Scored the same way as the quiz, against 382 U.S. metro areas. A feel is listed when Fort Smith scores 70 or higher out of 100.
Historic
76 / 100
6 places on the National Register of Historic Places nearby
Growing
74 / 100
Growing faster than 74% of metros
Less so: artsy, outdoorsy.
Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives
Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.
Of about 28,455 rented homes in the Fort Smith area, 98% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.
Under $1,000: 69%
$1,000 to $1,499: 25%
$1,500 to $1,999: 4%
$2,000 to $2,499: 1%
$2,500 to $2,999: 0%
$3,000 or more: 1%
Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.
What moving costs
Hiring movers
Average cost: $1,946
From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.
Moving in as a renter
The middle rented home in the Fort Smith area rents for under $1,000 a month. Before you get the keys, expect about under $2,000 for first month plus a deposit, or up to under $3,000 where landlords also ask for last month.
Many landlords want your income to be about 3 times the rent. For rent under $1,000, that's a yearly income of about under $36,000.
Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.
Moving to Arkansas: before and after
Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Arkansas DMV.
4 public school districts in this county, with about 19,904 students in all. The county also has 4 public charter schools and 9 private schools. Which public school serves a home depends on its address.
Public Public charter Private District that covers the center of Fort Smith: Fort Smith Public Schools
District lines: U.S. Census Bureau, 2024. Tap a dot for details. A home's assigned school depends on its address; check with the district before you buy or rent.
Closest public schools to the center of Fort Smith
Elementary
Bonneville Elementary School0.7 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 290 students · 17.1 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 50 to 54%, math 55 to 59% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Euper Lane Elementary School1.3 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 401 students · 18.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 60 to 64%, math 60 to 64% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Raymond F. Orr Elem. School1.6 mi
Public
grades Pre-K to 5 · 309 students · 20.6 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 25 to 29%, math 35 to 39% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Middle
L. A. Chaffin Middle School1.8 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 691 students · 13.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 65%, math 64% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Ramsey Middle School2.3 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 808 students · 15.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 52%, math 42% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Dora Kimmons Middle School3.5 mi
Public
grades 6 to 8 · 800 students · 16.7 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 28%, math 27% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
High school
Southside High School1.0 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 1,970 students · 10.3 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 49%, math 36% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Premier High School of Fort Smith2.0 mi
Public charter
grades 9 to 12 · 98 students · 3.3 per teacher
Northside High School2.9 mi
Public
grades 9 to 12 · 2,253 students · 12.2 per teacher
Passed the state test: reading 27%, math 19% (state: reading 40%, math 38%)
Private
Trinity Catholic Middle School1.8 mi
Private
grades 6 to 8 · 210 students · 10.5 per teacher
First Lutheran School1.9 mi
Private
grades K to 6 · 71 students · 9.7 per teacher
First Lutheran School1.9 mi
Private
grades Pre-K to 6 · 68 students · 9.3 per teacher
Straight-line miles from the center of Fort Smith, nearest first. Being closest doesn't mean a school serves a given home. "Passed the state test" is the share of students who scored proficient or better on Arkansas's own reading and math tests in the 2021-22 school year, the latest year the U.S. Department of Education has published for every school. Each state sets its own test and passing bar, so compare schools within the same state, not across states. Test results track family income closely and leave out a lot (teachers, programs, how a school fits your child). For newer results, see the state's school report card.
820 students · 9.9 students per teacher · 2 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
School choice and pre-K in Arkansas
Going to school in another district
State law says districts must accept students from other districts when they have room, under set rules. Ask the district you'd like about space and deadlines.
Picking a different school in your district
State law says families can ask for a different school in the same district, and the district must allow it when there's room.
Free state pre-K
33% of 4-year-olds and 19% of 3-year-olds in Arkansas attend state-funded pre-K (U.S.: 37% and 9%). Spots, hours and who qualifies vary by district.
School choice: state law as summarized by the Education Commission of the States, 50-State Comparison: Open Enrollment Policies (2022). Pre-K: share of children in state-funded pre-K, National Institute for Early Education Research, State of Preschool 2025 Yearbook (2024-25 school year).
NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Private schools: NCES Private School Survey, 2021-22. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For programs and newer results, see each district's site and the state's school report card.
Childcare and colleges
Daycare and preschool
Arkansas keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.
Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.
IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.
The facts behind it
Typical home value
$202,649
What a typical home sells for across the Fort Smith area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, September 2026
Cost of living
About 14% below the U.S. average
Everyday prices (rent, groceries, services) run about $86 here for what costs $100 nationally.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis price index 85.9 (U.S. = 100), 2024
Drive to the nearest big job hub
About 2 hr 52 min at rush hour
To downtown Oklahoma City, OK, 198 miles. About 2 hr 52 min with no traffic.
Source: Google traffic estimate for a weekday morning around 8am
Average commute
22 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Data centers nearby
None within 15 miles
No mapped data center buildings near the town center.
Source: PNNL IM3 Data Center Atlas, from OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Homeowners insurance
About $3,733 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in AR. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively Moderate
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively Low
FEMA's rating for hail damage in the county, compared with other U.S. counties.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
7 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
Fewer than 10 a year
The CDC doesn't publish exact counts under 10. AR average: 11.5 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 15.6 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 406 people without housing in the Fort Smith area (6 counties): 272 in shelters and 134 outside, down from 433 in 2024. AR: 8.8 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Unemployment
4.1%
The share of people looking for work who can't find it, averaged over the year. U.S.: about 4%.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2025
Median household income
$56,450
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.65% of home value a year
About $650 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Graduated, up to 3.70%
AR's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
