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Quick answer
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI 2024 crime data, Fort Smith, AR has a Safety Score of 5/100 — higher crime than 95% of US cities — with a total crime rate of 4,527.8 per 100,000 residents, ranking #2,811 of 2,971 US cities and #29 of 38 in Arkansas.
Safety Score
Violent Crime Rate
Property Crime Rate
Is Fort Smith, Arkansas Safe?
Fort Smith, once a frontier military post, sits on the Arkansas River bordering Oklahoma. This city of over 89,000 residents is the second-largest urban area in Arkansas.
Fort Smith has a safety score of 5/100 (High Crime). Based on FBI data for 2024, the city reported a total crime rate of 4,527.8 per 100,000 residents, compared to the national average of 2,752.3 per 100,000.
Fort Smith ranks #29 out of 38 cities in Arkansas and #2811 out of 2971 nationally (safest first). This places it in the 5th percentile for safety — with higher crime than 95% of US cities.
The most elevated crime category in Fort Smith is aggravated assault, at 686.8 per 100K — 2.1x the national average. Conversely, murder is relatively low at just 0.0x the national rate.
Year over year, Fort Smith's total crime rate decreased by 12.7%, with violent crime declining 17.5%.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Fort Smith Crime Statistics Breakdown (2024)
| Crime Type | Incidents | Rate per 100K | National Avg |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 759 | 843.6 | 473.3 |
| Murder | 0 | 0.0 | 6.2 |
| Rape | 81 | 90.0 | 43.4 |
| Robbery | 59 | 65.6 | 93.0 |
| Aggravated Assault | 618 | 686.8 | 330.0 |
| Property Crime | 3,315 | 3,684.3 | 2,279.1 |
| Burglary | 420 | 466.8 | 287.8 |
| Larceny-Theft | 2,613 | 2,904.1 | 1,638.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft | 282 | 313.4 | 352.4 |
| Arson | 0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Fort Smith vs Arkansas Average
How does Fort Smith's crime rate compare to the Arkansas state average?
| Metric | Fort Smith | Arkansas Avg | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime Rate | 843.6 | 777.0 | +8.6% |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,684.3 | 2,849.3 | +29.3% |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 10.0 | -100.0% |
| Total Crime Rate | 4,527.8 | 3,626.3 | +24.9% |
Fort Smith Crime Rate Trends
Year-over-year crime rate changes for Fort Smith, Arkansas.
| Year | Coverage | Total Crime Rate | Violent Crime Rate | Property Crime Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 89,977 | 4,527.8 | 843.6 | 3,684.3 |
| 2023 | 90,417 | 5,189.3 | 1,021.9 | 4,167.4 |
| 2022 | 90,013 | 5,988.0 | 1,044.3 | 4,943.7 |
| 2021 | 87,912 | 6,723.8 | 1,134.1 | 5,589.7 |
| 2020 | 88,071 | 6,704.8 | 1,171.8 | 5,533.0 |
| 2019 | 88,041 | 6,803.7 | 980.2 | 5,823.4 |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Smith, Arkansas safe?
Fort Smith has a safety score of 5/100, meaning it has less crime than about 5% of US cities in our FBI dataset. With a total crime rate of 4,527.8 per 100,000 residents in 2024, Fort Smith is among the highest-crime US cities.
What is the crime rate in Fort Smith, Arkansas?
According to FBI data for 2024, Fort Smith has a violent crime rate of 843.6 per 100,000 and a property crime rate of 3,684.3 per 100,000 residents.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average?
Fort Smith's total crime rate of 4,527.8 per 100,000 can be compared to the national average. The data covers 89,977 residents.
What types of crime are most common in Fort Smith?
Based on FBI 2024 data, the most reported crimes in Fort Smith include larceny-theft, aggravated assault, and burglary. Property crime is generally more common than violent crime.
Is Fort Smith safe to visit?
Like any city, Fort Smith has areas that are safer than others. The city's overall safety score is 5/100 based on FBI crime data. Standard travel precautions are recommended.