Fort Smith, AR-OK

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2020 Population

250,260

0.193% 1-year growth

2020 Median Age

38.9

0.517% 1-year increase

2020 Poverty Rate

17.8%

6.44% 1-year decrease

2020 Median Household Income

$46,424

3.74% 1-year growth

2020 Median Property Value

$119,500

3.91% 1-year growth

2020 Employed Population

107,341

1.33% 1-year growth

About

In 2020, Fort Smith, AR-OK had a population of 250k people with a median age of 38.9 and a median household income of $46,424. Between 2019 and 2020 the population of Fort Smith, AR-OK grew from 249,777 to 250,260, a 0.193% increase and its median household income grew from $44,750 to $46,424, a 3.74% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Fort Smith, AR-OK are White (Non-Hispanic) (73.2%), Other (Hispanic) (5.97%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (4.99%), American Indian & Alaska Native (Non-Hispanic) (4.53%), and Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (3.91%).

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.

96.8% 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 (1,460 degrees awarded in 2020), Academy of Salon and Spa (37 degrees), and Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (37 degrees).

In 2020, the median property value in Fort Smith, AR-OK was $119,500, and the homeownership rate was 66.2%.

Most people in Fort Smith, AR-OK drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 21.3 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

Population & Diversity

Fort Smith, AR-OK is home to a population of 250k people, from which 96.8% are citizens. As of 2020, 5.83% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were born outside of the country (14.6k people).

In 2020, there were 12.3 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (183k people) in Fort Smith, AR-OK than any other race or ethnicity. There were 14.9k Other (Hispanic) and 12.5k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.8%

2020 Citizenship

96.5%

2019 Citizenship

As of 2020, 96.8% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2019, the percentage of US citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 96.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

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)
183k ± 198
Other (Hispanic)
14.9k ± 1.16k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
12.5k ± 778

10.3%

Hispanic Population

25.9k people

10.3% of the people in Fort Smith, AR-OK are hispanic (25.9k 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
166,397 ± 13,884 people
India
19,237 ± 4,806 people
El Salvador
18,521 ± 4,530 people

In 2020, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Oklahoma and Arkansas was Mexico, the natal country of 166,397 Oklahoma and Arkansas residents, followed by India with 19,237 and El Salvador with 18,521.

Foreign-Born Population

5.83%

2020 Foreign-Born Population

14.6k people

5.93%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

14.8k people

As of 2020, 5.83% of Fort Smith, AR-OK residents (14.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.5%. In 2019, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK was 5.93%, meaning that the rate has been decreasing.

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
6,359 ± 556
Gulf War (2001-)
3,788 ± 514
Gulf War (1990s)
2,780 ± 466

Fort Smith, AR-OK has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.68 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Fort Smith, AR-OK employs 107k people. The largest industries in Fort Smith, AR-OK are Manufacturing (18,220 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,368 people), and Retail Trade (12,910 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($71,518), Utilities ($58,672), and Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($57,500).

Males in Oklahoma have an average income that is 1.4 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,810. The income inequality in Oklahoma (measured using the Gini index) is 0.454, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

107k

2020 Value

± 2,647

1.33%

1 Year growth

± 3.3%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew at a rate of 1.33%, from 106k employees to 107k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,497 people), Sales & Related Occupations (11,380 people), and Production Occupations (10,932 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 Arkansas and Oklahoma.

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

107k

2020 Value

± 2,647

1.33%

1 Year growth

± 3.3%

From 2019 to 2020, employment in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew at a rate of 1.33%, from 106k employees to 107k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Fort Smith, AR-OK, are Manufacturing (18,220 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (15,368 people), and Retail Trade (12,910 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

$37,755

Median earning men ± $1,539

$26,293

Median earning women ± $742

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2020 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($62,448), Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($51,159), and Public Administration ($45,852).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2020 are Transportation & Warehousing, & Utilities ($40,592), Public Administration ($36,197), and Wholesale Trade ($36,141).

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

2,340
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
1,681
Finance & Insurance, and Real Estate, Rental & Leasing
1,190
Manufacturing

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

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$2.75M
Manufacturing
$1.89M
Educational Services, Health Care & Social Assistance
$612k
Professional, Scientific & Management, and Administrative & Waste Management Services

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

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Oklahoma and Arkansas to other states, or from other states to Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Coal-n.e.c.
$30.3B
Mixed freight
$30.2B
Machinery
$20.8B

In 2020, the top outbound Oklahoma and Arkansas product (by dollars) was Coal-n.e.c. with $30.3B, followed by Mixed freight ($30.2B) and Machinery ($20.8B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Oklahoma and Arkansas products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

$144B

2020 Value in Arkansas

$271B

Projected 2050 Value in Arkansas

87.8% growth

$170B

2020 Value in Oklahoma

$311B

Projected 2050 Value in Oklahoma

83.6% growth

In 2020, total outbound Arkansas trade was $144B. This is expected to increase 87.8% to $271B by 2050.

Comparatively, total outbound Oklahoma trade was $170B. This is expected to increase 83.6% to $311B by 2050.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Oklahoma and Arkansas to other states, or from other states to Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$44.6B
Kansas
$12B
Louisiana
$9.66B

In 2020, the top outbound Oklahoma and Arkansas domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $44.6B, followed by Kansas with $12B and Louisiana and $9.66B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Oklahoma and Arkansas shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

Jim Inhofe, James Lankford, 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.

Senators Elections

US Senators from Oklahoma and Arkansas

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Oklahoma and Arkansas.

Jim Inhofe

Senator from Oklahoma

Assumed office on November 16, 1994
Elected to the seat following the resignation of David Boren.

