Fort Smith, Arkansas Population 2024

89,975
020K40K60K80K100K18801900192019401960198020002020YearPopulation

Fort Smith Demographics

According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Fort Smith was:

  • White: 61.24%
  • Other race: 13.33%
  • Two or more races: 10.95%
  • Black or African American: 7.72%
  • Asian: 5.67%
  • Native American: 0.92%
  • Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander: 0.18%
Land Area (mi²)
64.2 sq mi
Density (mi²)
1,401.70/sq mi
Growth Since 2020
0.92% (822)
The current population of Fort Smith, Arkansas is 89,975 based on our projections of the latest US Census estimates (released May 2024). The last official US Census in 2020 recorded the population at 89,153.

Population by Race

Race
Population
Percentage (of total)
White54,80861.24%
Other race11,92913.33%
Two or more races9,79610.95%
Black or African American6,9137.72%
Asian5,0735.67%
Native American8200.92%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander1570.18%
61.24%13.33%10.95%7.72%5.67%Race

White

Other race

Two or more races

Black or African American

Asian

Native American

Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander

Fort Smith Population by Race

Fort Smith Population Pyramid 2024

010203040506070803.5K3K2.5K2K1.5K1K500005001K1.5K2K2.5K3K3.5KMaleFemale

Fort Smith Median Age

36.6

Total

35.4

Male

38

Female

Fort Smith Adults

There are 68,195 adults, (14,217 of whom are seniors) in Fort Smith.

Fort Smith Age Dependency

65.8

Age Dependency Ratio

26.3

Old Age Dependency Ratio

39.5

Child Dependency Ratio

Fort Smith Sex Ratio

Female45,37850.7%
Male44,11849.3%

Fort Smith Population by Age

Fort Smith Renter vs Owner Occupied by Household Type

Household Type
Count
Average Size
Owner
Renter
All36,4802.415347
Married15,2613.1271.928.1
Non Family13,7811.2336.863.2
Female5,6533.2142.457.6
Male1,7853.0650.849.2

3.01

Average Family Size

2.41

Average Household Size

53.0%

Rate of Home Ownership

41.83%15.5%37.78%Households by Type

Married

Male

Female

NonFamily

MarriedAllMaleFemaleNon Family00.10.20.30.40.50.60.70.80.91

owner

renter

Fort Smith Households and Families

Less Than 9th Grade9th to 12th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeAssociates DegreeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree02K4K6K8K

Male

Female

Education Attained
Count
Percentage
9th to 12th Grade5,3148.88%
Associates Degree4,4207.39%
Bachelors Degree9,07415.16%
Graduate Degree6,07310.15%
High School Graduate17,16428.68%
Less Than 9th Grade4,5517.6%
Some College13,24822.14%
7.6%8.88%28.68%22.14%7.39%15.16%10.15%Over 25 Education

Less Than 9th Grade

9th to 12th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Associates Degree

Bachelors Degree

Graduate Degree

Fort Smith Educational Attainment by Sex (over 25)

Fort Smith Educational Attainment by Race

WhiteNative AmericanBlack2+ RacesAsianHispanicOther RaceIslander0%20%40%60%80%100%

High School Graduation Rate

Bachelors Rate

Race
Total
High School
Bachelors
White38,82635,67111,889
Hispanic9,1484,7671,064
Other Race6,6083,026419
Black4,4983,759598
2+ Races4,4753,6721,109
Asian3,5232,507790
Native American53148072
Islander6700

The highest rate of high school graduation is among white people with a rate of 91.87%.

The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among white people with a rate of 30.62%.

Fort Smith Educational Attainment by Race

OverallLess Than 9th GradeHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors DegreeGraduate Degree$0$20,000$40,000$60,000$80,000

All

Male

Female

Name
Average
Male
Female
Bachelors Degree$52,111$65,609$46,287
Graduate Degree$75,360$88,995$60,825
High School Graduate$30,934$35,037$27,632
Less Than 9th Grade$30,617$36,565$25,856
Overall$38,013$42,610$33,078
Some College$35,855$41,496$31,679

$38,013

Average Earnings

$42,610

Average Male

$33,078

Average Female

Fort Smith Earnings by Educational Attainment

Fort Smith Language by Age

79.06%15.12%Languages

Only English

Spanish

Other Indo-European Languages

Asian and Pacific Island Languages

Other Languages

Fort Smith Language

79.06% of Fort Smith residents speak only English, while 20.94% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Spanish, which is spoken by 15.12% of the population.

Fort Smith Language

Fort Smith Poverty by Race

OtherBlackHispanicMultipleAsianWhiteNative0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%26%28%30%

rate

Name
Total
In Poverty
Poverty Rate
White51,0097,33114.37%
Hispanic17,7614,69326.42%
Other11,8553,44029.02%
Multiple9,6742,06021.29%
Black6,7371,85227.49%
Asian5,06995218.78%
Native809475.81%

18.31%

Overall Poverty Rate

16.93%

Male Poverty Rate

19.65%

Female Poverty Rate

Poverty in Fort Smith

The race most likely to be in poverty in Fort Smith is Other, with 29.02% below the poverty level.

The race least likely to be in poverty in Fort Smith is Native, with 5.81% below the poverty level.

