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City · 89,805 residents · Sebastian County, Arkansas

Fort Smith , Arkansas

In Fort Smith, a typical home is worth $178,100 and typical rent is $884 a month. Compared with all of Sebastian County, typical household income is 5% lower and the share of households that own their home is 8 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $178,100

    About the same as the county

    5% below Arkansas

    • Fort Smith
    • Sebastian
    • Arkansas

  • Typical rent

    $884a month

    About the same as the county

    7% below Arkansas

    • Fort Smith
    • Sebastian
    • Arkansas

  • Typical household income

    $54,816a year

    5% below the county

    10% below Arkansas

    • Fort Smith
    • Sebastian
    • Arkansas

  • Households that own their home

    53%

    8 points below the county

    13 points below Arkansas

    • Fort Smith
    • Sebastian
    • Arkansas

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$193,081
2.7% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,063 a month
2.4% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Fort Smith is in Sebastian County. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of Sebastian County. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Fort Smith apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. Nearby, in Barling, the typical home value is $140,000: 21% less than in Fort Smith ($178,100).

  2. 53% of households in Fort Smith own their home, against 61% in Sebastian County.

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Fort Smith

What homes there are in Fort Smith, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses are the majority in Fort Smith (66%), but less so than in Sebastian County (70%).

Year built

In Fort Smith, half of the homes were built before 1977; in Sebastian County, before 1981.

Homes in Fort Smith are smaller: 57% have 3 bedrooms or more; in Sebastian County, 63%.

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 95% of owner-occupied homes in Fort Smith are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Sebastian County ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

Measured against HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent ($979), about 61% of rented homes in Fort Smith cost less.

With a mortgage

$1,321 a month

Sebastian County: $1,255 a month

Without a mortgage

$460 a month

Sebastian County: $449 a month

Owners with a mortgage

52%

Sebastian County: 53%

Owning costs more in Fort Smith: with a mortgage, the typical cost is $1,321 a month; in Sebastian County, $1,255. Without one, $460.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

Since 2015–2019, homes in Fort Smith gained value faster than in Sebastian County: 46% against 43%.

Rents in Fort Smith rose at about the same pace as in Sebastian County: 29% since 2015–2019, against 27%.

While home values in Fort Smith changed +46% and rent +29%, the typical household income rose 31%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureFort SmithSebastian CountyArkansasUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.7%6.9%6.4%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.1%0.9%
More than one person per room 3.1%3.0%2.7%3.4%
People per household 2.402.432.462.53
Drive alone 77%79%79%69%
Carpool 12%11%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate0%3%
Walk or bike 1%1%2%3%
Work from home 8%8%9%15%
Other means 2%1%1%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Fort Smith, the rental vacancy rate is 6.7%, about the same as in Sebastian County.

More than one person per room: that is how 3.1% of households in Fort Smith live, near the figure in Sebastian County (3.0%).

Much as in Sebastian County, a household in Fort Smith has 2.40 people on average.

The car rules in Fort Smith: 77% of workers drive to work alone, and the typical trip takes 10 to 19 minutes.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Fort Smith?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Fort Smith, worth $178,100, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 31% of the typical household income in Fort Smith, which is $54,816 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $61,398 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Sebastian County.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Fort Smith. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $6,234 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$1,433

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$174,874
Total interest
$251,602
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,008 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,279 a month

  • Tight

    $1,279 to $1,644 a month

    Your payment · 31%

  • Hard

    more than $1,644 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Fort Smith ($54,816 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,433
Principal & interest$1,185
Property tax$95
Home insurance$74
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$79

You need at least $6,234 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Fort Smith and Sebastian County

Fort Smith is in Sebastian County, Arkansas. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Fort Smith's own numbers

Typical home value
$178,100
Typical monthly rent
$884
Typical yearly household income
$54,816
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
0.64%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of Sebastian County

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$979
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+57%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
2.2%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of Sebastian County.

Everything about Sebastian County

Buying

Buying a home in Fort Smith

A typical home in Fort Smith is worth $178,100: about the same as the county and 5% below Arkansas. With the typical household income in Fort Smith ($54,816 a year), a typical home costs 3.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Fort Smith 3.2 years
  • Sebastian 3.0 years
  • Arkansas 3.1 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Sebastian County

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Sebastian County rose 81% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of Sebastian County.

Period County Arkansas U.S.
Last year (2025) +5.9% +3.4% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +57% +52% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +81% +79% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Fort Smith next to Sebastian County, Arkansas and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Fort Smith $178,100
  • Sebastian $176,200
  • Arkansas $188,000
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Fort Smith $884
  • Sebastian $886
  • Arkansas $947
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Fort Smith $54,816
  • Sebastian $57,790
  • Arkansas $60,773
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Fort Smith next to Sebastian County and Arkansas
Measure Fort Smith Sebastian County Arkansas U.S.
Typical home value $178,100 $176,200 $188,000 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $884 $886 $947 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $54,816 $57,790 $60,773 $80,734
Households that own their home 53% 61% 66% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,137 $1,101 $1,040 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.64% 0.62% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 42% 42% 45% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Sebastian County. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Fort Smith

For a typical $178,100 home in Fort Smith, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Fort Smith's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,433a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,234
    Cash to close
    $11,577
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $79

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,400a month

    Down payment
    $8,905
    Cash to close
    $14,248
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $85

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,134a month

    Down payment
    $35,620
    Cash to close
    $40,963
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,299a month

    Down payment
    $26,715
    Cash to close
    $32,058
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Fort Smith and for Sebastian County.

