The Fort Smith metro is home to 228,916 people (down 18.6% over five years), with a median household income of $56,717. Typical rent of $1,074/month works out to 22.7% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Fort Smith's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 22.2% |
| Manufacturing | 16.3% |
| Retail trade | 11.2% |
| Professional & management | 9.4% |
| Arts, food & hospitality | 8.8% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 22.7% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Fort Smith market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,074/month suggests a household income around $43,000/year. The metro's median household income is $56,717.
By workforce share: Education & health care (22.2%), Manufacturing (16.3%), Retail trade (11.2%) (Census ACS 5-year).