The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 4.19%. Among those working part-time, it was 25.87%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 27.14%.

Fort Smith Poverty

Less Than 9th GradeHigh SchoolSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0%2%4%6%8%10%12%14%16%18%20%22%24%26%28%30%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Less Than 9th Grade28.31%
High School20.71%
Some College13.93%
Bachelors or Greater4.85%

Fort Smith Poverty Rate by Education

Male EmployedMale UnemployedFemale EmployedFemale Unemployed0%5%10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

rate

Rate
Poverty
Female Unemployed45.69%
Male Unemployed38.11%
Female Employed9.91%
Male Employed9.02%

Fort Smith Poverty Rate by Employment Status and Sex

Fort Smith Income by Household Type

Under10k10kTo15k15kTo25k25kTo35k35kTo50k50kTo75k75kTo100k100kTo150k150kTo200kOver200k05101520

Households

Families

MarriedFamilies

NonFamilies

Name
Median
Mean
Families$68,304$107,315
Households$52,692$84,383
Married Families$84,954$133,573
Non Families$33,164$41,775
HouseholdsFamiliesMarried FamiliesNon Families020,00040,00060,00080,000100,000120,000140,000

mean

median

Income by Household Type

Fort Smith Marital Status

OverallMalesFemales0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Marriage Rates

45.3%

Overall Marriage Rate

47.1%

Male Marriage Rate

43.7%

Female Marriage Rate

Fort Smith Married by Age and Sex

35-4445-5455-64Over 6520-3415-19010203040506070

male

female

Fort Smith Marriage

The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 35-44.

Fort Smith Marital Status by Race

HawaiianAsianWhiteNonHispanicWhiteOtherRaceHispanicTwoOrMoreRacesIndianBlack0%10%20%30%40%50%60%70%80%90%100%

Married

Widowed

Divorced

Separated

NeverMarried

Fort Smith Marital Status

33.72%32.9%26.79%Veterans by War

Second Gulf War

First Gulf War

Vietnam

Korea

World War II

4,926

Number of Veterans

4,369

Male Veterans

557

Female Veterans

War
Veterans
Second Gulf War1,468
First Gulf War1,432
Vietnam1,166
Korea197
World War II90

Fort Smith Veterans by War

18 to 3435 to 5455 to 6465 to 7475+01002003004005006007008009001,0001,1001,2001,300

count

Age Group
Veterans
35 to 541,294
55 to 641,129
75+1,093
65 to 74930
18 to 34480

Fort Smith Veterans by Age

WhiteHispanicOther RaceBlack2+ RacesAsianNative American05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,0003,5004,0004,500

count

Name
Veterans
% of Total
White4,0048.98%
Hispanic3683.24%
Other Race3374.23%
Black3005.71%
2+ Races1943.49%
Asian631.59%
Native American284.24%

Fort Smith Veterans by Race

Fort Smith Veterans by Education

10.63%25.92%41.21%22.24%Veterans by Education

Less Than 9th Grade

High School Graduate

Some College

Bachelors or Greater

13.6%

Veteran Poverty Rate

46.16%

Veteran Disability Rate

Fort Smith Veterans by Education

16 - 1920 - 2425 - 2930 - 3435 - 4445 - 5455 - 5960 - 6465 - 7475+0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

61.8%

Labor Force Participation

57.5%

Employment Rate

6.7%

Unemployment Rate

Fort Smith Employment by Age

Native AmericanOther RaceIslanderHispanic2+ RacesAsianBlackWhiteWhite Non-Hispanic01020304050607080

LaborForceParticipation

Fort Smith Employment by Race

Less Than High SchoolHigh School GraduateSome CollegeBachelors or Greater0102030405060708090

LaborForceParticipation

Fort Smith Employment by Education

Origin of Non-Citizens

15.04%80.17%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.

Origin of Naturalized Citizens

49.02%43.86%Origin

Europe

Asia

Africa

Oceania

Latin America

North America

52.77%

Born in Fort Smith

88.33%

Native Born

11.67%

Foreign Born

6.98%

Non Citizen

4.7%

Naturalized

Place of Birth

88.33% of Fort Smith residents were born in the United States, with 52.77% having been born in Arkansas. 6.98% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Latin America.

Fort Smith Place of Birth

Note: data after 2022 is projected based on recent change
Year
Population
Growth
Change
202991,0042060.23%
202890,7982060.23%
202790,5922050.23%
202690,3872060.23%
202590,1812060.23%
202489,9752050.23%
202389,770-310-0.34%
202290,0805800.65%
202189,5003470.39%
202089,1531,3551.54%
201987,798550.06%
201887,743-187-0.21%
201787,9302310.26%
201687,699-68-0.08%
201587,7675580.64%
201487,209-232-0.27%
201387,441-223-0.25%
201287,6644350.5%
201187,2299261.07%
201086,30300%
200080,2687,47010.26%
199072,7981,1721.64%
198071,6268,82414.05%
197062,8029,81118.51%
196052,9915,04910.53%
195047,94211,35831.05%
194036,5845,15516.4%
193031,4292,5598.86%
192028,8704,89520.42%
191023,97512,388106.91%
190011,5872762.44%
189011,3118,212264.99%
18803,099-87,905-96.59%

Fort Smith Population by Year