HousingPermits

Metro area in Arkansas, Oklahoma

Fort Smith, AR-OK

The Fort Smith metro area authorized 663 new housing units in 2025. Duplexes, triplexes and fourplexes supplied 36% of its units in 2021–2025, the second-highest share among the 387 US metro areas. Buildings with five or more units accounted for 8.2% of the units authorized in 2021–2025, the lowest share among the 5 metro areas based in Arkansas.

03006009001,2002004: 817 units (585 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 943 units (701 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 722 units (575 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,037 units (732 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 171 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 696 units (432 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 136 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 771 units (482 single-family, 170 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 622 units (455 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 67 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 520 units (390 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 542 units (425 single-family, 101 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 524 units (306 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 527 units (299 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 389 units (256 single-family, 133 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 625 units (326 single-family, 203 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 673 units (353 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 537 units (366 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 600 units (373 single-family, 219 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 638 units (363 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 651 units (433 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 706 units (384 single-family, 200 in 2–4 unit, 122 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 659 units (377 single-family, 282 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 553 units (352 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 663 units (245 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)200420072010201320162019202220252007 high · 1,0372015 low · 38904008001,2002004: 817 units (585 single-family, 118 in 2–4 unit, 114 in 5+ unit buildings)2005: 943 units (701 single-family, 186 in 2–4 unit, 56 in 5+ unit buildings)2006: 722 units (575 single-family, 131 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2007: 1,037 units (732 single-family, 134 in 2–4 unit, 171 in 5+ unit buildings)2008: 696 units (432 single-family, 128 in 2–4 unit, 136 in 5+ unit buildings)2009: 771 units (482 single-family, 170 in 2–4 unit, 119 in 5+ unit buildings)2010: 622 units (455 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 67 in 5+ unit buildings)2011: 520 units (390 single-family, 114 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2012: 542 units (425 single-family, 101 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2013: 524 units (306 single-family, 90 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2014: 527 units (299 single-family, 100 in 2–4 unit, 128 in 5+ unit buildings)2015: 389 units (256 single-family, 133 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2016: 625 units (326 single-family, 203 in 2–4 unit, 96 in 5+ unit buildings)2017: 673 units (353 single-family, 156 in 2–4 unit, 164 in 5+ unit buildings)2018: 537 units (366 single-family, 171 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2019: 600 units (373 single-family, 219 in 2–4 unit, 8 in 5+ unit buildings)2020: 638 units (363 single-family, 157 in 2–4 unit, 118 in 5+ unit buildings)2021: 651 units (433 single-family, 202 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2022: 706 units (384 single-family, 200 in 2–4 unit, 122 in 5+ unit buildings)2023: 659 units (377 single-family, 282 in 2–4 unit, 0 in 5+ unit buildings)2024: 553 units (352 single-family, 185 in 2–4 unit, 16 in 5+ unit buildings)2025: 663 units (245 single-family, 306 in 2–4 unit, 112 in 5+ unit buildings)2004200820122016202020252007 high · 1,037

Single-family2–4 units5+ units

Houses or apartments

The closest match in building mix among the 386 other metro areas is Dothan (8.3% in five-plus buildings).

2021–202555.4%55%36.4%36%8.2%2004–200675.0%75%17.5%18%7.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%2021–202555.4%55%36.4%36%8.2%2004–200675.0%75%17.5%18%7.5%US, 2021–202562.6%63%3.5%34.0%34%

Boom, bust and since

Fort Smith authorized the most units in 2007 (1,037); 2025 reached 64% of that. Its peak year is shared by 19 other metro areas, among them Macon, Yakima, Decatur, AL. Annual permits fell from 943 during the mid-2000s boom to 520 in 2011, a drop of 45%. The nearest bust profile in the West South Central states was Amarillo's (46%). Its quietest year came later, in 2015 (389 units). The 2021–2025 pace of 646 units a year is 22% below the 2004–2006 pace. From 2024 to 2025 the count rose 20%.

Busiest permit offices

Across the metro area, 17 permit offices authorized new housing in 2021–2025. The busiest was Fort Smith, with 1,553 units or 48% of the total, followed by Barling with 388.

  • Fort Smith48% (1,553 units)
  • Barling12% (388 units)
  • Van Buren12% (377 units)
  • Roland town10% (335 units)
  • Sallisaw4.3% (138 units)
  • Greenwood4.1% (133 units)
  • Alma2.6% (84 units)
  • Bonanza1.6% (53 units)

Share of the units authorized in the metro area, 2021–2025.

Relative to population

With 234,140 residents in July 2025, Fort Smith authorized 2.8 units per 1,000 residents a year in 2021–2025, under the national 4.7. The metro areas with the nearest rates are Janesville (2.8) and Vallejo (2.8).

Where in the metro

Sebastian County accounted for 68% of the metro area's units in 2021–2025, Sequoyah County for 16%. The part in Oklahoma supplied 16%.

  • Sebastian County, AR68% (525 in 2025)
  • Sequoyah County, OK16% (92 in 2025)
  • Crawford County, AR16% (46 in 2025)

Similar in size

Metro area2004–20252025 unitsPer 1,000 a year5+ share
Bellingham, WA1,2145.841%
Fort Smith, AR-OK6632.88.2%
Barnstable Town, MA6302.924%
Topeka, KS6352.222%
Rochester, MN7345.551%

Rates and shares: 2021–2025.

Put Fort Smith beside Barnstable Town

Every yearly figure behind the chart, split by building size: yearly-units.csv. State view: Arkansas. Counting rules.