James Lankford

Senator from Oklahoma

Assumed office on January 3, 2015
Elected to the seat following the resignation of Tom Coburn.

John Boozman

Senator from Arkansas

Assumed office on January 3, 2011

Tom Cotton

Senator from Arkansas

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

Jim Inhofe, James Lankford, 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 Representatives 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 2020, universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK awarded 1,579 degrees. The student population of Fort Smith, AR-OK in 2020 is skewed towards women, with 2,814 male students and 3,890 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK are White (1,051 and 66.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (213 and 13.6%), Two or More Races (116 and 7.38%), and Asian (103 and 6.56%).

The largest universities in Fort Smith, AR-OK by number of degrees awarded are University of Arkansas-Fort Smith (1,460 and 92.5%), Academy of Salon and Spa (37 and 2.34%), and Arkansas Colleges of Health Education (37 and 2.34%).

The most popular majors in Fort Smith, AR-OK are General Business Administration & Management (165 and 10.4%), Industrial Electronics Technology (127 and 8.04%), and Registered Nursing (113 and 7.16%).

The median tuition cost in Fort Smith, AR-OK for a public four year colleges is $4,104 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 2020 was 6,704 (42% men and 58% 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 2020 there were 6,704 students enrolled in Fort Smith, AR-OK, 42% men and 58% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 4,067 records, of which 58.6% were women and 41.4% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
146 degree-majors awarded
Registered Nursing
113 degree-majors awarded
Organizational Leadership
84 degree-majors awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Fort Smith, AR-OK was General Business Administration & Management with 146 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
1,460 degrees awarded
Academy of Salon and Spa
37 degrees awarded
Arkansas Colleges of Health Education
37 degrees awarded

In 2020, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Arkansas-Fort Smith with 1,460 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

In 2020, 735 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Fort Smith, AR-OK, which is 0.871 times less than the 844 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 1,051 degrees mean that there were 4.93 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Hispanic or Latino, with 213 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 ($4,104) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,650) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2020.

Public, 4-year or above ($1,605) 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 2020, 0.761% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.667% 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 2020 were High School or Equivalent (1.75M), Some college (1.3M), and Secondary Education (849k).

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 $119,500 in 2020, which is 0.52 times smaller than the national average of $229,800. Between 2019 and 2020 the median property value increased from $115,000 to $119,500, a 3.91% increase. The homeownership rate in Fort Smith, AR-OK is 66.2%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 64.4%.

People in Fort Smith, AR-OK have an average commute time of 21.3 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 $46,424. In 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Fort Smith, AR-OK was Canadian County, OK with a value of $73,591, followed by Benton County, AR and Logan County, OK, with respective values of $71,556 and $70,456.

Housing

Property

$119,500

Median Property Value 2020

±$3,275

$65,056

Median Property Taxes

±$2,000

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

66.2%

Homeownership

2020

67.5%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2020

In 2020, 66.2% of the housing units in Fort Smith, AR-OK were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.9%.

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 2020, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Fort Smith, AR-OK was Canadian County, OK with a value of $73,591, followed by Benton County, AR and Logan County, OK, with respective values of $71,556 and $70,456.

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.

$46,424

Median Household Income

± $1,356

108k

Number of Households

± 2,159

In 2020, the median household income of the 108k households in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew to $46,424 from the previous year's value of $44,750.

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.

0.454

2020 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

0.459

2019 Wage GINI in Oklahoma

0.45

2020 Wage GINI in Arkansas

0.451

2019 Wage GINI in Arkansas

In 2020, the income inequality in Oklahoma was 0.454 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 1.09% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 0.45 and income inequality had a 0.101% decline from 2019 to 2020, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more 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 2020

Drove Alone (83.8%)
Carpooled (9.73%)
Worked At Home (3.43%)

In 2020, 83.8% of workers in Fort Smith, AR-OK drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (9.73%) and those who worked at home (3.43%).

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

21.3 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Fort Smith, AR-OK have a shorter commute time (21.3 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.9 minutes). Additionally, 1.67% 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

17.8% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Fort Smith, AR-OK (43.8k out of 247k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.8%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Males 6 - 11.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Fort Smith, AR-OK is White, followed by Hispanic and Other.

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

88.6% of the population of Fort Smith, AR-OK has health coverage, with 36.5% on employee plans, 23.7% on Medicaid, 12.5% on Medicare, 13.4% on non-group plans, and 2.55% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Arkansas was $7,408 in 2014. This is a 6.91% increase from the previous year ($6,929).

Per capita personal health care spending in Oklahoma was $7,627 in 2014. This is a 4.58% increase from the previous year ($7,293).

Primary care physicians in Oklahoma see 1642 patients per year on average, which represents a 1.61% increase from the previous year (1616 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1607 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 244 patients per year.

Similarly, primary care physicians in Arkansas see 1507 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.333% increase from the previous year (1502 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 2103 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 423 patients per year.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Showing data at the state level for Oklahoma and Arkansas. Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Oklahoma and Arkansas, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

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Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,642 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Oklahoma

1,507 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Arkansas

Primary care physicians in Oklahoma see an average of 1,642 patients per year. This represents a 1.61% increase from the previous year (1,616 patients).

Primary care physicians in Arkansas see an average of 1,507 patients per year. This represents a 0.333% increase from the previous year (1,502 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.

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2020, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.5% under 18 years, 20.1% between 18 and 34 years, 37.9% between 35 and 64 years, and 16.5% 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

11.4%

Uninsured

36.5%

Employer Coverage

23.7%

Medicaid

12.5%

Medicare

13.4%

Non-Group

2.55%

Military or VA

Between 2019 and 2020, the percent of uninsured citizens in Fort Smith, AR-OK grew by 4.56% from 10.9% to 11.4%.

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.