Property tax

Effective rate in Fort Smith

0.64%of the home’s value each year

$1,137 a year for the typical owner in Fort Smith.

  • Fort Smith 0.64%
  • Sebastian 0.62%
  • Arkansas 0.55%

What Arkansas publishes Homestead property tax credit (Arkansas General Assembly (Act 174 of the 2026 Fiscal Session))

Exemptions and deadlines in Arkansas

Flood risk in Sebastian County

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of Sebastian County.

Homes in the high-risk zone
2.2%
1,039
Of those, with NFIP insurance
18%
County Arkansas U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 2.2% 3.4% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 18% 17% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Fort Smith

Typical rent in Fort Smith is $884 a month: about the same as the county. In Fort Smith, 42% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Sebastian County, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($979 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $18.83 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Sebastian County

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $741 $14.25 $29,640
1 bedroom $748 $14.38 $29,920
2 bedrooms $979 $18.83 $39,160
3 bedrooms $1,324 $25.46 $52,960
4 bedrooms $1,625 $31.25 $65,000

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Fort Smith

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Fort Smith has 5 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $960 in 72901 to $1,330 in 72916.

3 of the 5 are above the fair market rent for Sebastian County ($979).

  • 72901 $960$1,300
  • 72903 $1,020$1,380
  • 72904 $970$1,310
  • 72908 $1,020$1,380
  • 72916 $1,330$1,800

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Fort Smith when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Fort Smith

HUD lists 15 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Fort Smith. These are the largest.

  • Armstrong Residences 5221 Johnson St, Fort Smith 72904 160 homes, 156 low-income · For families (479) 782-3611
  • Gorman Towers 5800 Grand Ave, Fort Smith 72904 150 low-income homes · For older adults (479) 452-7670
  • Mid-Town Apartments 1411 Rogers Ave, Fort Smith 72901 136 low-income homes · For older adults (479) 783-1089
  • Briarwood Apartments 3400 Duke Ave, Fort Smith 72908 128 low-income homes · 1 bd: 16 · 2 bd: 64 · 3 bd: 46 · 4 bd: 2 · In service since 2003
  • Briarwood Apartments 3400E Duke Ave, Fort Smith 72908 128 low-income homes · For families (479) 646-2815

See all 19 buildings in Sebastian County Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Fort Smith

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Sebastian County; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

An older woman smiles in front of her apartment building.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Fort Smith

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Fort Smith or Sebastian County. The ones below are statewide in Arkansas: they work in Fort Smith the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Arkansas

  • ADFA Down Payment Assistance Loan Program

    Statewide in Arkansas

    Arkansas state authority second mortgage of $1,000 to $15,000 for the down payment and closing costs, over 10 years and at the same rate as the ADFA first mortgage (Move-Up or StartSmart). Offered by Arkansas Development Finance Authority (ADFA).

    Repayable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Fort Smith

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Fort Smith, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Crawford Sebastian Community Development Council

    1617 S Zero St, Fort Smith · 3 miles away · Spanish

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Fair housing pre-purchase workshops
    • and 4 more
    (479) 785-2303

  • Credit Counseling of Arkansas

    1111 E Zion Rd, Fayetteville · 55 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in other languages.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 3 more
    (479) 521-8877

  • Universal Housing Development Corporation

    301 E 3rd St, Russellville · 70 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 10 more
    (479) 968-5001

Every agency in Sebastian County All counseling agencies in Arkansas

Help in Spanish near Fort Smith

2 of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Fort Smith

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in Sebastian County is named for Fort Smith or Sebastian County.

2 other authorities have an office in Sebastian County: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Sebastian County

These cities are also in Sebastian County. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about Sebastian County Housing in Arkansas

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Fort Smith, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Sebastian County is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Fort Smith.

All guides
Two girls write and draw together at the living-room table.

Questions

Housing questions about Fort Smith

Short answers with the numbers for Fort Smith and all of Sebastian County. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Fort Smith?

The typical home value in Fort Smith is $178,100, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Sebastian County it is $176,200.

How much does it cost to rent in Fort Smith?

Typical rent in Fort Smith is $884 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Sebastian County is $979.

What is the FHA loan limit in Fort Smith?

Fort Smith uses the FHA limit for all of Sebastian County (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Fort Smith?

The typical homeowner in Fort Smith pays $1,137 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.64% of the home’s value; in Sebastian County, the rate is 0.62%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Fort Smith?

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Sebastian County. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).