How much rent can you afford in Fort Smith, AR?
Run your salary against Fort Smith's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Fort Smith
At a median rent of $1,071/mo, Fort Smith is very affordable when measured against Fort Smith median household income of $54,816/yr. Rent would consume roughly 23% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $42,840 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Fort Smith compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Fort Smith?
On a $54,816 salary (the Fort Smith median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $1,370/mo. Fort Smith's median rent is $1,071/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Fort Smith?
To keep Fort Smith's $1,071/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $42,840/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Fort Smith affordable on the median Arkansas income?
Fort Smith is very affordable on a $54,816 income. Rent would take 23% of pre-tax pay, inside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".