Fort Smith vs Russellville
Fort Smith, Arkansas versus Russellville, Arkansas: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Russellville edges out Fort Smith on overall objective livability (49 vs 45 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fort Smith | Russellville |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $51k | $44k |
| Cost of Living | $42k | $42k |
| Home Value | $156k | $156k |
| Monthly Rent | $798 | $784 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.70% | 0.59% |
| Income Tax | 4.40% | 4.40% |
| Sales Tax | 9.45% | 9.45% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.65% | 9.61% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 5.3% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 40°F | 40°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 82°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3 in | 46.4 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.9 in | 3.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 255 days | 237 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 72°F |
| Comfortable Days | 72 days | 69 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 67.2 | 68.3 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 39 AQI |
| School Quality | 53.1 | 46.0 |
| Violent Crime | 3397/100k | 1713/100k |
| Property Crime | 4944/100k | 2888/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 89,315 | 28,946 |
| Median Age | 36.4 | 29.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.57 | 0.41 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.98 | 0.92 |
| Political Leaning | R+37 | R+52 |
| White (%) | 59.4% | 70.6% |
| Black (%) | 8.0% | 4.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 19.6% | 16.9% |
| Asian (%) | 5.7% | 1.6% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.3% | 6.3% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 17 min | 16 min |
| Walkability | 8.1/20 | 7.9/20 |
| Airport Distance | 104 mi | 167 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 81.5% | 86.0% |
| Amenities Nearby | 19.82 | 31.78 |
| Park & Nature Access | Limited | Moderate |
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 Fort Smith or Russellville more affordable?
- Russellville has the lower cost of living: its index is $42k, compared with Fort Smith's $42k and Russellville's $42k. Median rent is $798 in Fort Smith versus $784 in Russellville.
- Is Fort Smith or Russellville safer?
- Russellville has the lower violent crime rate. Fort Smith reports 3397/100k and Russellville reports 1713/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fort Smith or Russellville?
- The median home value is $156k in Fort Smith and $156k in Russellville, so homes are more affordable in Fort Smith.