EST to Fort Smith, AR, USA (2024)

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What is Fort Smith Arkansas best known for? ›

The Military Fort That Gave Rise to a City

The U.S. military officially abandoned the military post in 1871. Today, parts of the original fort are still visible, and the Fort Smith National Historic Site offers visitors an exciting glimpse into America's western heritage.

In Fort Smith, the quality of life is high and the cost of doing business is low. In 2019, Forbes ranked Fort Smith 8th in the nation's “Best Places in America – Cost of Doing Business.”

There are 15 neighborhoods in Fort Smith. Fianna Hills has a median listing home price of $449K, making it the most expensive neighborhood. Park Hill Historic District is the most affordable neighborhood, with a median listing home price of $190K.

Based on our Fort Smith cost of living calculator, Fort Smith is 24% less expensive than the national average and 8% less expensive to live in than the average city in Arkansas.

The largest industries in Fort Smith, AR are Manufacturing (6,993 people), Health Care & Social Assistance (5,639 people), and Retail Trade (4,253 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($80,071), Utilities ($79,830), and Finance & Insurance ($57,228).

To help retiring adults find a good place to settle down, the personal-finance website WalletHub recently updated its list of the most affordable places to retire in the U.S. and named Fort Smith as #1.

Arkansas is currently home to five: the Little Rock Air Force Base, the Pine Bluff Arsenal, Camp Robinson (Camp Pike) in North Little Rock, Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Fort Smith and the Fort Chaffee Joint Maneuver Training Center, also in Fort Smith.

When the U.S. Army established Fort Smith on the western border of Arkansas in 1817, it signaled a new westward expansion of the American frontier. It did not take long for a community to spring up beside the fort and before long the City of Fort Smith became a major center for commerce and trade.

Voyage through Fort Smith's storied past at the interactive U.S. Marshal Museum, Fort Smith National Historic Site, Museum of Chaffee History, and more. Immerse yourself in some present-day fun, too, as you enjoy live music events, breweries, diverse restaurants, and eclectic shops.