Fayetteville vs Fort Smith
Fayetteville, Arkansas versus Fort Smith, Arkansas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fayetteville and Fort Smith score about the same overall (48 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fayetteville | Fort Smith |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $57k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $42k |
| Home Value | $291k | $156k |
| Monthly Rent | $944 | $798 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.62% | 0.70% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 9.45% | 9.45% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.68% | 9.65% |
| Unemployment | 5.3% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 37°F | 40°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 78°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3 in | 47.3 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5 in | 2.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 257 days | 255 days |
| Summer Humidity | 68°F | 70°F |
| Comfortable Days | 67 days | 72 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 63.4 | 67.2 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 65.5 | 53.1 |
| Violent Crime | 1827/100k | 3397/100k |
| Property Crime | 4047/100k | 4944/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 89,315 |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 36.4 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.37 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.00 | 0.98 |
| Political Leaning | Even | R+37 |
| White (%) | 76.2% | 59.4% |
| Black (%) | 5.3% | 8.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 7.6% | 19.6% |
| Asian (%) | 2.8% | 5.7% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 8.2% | 7.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 18 min | 17 min |
| Walkability | 8.0/20 | 8.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 97 mi | 104 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.4% | 81.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 27.89 | 19.82 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Limited |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fayetteville or Fort Smith more affordable?
- Fort Smith has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Fayetteville's $44k and Fort Smith's $42k. Median rent is $944 in Fayetteville versus $798 in Fort Smith.
- Is Fayetteville or Fort Smith safer?
- Fayetteville has the lower violent crime rate. Fayetteville reports 1827/100k and Fort Smith reports 3397/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fayetteville or Fort Smith?
- The median home value is $291k in Fayetteville and $156k in Fort Smith, so homes are more affordable in Fort Smith.