Fort Smith, AR-OK

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2022 Population

245,475

0.0979% 1-year growth

2022 Median Age

38.9

0.258% 1-year increase

2022 Poverty Rate

17.6%

3.69% 1-year decrease

2022 Median Household Income

$53,224

8.84% 1-year growth

2022 Median Property Value

$146,600

16.7% 1-year growth

2022 Employed Population

104,252

0.327% 1-year decline

About

In 2022, Fort Smith, AR-OK had a population of 245k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $53,224. Between 2021 and 2022 the population of Fort Smith, AR-OK grew from 245,235 to 245,475, a 0.0979% increase and its median household income grew from $48,903 to $53,224, a 8.84% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Fort Smith, AR-OK are White (Non-Hispanic) (71.5%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (6.75%), Other (Hispanic) (5.58%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (3.92%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.7%).

None 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.

96.7% of the residents in Fort Smith, AR-OK are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK are University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (1,408 degrees awarded in 2022), Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (178 degrees), and Designer Barber & Stylist School (53 degrees).

In 2022, the median property value in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $146,600, and the homeownership rate was 66.5%.

Most people in Fort Smith, AR-OK drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 2 cars per household.

Fort Smith, AR-OK borders Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR-MO, Muskogee, OK, and Tahlequah, OK.

About the photo: Ozark, AR

Photo by Edgar Pierce

United States Arkansas Oklahoma

Population & Diversity

Fort Smith, AR-OK is home to a population of 245k people, from which 96.7% are citizens. As of 2022, 5.96% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were born outside of the country (14.6k people).

In 2022, there were 10.6 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (175k people) in Fort Smith, AR-OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 16.6k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) and 13.7k Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.7%

2022 Citizenship

96.7%

2021 Citizenship

As of 2022, 96.7% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.5%. In 2021, the percentage of US citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 96.7%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Fort Smith, AR-OK

White (Non-Hispanic)
175k ± 701
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
16.6k ± 1.01k
Other (Hispanic)
13.7k ± 1.22k

11%

Hispanic Population

27.1k people

11% of the people in Fort Smith, AR-OK are hispanic (27.1k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Fort Smith, AR-OK as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Most Common Origin

Mexico
164,211 ± 13,796 people
India
20,750 ± 4,993 people
El Salvador
20,386 ± 4,774 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Oklahoma and Arkansas was Mexico, the natal country of 164,211 Oklahoma and Arkansas residents, followed by India with 20,750 and El Salvador with 20,386.

Foreign-Born Population

5.96%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

14.6k people

5.95%

2021 Foreign-Born Population

14.6k people

As of 2022, 5.96% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents (14.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.6%. In 2021, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 5.95%, 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.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
5,382 ± 463
Gulf War (2001-)
4,377 ± 544
Gulf War (1990s)
2,404 ± 422

Fort Smith, AR-OK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.23 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Fort Smith, AR-OK employs 104k people. The largest industries in Fort Smith, AR-OK are Manufacturing (17,809 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,417 people), and Retail Trade (11,424 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($80,601), Utilities ($59,380), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($54,563).

Males in Oklahoma have an average income that is 1.38 times higher than the average income of females, which is $50,245. The income inequality in Oklahoma (measured using the Gini index) is 0.456, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

104k

2022 Value

± 2,612

−0.327%

1 Year decline

± 3.58%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK declined at a rate of −0.327%, from 105k employees to 104k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (11,741 people), Production Occupations (11,099 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (10,401 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Fort Smith, AR-OK.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Oklahoma and 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

104k

2022 Value

± 2,612

−0.327%

1 Year decline

± 3.58%

From 2021 to 2022, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK declined at a rate of −0.327%, from 105k employees to 104k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Manufacturing (17,809 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (14,417 people), and Retail Trade (11,424 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.

Median Earnings by Industry

$42,383

Median earning men ± $1,414

$31,227

Median earning women ± $1,189

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2022 are Information ($61,579), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($58,297), and Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($56,776).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2022 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($46,037), Wholesale Trade ($42,500), and Public Administration ($41,440).

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

328
Retail Trade
309
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
306
Health Care and Social Assistance

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$1.02M
Manufacturing
$752k
Health Care and Social Assistance
$344k
Retail Trade

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

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Arkansas and Oklahoma went to Donald J. Trump with 64.1% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.4%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.36%).

James Lankford, Markwayne Mullin, 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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Fort Smith, AR-OK. Showing the available data for Arkansas and Oklahoma.

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (64.1%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (33.4%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.36%)
Libertarian Party

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Arkansas and Oklahoma for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

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 Oklahoma

Assumed office on January 3, 2015
Took office following the resignation of Tom Coburn.

Markwayne Mullin

Senator from Oklahoma

Assumed office on January 3, 2023
Took office following the resignation of Jim Inhofe.

