NAICS 44-45

Retail Trade in Fort Smith, AR

Metro Market Score 60.2 (Difficult), ranked #255 of 378 metros. 822 establishments, 11,413 jobs.

Metro Market Score 60.2

Favorable 0-35

Moderate 35-48

Challenging 48-60

Difficult 60+

Difficult

ⓘ Lower is better. Relative to national retail trade average.

Retail Trade employment in Fort Smith contracted year-over-year, placing the growth trend in the lower half at 3.4. Declining job counts can indicate consolidation, population shifts, or reduced local demand. Due diligence on the local economy is especially important here.

Industry Concentration

60.3

LQ: 1.19

Rank #228 of 378 metros

Wage Competitiveness

8.7

$33,441 avg wage

Growth Trend

↓ 3.4

Employment growth index

Rank #366 of 378 metros

Wage Pressure

70.0

YoY wage change index

822 Retail Trade Firms in Fort Smith

822

Establishments

-17.1% YoY

11,413

Total Employment

-11.6% YoY

$33,441

Average Annual Wage

+1.6% YoY

1.19

Location Quotient

Above national avg

Within Arkansas

#3 of 5

retail trade metros in state

Arkansas state rank

#44 of 51

for retail trade entry risk

vs State Median

0.0

matches median (60.2)

Fort Smith vs Arkansas Statewide

How this metro's retail trade market compares to Arkansas overall. The state ranks #44/51 for entry risk.

Measure	Fort Smith	AR Statewide
Overall Score	60.2 Difficult	51.8 Elevated
Score Type	Metro Market Score	Entry Risk Score
Rank	#255 of 378 metros	#44 of 51 states

Metro and state scores use different methodologies (metro has 4 QCEW-based metrics; state adds BDS survival and momentum data). Direct score comparisons are approximate.

Other Industries in Fort Smith

Real Estate and Rental and Leasing 39.1 Other Services 44.7 Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services 46.0 Construction 46.4 Finance and Insurance 51.6 Accommodation and Food Services 59.5 Information 66.8

Retail Trade in Other Arkansas Metros

Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway 42.1 #58/378 Jonesboro 47.4 #104/378 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers 62.9 #284/378 Hot Springs 71.6 #347/378

Retail Trade Metros With Similar Conditions

Metros within 5 points of Fort Smith's 60.2 score. Useful when comparing markets with comparable entry profiles.

Winston-Salem, NC 60.3 #256/378 Binghamton, NY 60.2 #254/378 Urban Honolulu, HI 60.1 #253/378 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV 60.4 #257/378 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN 60.4 #258/378 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA 60.0 #252/378 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA 60.0 #251/378 Rockford, IL 60.5 #259/378 Tucson, AZ 60.5 #260/378 Albany, OR 60.5 #261/378

Retail Trade in States Bordering Arkansas

State-level entry risk for retail trade in adjacent states. Use this to weigh cross-border options.

Texas 41.6 #17/51 Tennessee 42.8 #22/51 Oklahoma 46.3 #35/51 Missouri 50.6 #42/51 Louisiana 52.3 #46/51 Mississippi 59.2 #51/51

Browse Retail Trade in Other States

State-level entry risk reports for retail trade across all 51 markets, sorted by rank.

About Metro Market Score: A weighted composite of industry concentration (25%), wage competitiveness (25%), wage pressure (20%), and employment growth trend (30%). Lower scores indicate more favorable conditions. For Fort Smith's retail trade sector, the employment growth component (96.6) has the strongest pull on the composite. Metro scores use QCEW data only (no BDS survival data at metro level). Read full methodology →

Data Sources

Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), Bureau of Labor Statistics. MSA-level establishment counts, employment, wages, and location quotients for the Fort Smith, AR-OK MSA area.

Data period: 2024. Last updated: April 2026.

Metro Market Assessment