Fort Smith, Arkansas Income Statistics
Fort Smith Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of an area's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
Fort Smith Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $53,214 | $60,940 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $42,791 | $49,255 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.4% | 4.6% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 6.6% | 8.0% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 5.6% | 6.7% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Fort Smith is about 13% lower than in Arkansas. Income has been growing faster in Fort Smith (5.4%/yr) than in Arkansas (4.6%/yr).
About 7% of adults in Fort Smith earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Arkansas average of 8%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in Fort Smith, Arkansas grew by 53.0% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $53,214 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.4% per year.
Fort Smith has been far below the U.S. median household income in every year from 2009 to 2024. Even at its closest, in 2010, its income was 32% lower. The gap has held fairly steady over the period.
Income Distribution in Fort Smith
How incomes are spread across brackets, compared with the U.S. Pick a range to count who falls in it.
Households by income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 7,900 households (22.7% of all households) have an income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 40.2% of all households.
In 2024, 31.5% of households in Fort Smith had an income under $35,000 and 9.6% had $150,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 21.6% and 22.8%.
Compared with the U.S., Fort Smith has a larger share of households earning $35,000 to $49,999 (15.9% vs 10.1%) and a smaller share earning $200,000 or more (5.6% vs 13.2%).
| Household income | Households | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under $10,000 | 1,943 | 5.6% | 5.1% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 2,160 | 6.2% | 3.5% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 3,118 | 9.0% | 6.4% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 3,745 | 10.8% | 6.7% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 5,542 | 15.9% | 10.1% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 6,615 | 19.0% | 15.5% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,800 | 10.9% | 12.6% |
| $100,000 to $149,999 | 4,542 | 13.0% | 17.4% |
| $150,000 to $199,999 | 1,395 | 4.0% | 9.5% |
| $200,000 or more | 1,963 | 5.6% | 13.2% |
Shares are of all 34,823 households, one per occupied home whatever its size. Households with zero or negative income are counted in the lowest bracket. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19001).
Residents 15+ by personal income, 2024
Income range calculator
About 4,503 residents (6.6% of residents aged 15 and over) have a personal income of $100,000 or more.
Across the U.S.: 13.9% of residents aged 15 and over.
That is 7.5% of residents who have any income.
In 2024, 12.3% of Fort Smith residents aged 15 and over reported no personal income, 34.9% had some income but less than $25,000, and 11.5% had $75,000 or more. Across the U.S., those shares were 12.8%, 28.7% and 22.0%.
Compared with the U.S., Fort Smith has a larger share of residents earning $25,000 to $34,999 (13.8% vs 9.5%) and a smaller share earning $100,000 or more (6.6% vs 13.9%).
| Personal income | Residents | Share | U.S. share |
|---|---|---|---|
| No income | 8,438 | 12.3% | 12.8% |
| $1 to $9,999 | 8,742 | 12.8% | 11.2% |
| $10,000 to $14,999 | 6,377 | 9.3% | 7.0% |
| $15,000 to $24,999 | 8,755 | 12.8% | 10.5% |
| $25,000 to $34,999 | 9,461 | 13.8% | 9.5% |
| $35,000 to $49,999 | 10,287 | 15.0% | 12.6% |
| $50,000 to $74,999 | 8,491 | 12.4% | 14.3% |
| $75,000 to $99,999 | 3,373 | 4.9% | 8.2% |
| $100,000 or more | 4,503 | 6.6% | 13.9% |
Shares are of the 68,427 residents aged 15 and over, the only people the Census Bureau asks about income, and include those who reported none. A share of the whole population would count children as people without income, while a share of earners alone would hide the 12.3% with no income; the calculator adds that second share whenever your range leaves out people with no income. Source: ACS 5-year estimates ending 2024 (table B19325).
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Fort Smith
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.540 | 0.551 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $50,682 | $57,045 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $41,362 | $46,102 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 18.4% | 19.2% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In Fort Smith, it is 0.540, lower than Arkansas's 0.551, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 23% more than women's income in Fort Smith, Arkansas. Over a 35-year career, a 23% wage gap accumulates to roughly $326,200 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fort Smith, Arkansas has widened from about 16% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,811 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Fort Smith widened by 2.0 points while Arkansas's narrowed by 4.6 points.
Employment
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 6.8% | 4.9% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 7.4% | 8.8% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 15 | 18 | 22 |
Approximately 2,785 people are unemployed in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
The average commute time in Fort Smith is 15 minutes, shorter than the 18 minutes in Arkansas.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Fort Smith, Arkansas has risen from 6.5% to 6.8% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.0% in 2023 and fell as low as 5.0% in 2019.
Fort Smith started 2.2 points below the U.S. unemployment rate in 2011 but had risen above it by 2020, and has not been below it since. In 2024 its rate was 1.5 points higher.
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Fort Smith, Arkansas has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Arkansas, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Fort Smith, Arkansas.
How Rich Is Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Fort Smith has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $53,214, about 13% lower than the Arkansas average of $60,940.
How fast is household income rising in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Fort Smith, Arkansas rose 53%, from $34,784 to $53,214. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Arkansas as a whole: +53% against +58%.
What was the median household income in Fort Smith in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Fort Smith, Arkansas was $50,946, up 3% from $49,702 in 2022. The Arkansas median that year was $58,782.
What was the median household income in Fort Smith in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Fort Smith, Arkansas was $43,972. By 2024 it had risen 21% to $53,214.
How strong is the job market in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Unemployment in Fort Smith, Arkansas is 6.8%, well above the Arkansas rate of 4.9%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
The Gini coefficient in Fort Smith is 0.540. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Fort Smith, Arkansas has widened from about 16% to 18% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 22% in 2014, and was narrowest at 13% in 2021. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,811 since 2009.
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