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Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Fort Smith, AR

Population: 89,315 (2022) · Small Cities (50K–100K)

B
69/100

Good fiscal health — above-average across most metrics

Total Spending
$1.3B
Per Capita
$14,015
Total Revenue
$2.3B
Total Debt
$89.3M

Spending Breakdown

Other
36.3%$455.0M
Utilities
30.1%$376.4M
Housing & Community Development
15.9%$198.7M
Public Welfare
5.6%$70.4M
Parks & Recreation
3.9%$49.0M
Health
2.7%$33.5M
Fire Protection
2.1%$26.4M
Interest on Debt
2.1%$26.0M
Hospitals
1.3%$16.5M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
0.6%$12.7M
Income Tax
8.8%$202.1M
Intergovernmental
0.2%$3.5M
Charges & Fees
12.7%$292.1M
Other
13.2%$303.4M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Fire Protection$295/person
Parks & Recreation$549/person
Health$375/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)100/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)89/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$89.3M
Long-Term Debt$228.0M
Debt Per Capita$1,000
Cash & Securities$92.6M

Compare Cities

See how Fort Smith stacks up against another city.

vs Little Rock, ARvs Fayetteville, ARvs Springdale, AR
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Arkansas

Little Rock, AR

Pop. 202K

A
Total Spending
$3.6B
Per Capita
$17,625

Fayetteville, AR

Pop. 95K

C
Total Spending
$1.2B
Per Capita
$12,502

Springdale, AR

Pop. 87K

B
Total Spending
$869.2M
Per Capita
$10,025

Jonesboro, AR

Pop. 78K

D
Total Spending
$709.8M
Per Capita
$9,056

Compare Fort Smith With

Little Rock, AR

Spending: $17,625/person · Grade: A

Fayetteville, AR

Spending: $12,502/person · Grade: C

Springdale, AR

Spending: $10,025/person · Grade: B

Jonesboro, AR

Spending: $9,056/person · Grade: D

Frequently Asked Questions

Fort Smith, AR spends $14,015 per resident, based on total expenditures of $1.3B for a population of 89,315. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of B (69/100).

Fort Smith, AR has total expenditures of $1.3B and total revenue of $2.3B. The city carries $89.3M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Fort Smith, AR employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Fort Smith, AR has a Fiscal Health Score of B (69/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

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