Moving from Fort Smith, AR to Van Buren, 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 Fort Smith or Van Buren Safer?
According to crimebycity.com's analysis of FBI data, Van Buren is safer than Fort Smith (Safety Score 28/100 vs 5/100), with a total crime rate of 2,520 per 100,000 versus 4,528 for Fort Smith — 44% lower. Fort Smith has higher rates in 1 of 6 crime categories.
The biggest difference is in robbery, where Van Buren has a 75% lower rate.
Note: Fort Smith is 3.7x 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 MORE DANGEROUS than Fort Smith, AR?
Fort Smith — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Van Buren — 5-Year Trend
Violent
Property
Total
Fort Smith, AR
Van Buren, AR
Detailed Crime Rate Comparison
| Crime Type | Fort Smith | Van Buren | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Crime Rate | 4,527.8 | 2,519.8 | +2,008.0 |
| Violent Crime Rate | 843.6 | 474.5 | +369.0 |
| Murder Rate | 0.0 | 0.0 | +0.0 |
| Rape Rate | 90.0 | 49.1 | +40.9 |
| Robbery Rate | 65.6 | 16.4 | +49.2 |
| Aggravated Assault Rate | 686.8 | 409.1 | +277.8 |
| Property Crime Rate | 3,684.3 | 2,045.3 | +1,639.0 |
| Burglary Rate | 466.8 | 580.9 | -114.1 |
| Larceny-Theft Rate | 2,904.1 | 1,362.2 | +1,541.9 |
| Motor Vehicle Theft Rate | 313.4 | 102.3 | +211.1 |
All rates per 100,000 residents. Source: FBI UCR.
Moving from Fort Smith, AR to Van Buren, 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 Fort Smith or Van Buren safer?
Van Buren is safer with a total crime rate of 2,520 per 100K vs 4,528 for Fort Smith — a 44% difference.
How do violent crime rates compare?
Fort Smith has a violent crime rate of 843.6 per 100K while Van Buren has 474.5. Van Buren 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 Van Buren, AR
Van Buren, Arkansas, a city of around 25,000 in Crawford County, sits on the Arkansas River's north bank. It's known for its historic downtown, a well-preserved example of 19th-century architecture. With a safety score of 28/100 and a population coverage of 24,446, Van Buren has a total crime rate of 2,519.8 per 100,000 residents.