Community Health Workers Salary
Community Health Workers in Fort Smith, AR-OK make a median of $58,690 a year, or about $28.22 an hour. The range runs from $38K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 85.89), which stretches that salary to about $68,332 in buying power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $937/month, or 24.3% of estimated take-home pay.
So what does $59K get you in Fort Smith?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Fort Smith’s Regional Price Parity (85.89). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About community health workers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Fort Smith
Fort Smith sits well above the national pay line for community health workers, local pay runs about 13% higher than the U.S. median of $52K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $937/month, 23.9% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Regional Price Parity sits at 85.89 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 14% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Combined with manageable housing costs, Fort Smith offers a genuinely strong financial position for community health workerss at the median.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for community health workers in metros near Fort Smith, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway | $45K | $50K |
| Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers | $47K | $51K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $50K | $51K |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $51K | $49K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Fort Smith, AR-OK
Entry-level community health workers (10th percentile) start around $38K. Mid-career wages sit at $59K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $40K spread from bottom to top.
Community Health Workers pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Community Health Workers salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| New Hampshire | $67K | +29% | 200 |
| District of Columbia | $63K | +21% | 280 |
| North Dakota | $60K | +15% | 90 |
| Colorado | $59K | +14% | N/A |
| Hawaii | $58K | +13% | 240 |
| New York | $58K | +12% | 5,800 |
| California | $58K | +12% | 9,500 |
| Nevada | $58K | +11% | 670 |
| Washington | $57K | +10% | 2,640 |
| Delaware | $56K | +8% | 280 |
| New Jersey | $56K | +8% | 1,330 |
| Utah | $56K | +7% | 580 |
| Massachusetts | $56K | +7% | 2,970 |
| New Mexico | $55K | +6% | 610 |
| Wyoming | $54K | +4% | 140 |
| Connecticut | $54K | +3% | 290 |
| Oregon | $53K | +3% | 1,980 |
| Rhode Island | $53K | +2% | 520 |
| Idaho | $52K | +0% | 270 |
| Alaska | $52K | +0% | 400 |
| Nebraska | $52K | -0% | 160 |
| Vermont | $52K | -1% | 170 |
| Wisconsin | $51K | -1% | 630 |
| Pennsylvania | $51K | -2% | 1,970 |
| Georgia | $51K | -2% | 490 |
| Ohio | $51K | -2% | 1,910 |
| Maryland | $51K | -3% | 3,030 |
| Montana | $50K | -4% | 330 |
| Michigan | $49K | -5% | 1,890 |
| Illinois | $49K | -5% | 2,040 |
| Arizona | $49K | -6% | 1,140 |
| Virginia | $49K | -6% | 620 |
| Missouri | $49K | -6% | 1,820 |
| Texas | $49K | -6% | 4,210 |
| Maine | $49K | -6% | 360 |
| Kentucky | $48K | -7% | 980 |
| South Carolina | $48K | -7% | 540 |
| Indiana | $48K | -8% | 1,310 |
| Iowa | $48K | -8% | 390 |
| North Carolina | $48K | -8% | 1,680 |
| Minnesota | $48K | -8% | 1,260 |
| Kansas | $47K | -9% | 240 |
| Louisiana | $46K | -10% | 210 |
| Oklahoma | $46K | -12% | 600 |
| South Dakota | $46K | -12% | 270 |
| Florida | $45K | -12% | 1,220 |
| Arkansas | $45K | -13% | N/A |
| Alabama | $43K | -16% | 270 |
| Tennessee | $42K | -18% | 520 |
| Mississippi | $40K | -24% | 410 |
| West Virginia | $38K | -27% | 310 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 states
Track community health workers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Fort Smith numbers change.
Related careers in Community & Social
Frequently asked questions
Can a community health worker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Fort Smith?
Yes — at the median salary of $59K, rent takes 23.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $937/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for community health workers in Fort Smith?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new community health workers typically earn — is $38K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,284/month. At HUD’s $937/month FMR, rent would take 41% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is community health worker a high-paying job in Fort Smith?
Local pay is 13% above the national median — $59K here vs. $52K nationally.
How does Fort Smith compare to the national average for community health workers?
Fort Smith pays $59K median vs. the U.S. average of $52K — that’s +13%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 85.89), the purchasing-power equivalent is $68K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do community health workers make in Fort Smith, AR-OK?
The median is $58,690 a year, that works out to about $28 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $38,070, and experienced community health workers can clear $77,880. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $59K enough to live in Fort Smith?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,923/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $937/month, which eats 23.9% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a community health workers salary go in Fort Smith?
Fort Smith has a Regional Price Parity of 85.89 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median community health workers salary is worth about $68,332 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do community health workers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.