Bentonville, AR vs Fort Smith, AR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Bentonville, AR and Fort Smith, AR spend within 3.1% of each other per resident — $14,446 versus $14,015 — so on the headline spending-per-capita measure the two cities are effectively neck and neck.
Bentonville, AR edges Fort Smith, AR on the Fiscal Health Score by 4 points — 73/100 (grade B) to 69/100 (grade B). At a margin this narrow the grade is close enough that the factor-level detail matters more than the composite.
On debt, Bentonville, AR carries the lighter load at $246 per resident versus $1,000 for Fort Smith, AR. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Bentonville, AR at $1,751 per resident and in Fort Smith, AR at $549.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 20% of total revenue in Bentonville, AR and 13% in Fort Smith, AR.
Summary
Bentonville spends 3.1% more per capita than Fort Smith ($431/person difference). Bentonville, AR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 73/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $10 | $0 |
| Sales Tax | $752 | $143 |
| Income Tax | $1,252 | $2,263 |
| Intergovernmental | $2,248 | $40 |
| Charges & Fees | $2,597 | $3,270 |
| Other | $3,321 | $3,396 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $226 | $295 |
| Public Welfare | $890 | $788 |
| Health | $352 | $375 |
| Hospitals | $0 | $185 |
| Parks & Recreation | $1,751 | $549 |
| Housing | $2,628 | $2,224 |
| Sewerage | $177 | $0 |
| Utilities | $3,488 | $4,214 |
| Interest on Debt | $0 | $291 |
| Other | $4,935 | $5,094 |
Compare More Cities
Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.