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Fort Smith, AR

City in Sebastian County, Arkansas. ZIP codes: 72901, 72903, 72904, 72908, 72916, 72923.

Population

89,805

Land area

64.2sq mi

People per sq mi

1,399

ZIP codes

6

Fort Smith and its ZIP codes

Full map

Fort Smith at a glance

  • Fort Smith is about 24 times as dense as Arkansas as a whole.
  • It is the 3rd most populous of 614 cities and towns in Arkansas.
  • Households here earn a median of $54,816 a year, 10% less than the Arkansas figure of $60,773.
  • A typical owner-occupied home is valued at $178,100 (5% below Arkansas) and median rent is $884 a month.

Local data for Fort Smith, AR

Counts from official public data

Housing and community stats

Fort Smith, AR, American Community Survey 2020-2024

Full profile

Median household income

$54,816

Poverty rate

18.3%

Median home value

$178,100

Median rent

$884/mo

Homeownership

53.4%

Bachelor's or higher

23.9%

Median age

36.5

Average commute

16.8 min

Largest reported origins and ancestries: Mexican Americans (12,255), German Americans (10,239), Irish Americans (8,867).

Home values and rentsIncome, education and commute

Economy and federal money

Jobs, pay, income and spending are for Sebastian County. PPP loans are for Fort Smith.

Details

Unemployment rate

3.6%

Aug 2026, -0.6 pts in a year

Average annual pay

$55,769

67,700 jobs, 2025

Income per person

$51,559

BEA, 2024

Federal spending

$1B

FY 2026, $7,956 per person

PPP loans

$201M

2,541 loans, 26,466 jobs reported

Sebastian County economyFederal spendingPPP loans

How people get to work

Fort Smith, AR, workers 16 and older. American Community Survey 5-year estimates

  • Drove alone77.4%
  • Carpooled11.5%
  • Public transit0.1%
  • Walked1.2%
  • Bicycle0.2%
  • Taxi, ride-hailing, motorcycle or other1.8%
  • Worked from home7.8%

Average one-way commute: 16.8 minutes for people who do not work from home.

Environment and hazard risk

Fort Smith, AR, from FEMA, NOAA and EPA

Full report

Natural hazard risk

Relatively Moderate

Top: ice storm

Storm events since 1996

850

Countywide, mostly thunderstorm wind

Flood insurance policies

290

0.6% of homes, county

July high / Jan low

94° / 30°F

47.3 inches of rain a year

Hazards, floods and storm historyCheck a flood zone31 historic places

Health statistics

Share of adults in Fort Smith, AR, CDC PLACES estimates

All 40 measures

Obesity

37.0%

U.S. 33.3% +3.7 pts

Diabetes

13.8%

U.S. 12.1% +1.7 pts

Smoking

17.2%

U.S. 12.8% +4.4 pts

Uninsured (18-64)

15.3%

U.S. 11.1% +4.2 pts

ZIP codes in Fort Smith

6 in or overlapping Fort Smith. Population shown

·

Cities near Fort Smith

NameDistanceLand area (sq mi)
Arkoma, OKTown4.1 mi3.5
BarlingCity5.3 mi10.3
Moffett, OKTown5.6 mi1
Van BurenCity6.1 mi15.5
Central CityTown7.9 mi2.2
DoraCensus-designated place8 mi0.8
Roland, OKTown8.5 mi3.5
Pocola, OKTown8.7 mi30.3
KiblerCity8.7 mi5
BonanzaCity9.2 mi2.8
Remy, OKCensus-designated place10 mi12.9
LavacaCity11 mi2.2
HackettCity12 mi1.4
GreenwoodCity12 mi11.4
Fort Coffee, OKTown12 mi6.5
Liberty, OKCensus-designated place12 mi2.3

Frequently asked questions

What county is Fort Smith, AR in?
Fort Smith is in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
What ZIP codes are in Fort Smith, AR?
ZIP codes in or overlapping Fort Smith include 72901, 72903, 72904, 72908, 72916, 72923.
What is the population of Fort Smith, AR?
About 89,805 people live in Fort Smith, based on American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
What cities are near Fort Smith?
Nearby places include Arkoma, OK (4.1 mi), Barling (5.3 mi), Moffett, OK (5.6 mi), Van Buren (6.1 mi), Central City (7.9 mi).

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (TIGER/Line boundaries, American Community Survey) · Data as of 12/31/2023