Barling has top metro percentage population growth in 2025 Census report

Among Fort Smith metro cities with a population of more than 5,000, Barling had the highest percentage growth of 13.8% between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025, according to new estimates posted Thursday (May 14) by the U.S. Census Bureau.

The Census Bureau released Thursday (May 14) new population and housing unit estimates as of July 1, 2025. Barling’s estimated population as of July 1, 2025, was 5,452, up 3.3% compared with the same period in 2024, and up 13.8% compared with 4,791 as of July 1, 2020.

The city of Fort Smith had estimated population of 90,855 as of July 1, 2025, up 1.9% compared with July 1, 2020, and up 0.12% compared with the same period in 2024. Fort Smith’s population is up an estimated 1,699 between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025, and is up 113 since July 1, 2024.

Van Buren, the second largest city in the metro, had population of 24,556 as of July 1, 2025, up 5.66% compared with July 1, 2020, and up 0.64% compared with the same period in 2024. Van Buren’s population is up an estimated 1,316 between July 1, 2020 and July 1, 2025, and is up 155 since July 1, 2024.

Following are estimated population figures among Fort Smith metro cities with a population of more than 5,000. All years are as of July 1.

Fort Smith
2025: 90,855
2024: 90,742
2020: 89,156

Van Buren
2025: 24,566
2024: 24,401
2020: 23,240

Greenwood
2025: 9,793
2024: 9,745
2020: 9,534

Poteau (Okla.)
2025: 90,855
2024: 90,742
2020: 89,156

Sallisaw (Okla.)
2025: 8,790
2024: 8,677
2020: 8,530

Alma
2025: 6,071
2024: 6,025
2020: 5,830

Barling
2025: 5,452
2024: 5,280
2020: 4,791

Following is the ranking by percentage growth since 2020 among the 7 cities in the Fort Smith metro with population of 5,000 or more.

Barling: 13.8%
Van Buren: 5.6%
Alma: 4.1%
Poteau: 4%
Sallisaw: 3%
Greenwood: 2.7%
Fort Smith: 1.9%

Also, Sebastian County ranked fourth among Arkansas’ 75 counties in terms of housing units. Housing units in the county has grown 3.1% between July 1, 2020, and July 1, 2025. Following is the county’s housing unit estimates between 2020 and 2025.

Sebastian County
2025: 58,589
2024: 58,274
2023: 57,938
2022: 57,527
2021: 57,177
2020: 56,833

Crawford County, the second largest county by population in the Fort Smith metro, had an estimated 25,950 housing units as of July 1, 2025, up 2.4% compared with the same period in 2024.

STATEWIDE POPULATION NUMBERS
The state’s three fastest-growing cities are in Northwest Arkansas, with Centerton continuing to grow the fastest, Among cities with at least 20,000 residents, Centerton was ranked the fastest-growing city in Arkansas for the third consecutive year and is the 42nd fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population rose by 5.7% to 27,176 in 2025, up from 25,710 in 2024, according to the Census Bureau estimates.

Siloam Springs was the second fastest-growing city in Arkansas and the 47th fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population increased by 5.4% to 21,298 from 20,203.

Bella Vista was the third fastest-growing city in Arkansas and the 94th fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population increased by 3.7% to 34,518 from 33,286. Fayetteville was the fourth fastest-growing city in the state and the 137th fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population increased by 2.8% to 106,623 from 103,715.

Bryant in Saline County was the fifth fastest-growing city in Arkansas and the 242nd fastest-growing city in the United States. Its population increased by 2% to 22,815 from 22,375. Rounding out the top 10 fastest-growing cities in Arkansas are Rogers, Bentonville, Conway, Benton and Paragould. Their growth rates were 1.9%, 1.8%, 1.7%, 1.6% and 1.3%, respectively.

Link here for a story on the statewide Census data.