Smart Movers Club

    Moving to Fort Smith, AR

    Is Fort Smith a good place to live?

    Watch Fort Smith

    Fort Smith ranks #12 of 19 Arkansas cities with 25,000+ people on the Smart Movers livability score (36/100), which weighs home affordability, unemployment, education and population growth. Population grew 0.2% in the latest Census year.

    Median home value
    $168,100
    +8.0% vs prior year
    Median rent
    $852
    per month
    Household income
    $52,692
    median
    Unemployment
    6.7%
    lower is better

    Cost of living in Fort Smith

    The median home value in Fort Smith is $168,100 and median rent is $852 a month, against a median household income of $52,692. Homes cost about 3.2× a year of income (under 3× is considered affordable).

    Fort Smith crime rate

    City-level FBI figures vary by agency; across Arkansas the 2025 rate was 535 violent and 1,669 property crimes per 100,000 people — #12 highest of 50 states. The full report breaks down local trends.

    Moving to Fort Smith, AR

    Fort Smith has about 89,496 residents, 6.7% unemployment and 15% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher.

    Compare Fort Smith with

    Fort Smith vs Little RockFort Smith vs FayettevilleFort Smith vs SpringdaleFort Smith vs JonesboroFort Smith vs RogersFort Smith vs ConwayFort Smith vs North Little RockFort Smith vs Bentonville

    More: Where to move in Arkansas · Best counties in Arkansas

    Sources: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year estimates (2023, compared with 2022); FBI Crime Data Explorer.

    Home listings, local news, migration, schools, resources and the Smart Movers Grade & Verdict.

    See the full Smart Movers Club report