Housing Value★★★★★★★★★★3.7 / 5Home values compared with local household income.
Living in Fort Smith, AR
Explore Fort Smith and see how it fits the life you want to build.
Overall Match6.7 / 10
Baseline match from currently available location scores. Choose priorities to personalize it.
Fort Smith at a Glance
Key facts and current data
Population89,805
Median Household Income$54,816
Median Home Value$178,100
Median Gross Rent$884
Median Age36.5
Average Household Size2.4
Unemployment6.5%
Work From Home7.8%
Homeownership53.4%
Housing Vacancy9.1%
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year.
Fort Smith is a mid-sized community where local neighborhoods, nearby job centers and regional access can matter as much as citywide averages.
Experience the Area
Experience Life in Fort Smith Before You Move
Explore Short-Term Stays in Fort Smith →Stay options powered by Stay22 · affiliate
NarrowTheList highly recommends you spend a week or two in Fort Smith and experience everyday life before deciding whether it is the right place to call home. Use that time to explore neighborhoods, drive your normal routes, shop where residents shop, and get a feel for the area at different times of day.
NarrowTheList Ratings
Data-driven starter ratings. More categories appear automatically as new datasets are added.
Housing & Cost of Living in Fort Smith
Current housing indicators from the U.S. Census Bureau
Median Home Value$178,100
Median Gross Rent$884
Homeownership53.4%
Housing Vacancy9.1%
Home values are comparatively balanced against local household income, although individual neighborhoods can still vary substantially. Renters make up a substantial share of the local housing market.
Jobs, Income & Remote Work
Employment and household-income context for Fort Smith, AR
Median Household Income$54,816
Unemployment6.5%
Work From Home7.8%
The reported unemployment rate is elevated enough to warrant a closer look at current local employment conditions.
Population & Household Profile
Who lives in Fort Smith and how households are structured
Population89,805
Median Age36.5
Average Household Size2.4
Fort Smith is a mid-sized community where neighborhood and nearby-employment patterns can materially affect a relocation decision.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2020-2024 ACS 5-Year. NarrowTheList presents these values as relocation context; conditions can vary within a community.
Climate & Weather in Fort Smith
Long-term NOAA climate normals and practical seasonal context
NOAA climate normals for Fort Smith point to hot summers, winters with regular freezing conditions, a wetter annual rainfall pattern and occasional snowfall.
Average Summer High94.1°F
Average Winter Low29.6°F
Annual Rainfall47.3 in.
Annual Snowfall2.9 in.
Seasonal Life in Fort Smith
What the long-term climate pattern may mean for everyday living.
Spring
Spring is a good time to see how wetter conditions affect drainage, yards, commuting and the usability of outdoor spaces.
Summer
Summer heat is a meaningful part of daily life. During a trial stay, pay attention to afternoon comfort, cooling use, vehicle heat and how much outdoor activity shifts toward mornings and evenings.
Fall
Fall marks a substantial seasonal transition here. It is a useful time to judge how quickly temperatures change and whether that seasonal swing fits the lifestyle you want.
Winter
Freezing winter lows make heating, icy conditions and cold-weather routines worth evaluating even if annual snowfall is limited.
Source: NOAA/NCEI U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020. Seasonal descriptions are relocation context derived from the available long-term normals, not a forecast.
Fort Smith is located in Sebastian County, but city-level housing, income and neighborhood conditions can differ meaningfully from countywide averages. Sebastian County. Current county foreclosure activity is classified as medium, adding another housing-market signal for buyers comparing conventional and distressed-property opportunities.
County Intelligence
Fort Smith & Sebastian County
Medium
Foreclosure Activity
Fort Smith is located in Sebastian County, Arkansas.
NarrowTheList uses county-level information alongside local community data because many factors that matter when choosing a place to live are measured beyond city boundaries. Housing, property taxes, employment, healthcare access and other regional characteristics can add useful context to the picture of life in Fort Smith.
Current NarrowTheList data for Fort Smith shows a population of about 89,805. These local figures become more useful when read together with county-level tax, housing, foreclosure and demographic conditions rather than treated as isolated city statistics.
Foreclosure Activity: Medium. Current signal uses NarrowTheList foreclosure-opportunity data until direct county delinquency and foreclosure datasets are connected.
For someone comparing homes, county boundaries can matter because taxes, public services, court and recording systems, assessment practices and housing-market conditions are often administered or reported at the county level. NarrowTheList keeps that county relationship attached to the community so future tax, foreclosure, housing and demographic data can be interpreted in the correct geographic context.
County relationship
Sebastian County
How NarrowTheList uses it
County information is used as a supporting geographic layer, not as a substitute for local data. As more county datasets are added, NarrowTheList can use them to improve comparisons, ratings and relocation insights for Fort Smith.
Nearby Cities & Communities
Nearby incorporated cities, towns, villages and other municipalities shown by straight-line distance.