Residential comparison · 13 facts
Fort Smith, AR vs Little Rock, AR
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Fort Smith needs about $89,500 in Little Rock to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Little Rock, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Fort Smith.
A few differences
- Little Rock is higher on median household income ($63,003 vs $54,816).
- Fort Smith is lower on cost of living index (76 vs 82).
- Fort Smith is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($898/mo vs $1,117/mo).
Fort Smith vs Little Rock · facet by facet
| Facet | Fort Smith, AR | Little Rock, AR |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $178,100 | $236,400 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $898/mo | $1,117/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.62% | 0.62% |
| State & local income tax | 4.01% | 4.01% |
| Sales tax | 9.45% | 9.45% |
| Cost of living index | 76 | 82 |
| Groceries index | 95 | 95 |
| Utilities | $155/mo | $155/mo |
| Median household income | $54,816 | $63,003 |
| Unemployment rate | 3.4% | 3.4% |
| Crime index | 68/100 | 68/100 |
| School rating | 4.5/10 | 4.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 217 days | 217 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Fort Smith, AR · Little Rock, AR
Questions & answers
- Is Fort Smith cheaper than Little Rock?
- Fort Smith has the lower day-to-day cost index (76 vs 82 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Little Rock equals $85,000 in Fort Smith?
- A household earning $85,000 in Fort Smith needs about $89,500 in Little Rock to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Little Rock lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Fort Smith.