Fort Smith, AR vs Springdale, AR

Fort Smith, AR spends 40% more per resident than Springdale, AR: $14,015 against $10,025. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.

Springdale, AR edges Fort Smith, AR on the Fiscal Health Score by 1 points — 70/100 (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, Springdale, AR carries the lighter load at $839 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 Springdale, AR at $836.

They also fund themselves differently: other revenue is the largest single revenue source in Fort Smith, AR at 13% of total revenue, whereas Springdale, AR relies most on intergovernmental transfers at 21%.