Can A Real Estate Agent Afford Rent in Fort Smith, AR?

Comfortably affordable — rent takes 23.6% of gross income.

Fort Smith rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).

Fort Smith median rent
$1,071/mo
Real Estate Agent salary (Arkansas)
$54,431/yr
Rent as % of income
23.6%
Gross monthly income works out to about $4,536, and the 30% rule supports up to $1,361/mo in rent. Fort Smith's median rent of $1,071 leaves roughly $290/mo of headroom under that threshold. A real estate agent works roughly 40.9 hours a month to cover that rent.

About rent and a real estate agent salary

Real estate agent pay is commission-driven and varies widely with local market conditions. The BLS mean averages high and low producers. At the national-average agent salary, the 30% rule supports about $1,640 a month in rent — though successful agents in active markets earn well above this.

Cheaper rent nearby

These Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Fort Smith, which improves the affordability math on a real estate agent salary:

North Little Rock, AR
$1,069/mo (23.6% of income)
Jacksonville, AR
$1,069/mo (23.6% of income)
North Little Rock, AR
$1,064/mo (23.5% of income)

Compare with full rent data for Fort Smith

View full rent data for Fort Smith, AR

Frequently asked questions

Can a real estate agent afford rent in Fort Smith, AR?

Median rent in Fort Smith is $1,071 a month. A typical real estate agent in Arkansas earns about $54,431 a year, which makes that rent 23.6% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.

How much rent can a real estate agent afford in Fort Smith?

Using the 30% rule, a real estate agent salary in Arkansas (~$54,431/yr) supports up to $1,361 a month in rent. Fort Smith's current median rent is $1,071/mo, which leaves a $290/mo buffer.

How many hours does a real estate agent work to cover rent in Fort Smith?

At an hourly equivalent of about $26 an hour, a real estate agent in Arkansas works roughly 40.9 hours a month to cover Fort Smith's median rent of $1,071.

Where is rent cheaper than Fort Smith for a real estate agent?

Nearby Arkansas cities with lower median rent include North Little Rock ($1,069/mo), Jacksonville ($1,069/mo), North Little Rock ($1,064/mo). Each shifts the affordability math materially on a real estate agent salary.

Methodology: Salary uses the BLS-derived Arkansas state estimate from OEWS May 2024. Rent is the most recent ZORI monthly value for Fort Smith, AR. Affordability applies the 30% rule (rent ≤ 30% of gross income). Real take-home varies with taxes, household composition, overtime, tips, and benefits.