Is Fort Smith or St. Joseph Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of 2024 FBI data, Fort Smith is safer than St. Joseph (Safety Score 5/100 vs 5/100), with a total crime rate of 4,528 per 100,000 versus 4,579 for St. Joseph — 1% lower. Fort Smith has lower rates in 4 of 7 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in murder, where Fort Smith has a 100% lower rate.
Fort Smith — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
St. Joseph — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Fort Smith, AR
St. Joseph, MO
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Fort Smith | St. Joseph | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 4,527.8 | 4,579.5 | -51.7 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 843.6 | 728.6 | +115.0 |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 4.3 | -4.3 |
| Rape Rate | 90.0 | 178.2 | -88.2 |
| Robbery Rate | 65.6 | 54.2 | +11.4 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 686.8 | 491.9 | +195.0 |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,684.3 | 3,850.9 | -166.7 |
| Burglary Rate | 466.8 | 536.1 | -69.3 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,904.1 | 2,774.5 | +129.6 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 313.4 | 540.4 | -227.0 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR 2024.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Fort Smith or St. Joseph safer?
Fort Smith is safer with a total crime rate of 4,528 per 100K vs 4,579 for St. Joseph — a 1% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Fort Smith has a violent crime rate of 843.6 per 100K while St. Joseph has 728.6. St. Joseph has lower violent crime.
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.
About St. Joseph, MO
St. Joseph, Missouri, a city on the Missouri River, was the starting point of the Pony Express. This Buchanan County seat is located across from Kansas. With a safety score of 5/100 and a population coverage of 70,139, St. Joseph has a total crime rate of 4,579.5 per 100,000 residents.