacturing (16,364 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,230 people), and Retail Trade (11,652 people), and the highest paying industries were Utilities ($64,524), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($59,065), and Transportation & Warehousing ($57,596).

    Employment

    Occupations

    99.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 2,510
    1.17%
    1 Year growth
    ± 3.56%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 98k employees to 99.1k employees.

    The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (10,937 people), Sales & Related Occupations (10,267 people), and Production Occupations (9,995 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Fort Smith, AR-OK.

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    Unemployment Insurance Claims

    Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Arkansas.

    This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Arkansas (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

    The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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    Industries

    Employment by Industries

    99.1k
    2024 Value
    ± 2,510
    1.17%
    1 Year growth
    ± 3.56%

    From 2023 to 2024, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew at a rate of 1.17%, from 98k employees to 99.1k employees.

    The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Manufacturing (16,364 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,230 people), and Retail Trade (11,652 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Fort Smith, AR-OK, though some of these residents may live in Fort Smith, AR-OK and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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    Median Earnings by Industry

    $46,945
    Median earning men ± $1,851
    $33,888
    Median earning women ± $1,043

    The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($65,360), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,106), and Information ($57,125).

    The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Public Administration ($46,630), Information ($46,212), and Wholesale Trade ($43,611).

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    Establishments by Size

    The industries with the most establishments
    1. 328
      Retail Trade
    2. 309
      Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
    3. 306
      Health Care and Social Assistance

    The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

    The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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    Payroll by Industry Sector

    The industries with the highest total annual payroll
    1. $1.02M
      Manufacturing
    2. $752k
      Health Care and Social Assistance
    3. $344k
      Retail Trade

    The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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    Civics

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Arkansas and Oklahoma went to Donald J. Trump with 65.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (32.6%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.06%).

    James Lankford, Alan Armstrong, John Boozman, and Tom Cotton are the senators currently representing the state of Oklahoma and Arkansas. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    Oklahoma and Arkansas is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

    Presidential Elections

    Voting results are not available for Fort Smith, AR-OK. Showing the available data for Arkansas and Oklahoma.
    2024 Election Results
    1. Donald J. Trump (65.3%)
      Republican Party
    2. Kamala Harris (32.6%)
      Democratic Party
    3. Robert Kennedy (1.06%)
      Independent Party

    In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Arkansas and Oklahoma went to Donald J. Trump with 65.3% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (32.6%), followed by Robert Kennedy (1.06%).

    The following chart shows the popular vote results in Arkansas and Oklahoma for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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    Senator Elections

    US Senators from Oklahoma and Arkansas

    Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Oklahoma and Arkansas.
    James Lankford
    Senator from Oklahoma3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2015
    Took office following the resignation of Tom Coburn.
    Alan Armstrong
    Senator from Oklahoma2
    Assumed office on March 24, 2026
    Took office following the resignation of Markwayne Mullin as Secretary of Homeland Security.{{cite web |last1=Hoberock |first1=Barbara |title=Mullin resigns from US Senate |url=https://oklahomavoice.com/2026/03/23/mullin-resigns-from-us-senate-oklahoma-governor-to-appoint-his-replacement/ |website=Oklahoma Voice |access-date=24 March 2026}}.
    John Boozman
    Senator from Arkansas3
    Assumed office on January 3, 2011
    Tom Cotton
    Senator from Arkansas2
    Assumed office on January 3, 2015

    James Lankford, Alan Armstrong, John Boozman, and Tom Cotton are the senators currently representing Oklahoma and Arkansas.

    In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

    The following chart shows elected senators in Oklahoma and Arkansas over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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    Education

    In 2024, universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK awarded 2,236 degrees. The student population of Fort Smith, AR-OK in 2024 is skewed towards women, with 2,660 male students and 3,853 female students.

    The median tuition cost for a public four year colleges is $4,752 for in-state students and $9,600 for out-of-state students.

    Admissions & Enrollments

    Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

    University
    Measure

    In 2024 in Fort Smith, AR-OK, the percentage of applicants admitted was 80.5%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 40.2%. The number of students enrolled in 2024 was 6,513 (40.8% men and 59.2% women).

    The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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    Enrollments by Gender and Races

    Universities

    In 2024 there were 6,513 students enrolled in Fort Smith, AR-OK, 40.8% men and 59.2% women.

    By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in N/A with N/A records, of which N/A% were women and N/A% men.

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    Completions

    Concentrations

    Most Common
    1. Liberal Arts & Sciences
      309 degrees awarded
    2. General Studies
      270 degrees awarded
    3. Pre-Engineering
      39 degrees awarded

    In 2024, the most common concentation for Associates Degree recipients in Fort Smith, AR-OK was Liberal Arts & Sciences with 309 degrees awarded.

    This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Associates Degree from schools in Fort Smith, AR-OK according to their major.

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    Awarded Degrees over Time

    The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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    Tuition

    Average Net Price by Sector

    Universities

    Public, 4-year or above ($4,752) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($2,582) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2024.

    Public, 4-year or above ($1,368) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

    The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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    Housing & Living

    The median property value in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $171,200 in 2024, which is 0.515 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $160,100 to $171,200, a 6.93% increase. The homeownership rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK is 66.6%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

    People in Fort Smith, AR-OK have an average commute time of 21.5 minutes, and they N/A. Car ownership in Fort Smith, AR-OK is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

    Housing

    Property

    $171,200
    Median Property Value 2024
    ±$3,507
    $60,605
    Median Property Taxes
    ±$1,835

    The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Fort Smith, AR-OK the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

    The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Fort Smith, AR-OK compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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    Rent vs Own

    66.6%
    Homeownership
    2024
    67.5%
    Homeowners with Mortgage
    2024

    In 2024, 66.6% of the housing units in Fort Smith, AR-OK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 66.2%.

    This chart shows the percentage of owner in Fort Smith, AR-OK compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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    Equity

    Household Income

    Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
    $58,468
    Median Household Income
    ± $1,723
    91k
    Number of Households
    ± 2,387

    In 2024, the median household income of the 91k households in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew to $58,468 from the previous year's value of $56,717.

    The following chart displays the households in Fort Smith, AR-OK distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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    Transportation

    Commute Time

    21.5 minutes
    Average Travel Time

    Using averages, employees in Fort Smith, AR-OK have a shorter commute time (21.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.68% of the workforce in Fort Smith, AR-OK have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

    The chart below shows how the median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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    Car Ownership

    2 cars
    Average Number

    The following chart displays the households in Fort Smith, AR-OK distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Fort Smith, AR-OK have 2 cars.

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    Poverty

    Poverty & Diversity

    16.4% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fort Smith, AR-OK (37k out of 226k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 55 - 64 and then Females 18 - 24.

    The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Fort Smith, AR-OK is White, followed by Hispanic and Two Or More.

    The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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