Rent Tracker
Rent Inflation in Fort Smith, AR
The average asking rent in Fort Smith, AR is $1,075/month as of 2026-08. That is +3.4% compared to a year ago.
Source: Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI) | zillow.com/research
Current Avg Rent
$1,075/mo
as of 2026-08
Year-over-Year Change
+3.4%
24-Month Rent Trend
Monthly ZORI index values for Fort Smith, AR.
| Month | Avg Asking Rent | Change from Prior Month |
|---|---|---|
| 2026-08 | $1,075 | -0.28% |
| 2026-07 | $1,078 | +0.09% |
| 2026-06 | $1,077 | +0.00% |
| 2026-05 | $1,077 | +1.51% |
| 2026-04 | $1,061 | +0.95% |
| 2026-03 | $1,051 | +0.48% |
| 2026-02 | $1,046 | +0.00% |
| 2026-01 | $1,046 | -0.10% |
| 2025-12 | $1,047 | +0.10% |
| 2025-11 | $1,046 | +0.19% |
| 2025-10 | $1,044 | -0.10% |
| 2025-09 | $1,045 | +0.48% |
| 2025-08 | $1,040 | +0.29% |
| 2025-07 | $1,037 | +0.68% |
| 2025-06 | $1,030 | +0.49% |
| 2025-05 | $1,025 | +0.39% |
| 2025-04 | $1,021 | +0.29% |
| 2025-03 | $1,018 | +0.59% |
| 2025-02 | $1,012 | +0.00% |
| 2025-01 | $1,012 | +0.00% |
| 2024-12 | $1,012 | -0.49% |
| 2024-11 | $1,017 | +0.30% |
| 2024-10 | $1,014 | +0.10% |
| 2024-09 | $1,013 | — |
Why Rent Inflation Matters
Shelter is the single largest component of the official CPI, accounting for roughly one-third of the index. But the BLS shelter index tends to lag real-market rent changes by 12–18 months because it measures rents paid by all tenants — including long-term renters locked into old leases. ZORI measures asking rents for new leases, making it a timelier signal of where CPI shelter inflation is headed.
When ZORI is rising sharply in your city, it is a leading indicator that official shelter inflation — and therefore overall CPI — will remain elevated in coming months.
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Data Source
Rent data uses the Zillow Observed Rent Index (ZORI), a smoothed measure of typical market-rate asking rents updated monthly by Zillow Research. ZORI covers single-family homes, condos, and co-ops and reflects asking rents for new leases — making it a more timely indicator than the lagged BLS shelter index. zillow.com/research | Money & Prices