Moving from Bella Vista, AR to Fort Smith, AR?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Is Bella Vista or Fort Smith Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Bella Vista is safer than Fort Smith (Safety Score 86/100 vs 5/100), with a total crime rate of 691 per 100,000 versus 4,528 for Fort Smith — 85% lower. Bella Vista has lower rates in 6 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where Fort Smith has a 100% lower rate.
Note: Fort Smith is 2.7x larger by coverage, which can affect crime rate comparisons. Larger cities tend to report higher rates due to density and more comprehensive reporting.
Quiz: which of these is SAFER than Bella Vista, AR?
Bella Vista — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Fort Smith — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Bella Vista, AR
Fort Smith, AR
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Bella Vista | Fort Smith | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 691.4 | 4,527.8 | -3,836.4 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 202.3 | 843.6 | -641.3 |
| Murder Rate | 3.0 | 0.0 | +3.0 |
| Rape Rate | 30.2 | 90.0 | -59.8 |
| Robbery Rate | 0.0 | 65.6 | -65.6 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 169.1 | 686.8 | -517.8 |
| Property Crime Rate | 489.1 | 3,684.3 | -3,195.2 |
| Burglary Rate | 48.3 | 466.8 | -418.5 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 422.7 | 2,904.1 | -2,481.4 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 18.1 | 313.4 | -295.3 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from Bella Vista, AR to Fort Smith, AR?
The Moving Checklist Planner turns your move-in date into a dated checklist, packing inventory and budget — seven tabs for Google Sheets or Excel, $12 once.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Bella Vista or Fort Smith safer?
Bella Vista is safer with a total crime rate of 691 per 100K vs 4,528 for Fort Smith — a 85% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Bella Vista has a violent crime rate of 202.3 per 100K while Fort Smith has 843.6. Bella Vista has lower violent crime.
About Bella Vista, AR
Bella Vista, Arkansas, a Bentonville suburb established as a retirement community, sits in the Ozark Mountains. This planned city is known for its seven scenic lakes and golf courses. With a safety score of 86/100 and a population coverage of 33,122, Bella Vista has a total crime rate of 691.4 per 100,000 residents.
About Fort Smith, AR
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. With a safety score of 5/100 and a population coverage of 89,977, Fort Smith has a total crime rate of 4,527.8 per 100,000 residents.