The Town FilesSmackover, Arkansas
City in Union County · population 1,630 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $118,600
- Household income
- $55,995
- Jan low / Jul high
- 34° / 94°
- Snow a year
- 1 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 12
- Median age
- 39.9
Smackover is a city of 1,630 people in Union County, Arkansas. The median home is worth $118,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). It ranks better for first-time buyers than 82% of Arkansas towns, better for retirees than 81% of Arkansas towns, easier by car than 80% of Arkansas towns.
How Smackover ranks
Percentile among Arkansas towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Arkansas towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Smackover is worth $118,600, below the typical Arkansas town ($128,600). Homes cost about 2.1 times the median household income of $55,995, which is more affordable than 82% of Arkansas towns. Median rent is $860 a month. 65.8% of households own their home.
| Housing | Smackover | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $118,600 | $128,600 |
| Median rent | $860 | $792 |
| Median household income | $55,995 | $50,408 |
| Home value ÷ income | 2.1× | 2.7× |
| Homeownership | 65.8% | 64.9% |
| Median year built | 1980 | 1980 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 1.6% | — |
Who lives in Smackover
| People | Smackover | Typical Arkansas town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 39.9 | 37.8 |
| Age 65 and over | 21.5% | 17.2% |
| Under 18 | 26.0% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 22.4% | 16.5% |
| Below the poverty line | 26.6% | 19.7% |
| Veterans | 11.9% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.4% | — |
| Work from home | 6.8% | 5.3% |
| Average commute | 19.9 min | 22.2 min |
| Homes with broadband | 89.8% | 84.4% |
Weather in Smackover
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 33.6°F. About 52.1 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 1.0 inches of snow (typical Arkansas town: 2.6 in). Expect about 88 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 53 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smackover since 1950, compared with 24 for the typical Arkansas town. 1 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F2, struck on March 28, 1972 about 9.9 miles from the town center. The most recent was on January 2, 2023.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 27 times; the largest was 2.00 inches on March 13, 2016.
Severe weather in Union County since 1996
Union County has been included in 21 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, tornado.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| August 21, 2026 | Fire | FM-5673: Pine Tree Road Fire |
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3636: Severe Winter Storm |
| April 5, 2025 | Severe Storm | EM-3627: Severe Storms, Tornadoes, And Flooding |
| August 27, 2020 | Hurricane | EM-3541: Hurricane Laura |
| April 3, 2020 | Biological | DR-4518: Covid-19 Pandemic |
Jobs and pay in Union County
Union County had 16,449 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $61,648 a year. Unemployment was 4.6% in 2023; in Smackover itself the ACS puts it at 7.4%.
Public schools in Smackover
2 public schools with 732 students, about 10.2 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| SMACKOVER ELEMENTARY SCHOOL | K-4 | 418 | 13.1 |
| SMACKOVER HIGH SCHOOL | 9-12 | 314 | 7.9 |
Towns near Smackover
- Norphlet, AR5.0 mi · 766 people · home $120,800
- El Dorado, AR10.7 mi · 17,756 people · home $124,100
- Camden, AR15.6 mi · 10,612 people · home $107,400
- East Camden, AR16.9 mi · 798 people · home $110,400
- Hampton, AR19.3 mi · 1,181 people · home $91,300
- Stephens, AR19.9 mi · 770 people · home $70,700
- Junction City, AR23.6 mi · 503 people · home $111,300
- Bearden, AR26.0 mi · 776 people · home $74,600
Smackover questions
Is Smackover, Arkansas a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Smackover scores better for retirees than 81% of Arkansas towns and quieter than 36%. 21.5% of residents are 65 or older (median age 39.9).
How much does a house cost in Smackover?
The median owner-occupied home in Smackover is valued at $118,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $55,995, so homes cost about 2.1 times income. Median rent is $860 a month.
What is the weather like in Smackover?
July highs average 93.6°F and January lows 33.6°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 52.1 inches of precipitation a year and 1.0 inches of snow.
Does Smackover get tornadoes?
12 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Smackover since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F2 on March 28, 1972. The typical Arkansas town has had 24.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)