72901 and 72904 receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
72901
72904
Opportunity
54 · Bottom 48%
vs49 · Bottom 38%
Growth
54 · Top 43%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
63 · Bottom 26%
vs63 · Bottom 26%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs58 · Top 50%
Housing affordability
86 · Top 39%
vs86 · Top 40%
Access
95 · Top 43%
vs95 · Top 43%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 12%
vs28 · Bottom 7%
Measured values
| Metric | 72901 | 72904 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,819 | 21,296 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $42,851 | $41,909 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $26,107 | $18,424 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 2,269/sq mi | 1,556/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $118,100 | $111,500 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $854 | $842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.3% | 53.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.5% | 1.5% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 19.1% | 7.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 26.1% | 29.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 359 | 359 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 4.0 | 4.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -10.5% | -10.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 30°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.3" | 47.3" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 3 mi | 6 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.4 min | 18.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 35.6 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 10 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.64 | 16.95 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 79.6% | 92.2% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
72901
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
72904
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 72901 — Fort Smith, AR · 72904 — Fort Smith, AR · How this is calculated: methodology