John Boozman

Senator from Arkansas

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Tom Cotton

Senator from Arkansas

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

James Lankford, Markwayne Mullin, 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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Oklahoma and Arkansas

Oklahoma and Arkansas is currently represented by 9 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Oklahoma and Arkansas have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK awarded 1,690 degrees. The student population of Fort Smith, AR-OK in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 2,601 male students and 3,707 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK are White (1,019 and 61.2%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (257 and 15.4%), Two or More Races (151 and 9.07%), and Asian (120 and 7.21%).

The largest universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK by number of degrees awarded are University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (1,408 and 83.3%), Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (178 and 10.5%), and Designer Barber & Stylist School (53 and 3.14%).

The most popular majors in Fort Smith, AR-OK are General Business Administration & Management (161 and 9.53%), Osteopathic Medicine/Osteopathy (143 and 8.46%), and Welding Technology (132 and 7.81%).

The median tuition cost in Fort Smith, AR-OK for a public four year colleges is $4,200 for in-state students and $11,376 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

Measure

In 2020 in Fort Smith, AR-OK, the percentage of applicants admitted was 100%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 80%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 6,308 (41.2% men and 58.8% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

In 2022 there were 6,308 students enrolled in Fort Smith, AR-OK, 41.2% men and 58.8% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 3,712 records, of which 59.2% were women and 40.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
145 degrees awarded
Organizational Leadership
85 degrees awarded
Registered Nursing
69 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fort Smith, AR-OK was General Business Administration & Management with 145 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

University of Arkansas-Fort Smith
1,408 degrees awarded
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
178 degrees awarded
Designer Barber & Stylist School
53 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Arkansas-Fort Smith with 1,408 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2022, 842 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fort Smith, AR-OK, which is 0.993 times less than the 848 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,019 degrees mean that there were 3.96 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 257 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Public, 4-year or above ($4,200) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($2,218) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,544) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 0.904% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.81% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.76M), Some college (1.26M), and Bachelors Degree (824k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $146,600 in 2022, which is 0.52 times smaller than the national average of $281,900. Between 2021 and 2022 the median property value increased from $125,600 to $146,600, a 16.7% increase. The homeownership rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK is 66.5%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.8%.

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

Median household income in Fort Smith, AR-OK is $53,224. In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Fort Smith, AR-OK was Benton County, AR with a value of $85,269, followed by Canadian County, OK and Logan County, OK, with respective values of $82,364 and $80,565.

Housing

Property

$146,600

Median Property Value 2022

±$3,876

$63,996

Median Property Taxes

±$1,963

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.

Rent vs Own

66.5%

Homeownership

2022

67.6%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2022

In 2022, 66.5% 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.

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2022, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Fort Smith, AR-OK was Benton County, AR with a value of $85,269, followed by Canadian County, OK and Logan County, OK, with respective values of $82,364 and $80,565.

The following map shows all of the counties in Fort Smith, AR-OK colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$53,224

Median Household Income

± $1,752

96.3k

Number of Households

± 2,399

In 2022, the median household income of the 96.3k households in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew to $53,224 from the previous year's value of $48,903.

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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Fort Smith, AR-OK is from Oklahoma and Arkansas.

0.456

2022 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

0.453

2021 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

0.452

2022 Wage GINI in Arkansas

0.45

2021 Wage GINI in Arkansas

In 2022, the income inequality in Oklahoma was 0.456 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.507% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Oklahoma was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Oklahoma in comparison to the national average.

In the same year, the income inequality in Arkansas was 0.452 and income inequality had a 0.376% growth from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat less even. The GINI for Arkansas was lower than than the national average of 0.478, meaning wages are distributed more evenly in Arkansas in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Oklahoma and Arkansas across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2022

Drove Alone (83.3%)
Carpooled (8.97%)
Worked At Home (5%)

In 2022, 83.3% of workers in Fort Smith, AR-OK drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.97%) and those who worked at home (5%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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 (26.7 minutes). Additionally, 1.7% 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.

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.

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

17.6% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fort Smith, AR-OK (42.5k out of 242k 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 35 - 44.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

88.5% of the population of Fort Smith, AR-OK has health coverage, with 37.1% on employee plans, 23.9% on Medicaid, 12.7% on Medicare, 11.9% on non-group plans, and 2.9% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Oklahoma see 1653 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.6% increase from the previous year (1627 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1572 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 238 patients per year.

Similarly, primary care physicians in Arkansas see 1471 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1471 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2056 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 393 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,653 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Oklahoma

1,471 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Arkansas

Primary care physicians in Oklahoma see an average of 1,653 patients per year. This represents a 1.6% increase from the previous year (1,627 patients).

Primary care physicians in Arkansas see an average of 1,471 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,471 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2022, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.2% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.8% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

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

Uninsured People

11.5%

Uninsured

37.1%

Employer Coverage

23.9%

Medicaid

12.7%

Medicare

11.9%

Non-Group

2.9%

Military or VA

Between 2021 and 2022, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK declined by 2.65% from 11.8% to 11.5%.

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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