Fort Smith, AR
Census place 0524550 · pop 89,805
Old frontier town of 'Hanging Judge' Isaac Parker, whose courtroom and gallows for the lawless Indian Territory are now a national historic site.
Source ↗Sales & income are statewide.
The breakdown — worst first
U.S. median 152/100k · worse than most cities
845 violent crimes per 100k · Violent crimes (murder, rape, robbery, aggravated assault) per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 0.43 · worse than most cities
Gini 0.52 (0 = equal, 1 = unequal) · Gini index of household income (0 = equal, 1 = unequal).
U.S. median 964/100k · worse than most cities
3697 property crimes per 100k · Burglary, theft, motor-vehicle theft and arson per 100,000 residents.
U.S. median 26.5% · worse than most cities
35.2% of adults · Adults with no leisure-time physical activity.
U.S. median 90.0% · worse than most cities
85.4% of homes have broadband · Share of households with a broadband internet subscription.
U.S. median 17.4% · worse than most cities
19.7% of adults · Adults reporting frequent poor mental health (14+ days a month).
U.S. median 9.3% · worse than most cities
15.3% of adults · Adults 18–64 without health insurance.
U.S. median 14.6% · worse than most cities
17.2% of adults · Share of adults who currently smoke.
U.S. median $67,857 · worse than most cities
$54,816 median household income · Median household income — a proxy for local economic health.
U.S. median 67.2% · worse than most cities
53.4% own their home · Share of occupied homes that are owner-occupied.
U.S. median 12.1% · worse than most cities
18.3% live in poverty · Share of residents living below the federal poverty line.
U.S. median 24.3% · worse than most cities
23.9% have a bachelor's degree or higher · Share of adults 25+ with a bachelor's degree or higher.
U.S. median 36.5% · worse than most cities
37.0% of adults · Share of adults with obesity (BMI ≥ 30).
U.S. median +2.4% · worse than most cities
+2.4% population change (5yr) · 5-year population change — are people moving in, or fleeing?
U.S. median 77/100 · better than most cities
84/100 FEMA risk (higher = riskier) · FEMA National Risk Index — wildfire, flood, earthquake, heat and more. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median 3.6% · better than most cities
3.3% unemployment · Share of the labor force out of work. Published by county, not city — every city in the county shares this figure.
U.S. median $214,900 · better than most cities
$178,100 median home value · Median home value — how expensive it is to buy in. Higher = less affordable.
U.S. median 0.99% · better than most cities
0.64% of home value paid in property tax · Median real-estate taxes paid as a share of home value.
U.S. median 24 min · better than most cities
17 min average one-way commute · Average one-way commute to work, in minutes.
U.S. median $1,756/mo · better than most cities
$1,039/mo typical rent · Typical monthly rent (Zillow Observed Rent Index, all home types).
Not measured for Fort Smith: Air, Bad air. Not every public source covers every city — EPA air monitors and Zillow rent only reach some places, and national crime data is still being added.
Frequently asked
- Is Fort Smith, AR a good place to live?
- By the numbers, Fort Smith scores 41/100 — a D− (Rough) on Shcity, which ranks U.S. cities on public data across 20 metrics like crime, cost, jobs and health. Its strongest area is rent and its weakest is violent crime rate. Arkansas overall ranks #35 of 50 states. Whether it's "good" depends on what you value — re-weight the factors to score it your way.
- How safe is Fort Smith, AR?
- Fort Smith reports 845 violent crimes per 100k and 3697 property crimes per 100k — worse than most U.S. cities on violent crime.
- Is Fort Smith, AR expensive to live in?
- Fort Smith has a median home value of $178,100 and typical rent around $1,039/mo — more affordable than most U.S. cities.
- What's the biggest downside of living in Fort Smith, AR?
- Its weakest measured area is violent crime rate (845/100k) — 5/100, worse than most U.S. cities.
- What is Fort Smith, AR best at?
- Its strongest measured area is rent ($1,039/mo) — 95/100, better than most U.S. cities. Fun fact: Old frontier town of 'Hanging Judge' Isaac Parker, whose courtroom and gallows for the lawless Indian Territory are now a national historic site.
Sources: U.S. Census (ACS), CDC PLACES, FBI Crime Data Explorer, BLS, EPA AirData, FEMA National Risk Index, and Zillow.