FORT SMITH, Ark. — New U.S. census data shows multiple Arkansas cities experienced a drop in population, but Fort Smith is taking steps to bring new people to its city.
According to the city, they have a population of about 90,000 and gain around 500 residents on average each year, but new data shows Fort Smith lost about 300 people between 2022 and 2023.
So what changed? City spokesperson Josh Buchfink doesn’t think the recent decline aligns with development in Fort Smith, "From all the signs that I'm seeing, Fort Smith is actually growing. So I was actually a little shocked to see that the population had decreased based on the 2023 estimates."
That growth Buchkfink mentions includes the new foreign military sales (FMS) pilot training center at the Ebbing National Air Guard Base.
"That's estimated by itself to bring in 1,500 military members and their families," says Buchfink.
With that still on the horizon, Fort Smith is actively working to attract new residents.
"We're also doing a program with a company called Make My Move, which incentivizes remote workers to come to Fort Smith," said Buchfink.
That incentive package, worth about $1,000, includes perks like season tickets to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith athletics, four season passes to Parrot Island Water Park, a one-year membership to the Fort Smith Museum of History, and more.
Buchfink says the city hopes to bring in 25 remote workers along with their families and to see numbers back on a positive trend in the next year.
"Based on our housing, our growth, the FMS project that I mentioned, and all these other incentives, there's no reason to believe that this will be a trend going forward," Buchfink concludes.
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