Health Profile of Fort Smith, Arkansas
Fort Smith Health Score
The Map AI Health Index is a score that reflects local life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and physical environment to help you quickly compare the overall health and well-being of different areas.
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C
Fort Smith Below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
General Health Overview
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Life Expectancy (years) | 75.0 | 75.5 | 78.3 |
| Uninsured Population (%) | 13.0% | 9.0% | 8.4% |
| Self-Rated Poor Health | 22.6% | 22.8% | 16.3% |
Life expectancy in Fort Smith is 75.0 years, about 0.5 years shorter than the Arkansas average of 75.5 years. The uninsured rate is 13.0%, higher than the Arkansas average of 9.0%. Self-rated poor health is reported by 22.6% of residents, lower than the Arkansas average of 22.8%.
Population by Age
Older residents
27,850 residents in Fort Smith are age 50 or older.
- 85+ 1,738 643 men · 1,095 women
- 75–84 3,560 1,365 men · 2,195 women
- 65–74 7,373 3,443 men · 3,930 women
- 50–64 15,179 7,412 men · 7,767 women
Younger residents
19,742 residents in Fort Smith are age 17 or younger.
- 12–17 5,948 3,039 boys · 2,909 girls
- 7–12 5,849 3,081 boys · 2,768 girls
- 3–7 4,567 2,380 boys · 2,187 girls
- 0–3 3,378 1,747 boys · 1,631 girls
About 5,309 residents in Fort Smith (6.2% of the population) are older than the area's life expectancy of 75.0 years.
The highlighted slice of the age axis is the share of residents older than the life-expectancy mark.
Disease Prevalence
| Disease / Condition | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Diabetes | 12.7% | 13.7% | 11.3% |
| Cancer | 6.2% | 7.1% | 6.9% |
| Heart Diseases | 7.7% | 8.7% | 7.1% |
| Adult Obesity | 37.0% | 39.0% | 34.3% |
On average, diseases in Fort Smith are about the same as in Arkansas.
Health Behaviors
| Behavior | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smokers | 23.0% | 23.3% | 19.0% |
| Binge Drinking | 13.7% | 13.9% | 16.5% |
| Sedentary Lifestyle | 32.1% | 33.0% | 25.1% |
On average, health behaviors in Fort Smith are about the same as in Arkansas.
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 149,171 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 54.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.6 million minutes a day and 598.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fort Smith is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 15 lifetimes a year.
* Source: Shaw M, Mitchell R, Dorling D. "Time for a smoke? One cigarette reduces your life by 11 minutes." BMJ. 2000;320:53.
Illustrative only. This is not an estimate of how many people actually die from smoking each day or year - it's a rough, order-of-magnitude comparison meant to help grasp the scale of smoking in this area. We take no responsibility for any decisions made based on this figure.
Air Quality
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air Pollution (μg/m³) | 8.14 | 7.47 | 6.09 |
With an annual average of 8.1 µg/m³ of fine particulate matter (PM2.5), air quality in Fort Smith is good — generally safe air quality for the vast majority of residents.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fort Smith, Arkansas has an overall health index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Arkansas, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about health in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
What is the health grade for Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Fort Smith, Arkansas has a Map AI Health Index grade of C, based on life expectancy, disease rates, healthcare access, and the physical environment; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average.
How long do people live in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
People in Fort Smith, Arkansas can expect to live 75.0 years on average, 0.5 years shorter than the Arkansas average of 75.5.
How many people lack health insurance in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
13.0% of residents in Fort Smith, Arkansas have no health insurance, about 1 in 8 people, 4.0 points above the Arkansas rate of 9.0%.
What is the obesity rate in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
37.0% of adults in Fort Smith, Arkansas are classified as obese, about 1 in 3, 2.0 points below the Arkansas rate of 39.0%.
How many cigarettes do smokers in Fort Smith, Arkansas go through, and how much life does that cost?
Assuming each smoker smokes 10 cigarettes a day, that's about 149,171 cigarettes a day, 4.5 million a month, or 54.4 million a year! At 11 minutes* of life lost per cigarette, that's about 1.6 million minutes a day and 598.9 million a year lost to smoking overall - and since life expectancy in Fort Smith is 75.0 years, that's roughly equivalent to 0.04 lifetimes a day, or 15 lifetimes a year.
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