Fort Smith, AR vs Jonesboro, AR
Side-by-side fiscal comparison · U.S. Census Bureau data (2023)
Fort Smith, AR spends 55% more per resident than Jonesboro, AR: $14,015 against $9,056. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.
Fort Smith, AR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 39/100 (grade D) for Jonesboro, AR — a 30-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.
On debt, Fort Smith, AR carries the lighter load at $1,000 per resident versus $2,919 for Jonesboro, 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 Jonesboro, AR at $523.
They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fort Smith, AR at 13% of total revenue, whereas Jonesboro, AR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 145%.
Summary
Fort Smith spends 54.8% more per capita than Jonesboro ($4,959/person difference). Fort Smith, AR has the stronger Fiscal Health Score (B, 69/100).
Fiscal Health Score
Key Metrics
Per Capita Spending by Department
Revenue Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Property Tax | $0 | $25 |
| Sales Tax | $143 | $97 |
| Income Tax | $2,263 | $12 |
| Intergovernmental | $40 | $4,523 |
| Charges & Fees | $3,270 | $1,640 |
| Other | $3,396 | $1,377 |
Spending Breakdown (Per Capita)
| Fire Protection | $295 | $80 |
| Highways & Roads | $0 | $121 |
| Education | $0 | $42 |
| Public Welfare | $788 | $632 |
| Health | $375 | $0 |
| Hospitals | $185 | $108 |
| Parks & Recreation | $549 | $523 |
| Housing | $2,224 | $2,058 |
| Sewerage | $0 | $122 |
| Utilities | $4,214 | $1,520 |
| Interest on Debt | $291 | $191 |
| Other | $5,094 | $3,659 |
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Source: Census Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances, 2026.