Fort Smith, AR vs Bentonville, 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 Fort Smith, AR at $549 per resident and in Bentonville, AR at $1,751.
On the revenue side both lean hardest on other revenue — 13% of total revenue in Fort Smith, AR and 20% in Bentonville, AR.
Summary
Bentonville spends 3.0% 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 | $0 | $10 |
| Sales Tax | $143 | $752 |
| Income Tax | $2,263 | $1,252 |
| Intergovernmental | $40 | $2,248 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,270 | $2,597 |
| Other | $3,396 | $3,321 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $295 | $226 |
| Public Welfare | $788 | $890 |
| Health | $375 | $352 |
| Hospitals | $185 | $0 |
| Parks & Recreation | $549 | $1,751 |
| Housing | $2,224 | $2,628 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $177 |
| Utilities | $4,214 | $3,488 |
| Interest on Debt | $291 | $0 |
| Other | $5,094 | $4,935 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.