Can A Registered Nurse Afford Rent in Fort Smith, AR?
Comfortably affordable — rent takes 16.4% of gross income.
Fort Smith rent: June 2026. Salary: BLS OEWS May 2024 (Arkansas state estimate).
About rent and a registered nurse salary
Rent is the single largest fixed cost most renters carry, and the rent-to-income ratio is the simplest measure of whether a city is livable on a given salary. For renters earning a typical registered-nurse income, the 30% rule supports about $2,360 a month in rent. That margin covers comfortable one-bedroom rent in the vast majority of US metros but tightens significantly in the highest-rent coastal cities, where rent can claim 40% or more of an RN paycheck. The per-city pages below show the local rent, the local nurse-pay estimate, and where that combination sits on the affordability scale.
Cheaper rent nearby
These Arkansas cities have lower median rent than Fort Smith, which improves the affordability math on a registered nurse salary:
Compare with full rent data for Fort Smith
View full rent data for Fort Smith, AR →Frequently asked questions
Can a registered nurse afford rent in Fort Smith, AR?
Median rent in Fort Smith is $1,071 a month. A typical registered nurse in Arkansas earns about $78,418 a year, which makes that rent 16.4% of gross monthly income. Under the 30% rule, the answer is yes.
How much rent can a registered nurse afford in Fort Smith?
Using the 30% rule, a registered nurse salary in Arkansas (~$78,418/yr) supports up to $1,960 a month in rent. Fort Smith's current median rent is $1,071/mo, which leaves a $889/mo buffer.
How many hours does a registered nurse work to cover rent in Fort Smith?
At an hourly equivalent of about $38 an hour, a registered nurse in Arkansas works roughly 28.4 hours a month to cover Fort Smith's median rent of $1,071.
Where is rent cheaper than Fort Smith for a registered nurse?
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 registered nurse salary.