Average Rent in Fort Smith, AR (2026)

Typical asking rent in Fort Smith is $996. Across the 5 ZIP codes with data it runs from $860 to $1,356, so which side of town you buy on matters as much as the city average. Data as of September 2026.

Median rent
$996
Average rent
$1,068
Lowest ZIP
$860
Highest ZIP
$1,356

Rent by ZIP code in Fort Smith

ZIP codeCountyTypical rentvs city median
72916Sebastian County$1,356+36%
72908Sebastian County$1,210+21%
72903Sebastian County$9960%
72904Sebastian County$918-8%
72901Sebastian County$860-14%

Rent by bedroom count in Fort Smith

Zillow's index above blends every unit size into one number. For a bedroom level view, these are HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rents for Sebastian County. They include utilities and sit near the 40th percentile of the market, so treat them as the low side of what a typical unit lists for.

Unit sizeFY2027 Fair Market RentChange from FY2026
Studio$741+8.5%
1 bedroom$748+4.8%
2 bedroom$979+4.5%
3 bedroom$1,324+4.6%
4 bedroom$1,625+6.1%

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents. Updates when HUD publishes a new fiscal year.

Is rent going up or down in Fort Smith?

Typical rent across Sebastian County is $1,086 as of September 2026. That is up 2.6% from a year earlier and up 27.3% over five years.

YearTypical rent, Sebastian CountyChange
2021$866+12.5%
2022$960+10.8%
2023$983+2.4%
2024$1,034+5.2%
2025$1,065+3.0%
2026 (through September)$1,086+2.0%

Zillow Observed Rent Index for the county, all home types, last published month of each year. Each row is compared with the end of the year before it.

Fort Smith rent questions

What is the average rent in Fort Smith, AR?
Typical asking rent in Fort Smith is $996 a month as of September 2026, across 5 ZIP codes. By ZIP code it runs from $860 to $1,356.
How much is rent for a 2 bedroom in Fort Smith?
HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two bedroom in Sebastian County is $979 a month including utilities. A one bedroom is $748 and a three bedroom is $1,324. Fair Market Rent is set near the 40th percentile, so a typical unit lists somewhat higher.
Is rent going up or down in Fort Smith?
Rent is rising. Typical rent in Sebastian County is $1,086 as of September 2026, up 2.6% from a year earlier.
What is the cheapest ZIP code to rent in Fort Smith?
ZIP 72901 has the lowest typical asking rent in Fort Smith at $860 a month, compared with $996 for the city overall.
How much income do you need to rent in Fort Smith?
Most landlords look for gross income of about three times the rent. At the typical Fort Smith rent of $996, that is about $2,988 a month, or $35,856 a year. This is a common screening rule of thumb, and individual landlords set their own.

How to use these numbers

These are Zillow Observed Rent Index values, a smoothed measure of typical asking rent for single family homes, condos, and apartments in each ZIP code. They describe what units are listed for, not what any specific unit will get. Condition, bedroom count, and the exact block all move the number.

If you are underwriting a purchase, use the ZIP figure rather than the city median, and then verify against live listings for the same bedroom count before you commit. Fort Smith sits in the Fort Smith, AR-OK metro area.

Other Arkansas cities

Would a rental in Fort Smith cash flow?

Start the analyzer with the Fort Smith median rent of $996 and add a real purchase price to see cash flow, cap rate, and cash-on-cash return.