Fort Smith, Montana Demographics & Population 2026

A note before these figures: with a population of 78, Fort Smith's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Fort Smith is a small community located in Montana, within Big Horn County. The total population is 78. It ranks as the 351st most populous out of 475 Census-designated places in Montana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Fort Smith is 63.7 years. This is 58% higher than the state median of 40.4 years. 38.5% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Fort Smith is $51,190. This is 29% lower than the state median of $72,509. It is also 37% lower than the national median of $80,734. The ACS records no residents below the poverty line in Fort Smith. In a community this small the estimate rests on very few survey responses, so it should be read as an absence of measurement rather than a measured absence of poverty. The survey records no unemployed residents in Fort Smith, which reflects the size of the sample rather than a labor market without joblessness. The median home value is $119,600. Housing costs are 68% lower than the state median of $375,800. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.3x, Fort Smith is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 90.6% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 31% higher than the state average of 69.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Fort Smith is White (non-Hispanic), making up 73.1% of the population. Hispanic or Latino residents account for 26.9%. The Hispanic or Latino population is significantly higher than the state average (26.9% vs 4.6%).

Education

0.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is among the lowest rates in the state, which may correlate with employment and income patterns. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. No surveyed resident aged 25 or older reported leaving school before earning a high school diploma, though a rate of exactly 100% reflects the limits of a small sample.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Fort Smith, Montana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Montana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 475 Census-designated places in Montana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.