Fort Smith vs Fayetteville
The short version
- Fort Smith is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 6% lower than in the Fayetteville area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $178,100 in Fort Smith and $349,600 in Fayetteville.
- Households earn more in Fayetteville ($62,695 vs $54,816 median).
- Fort Smith has more scorching days: 78 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 40.
- Fayetteville is growing faster: +13.1% since 2020 vs +1.9%.
Side by side
| Fort Smith, AR | Fayetteville, AR | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 90,855 | 106,623 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | +13.1% |
| People per square mile | 1,415 | 1,947 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 28.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 49% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,816 | $62,695 |
| Median home value | $178,100 | $349,600 |
| Home value to income | 3.2× | 5.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $884 | $1,065 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 85.9 | 91.4 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 53.4 | 76.9 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $64,400 | $68,500 |
| Homeowners | 53% | 42% |
| Top state income tax | 3.9% | 3.9% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.48% | 9.48% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.8 | 18.5 |
| Work from home | 8% | 15% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 1% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.5% | 4% |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 20.6% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 51° / 30° | 48° / 25° |
| July high / low | 94° / 72° | 89° / 67° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 47 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 7 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 78 | 40 |
| Nights below freezing | 63 | 94 |
| Comfortable months | 1 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 86.8 | 92.3 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | 83% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.2% | +3.7% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.7% | +58.1% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Fort Smith: October. Fayetteville: June and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Fort Smith weather by month and Fayetteville weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $64,400 in Fort Smith and $68,500 in Fayetteville. Moving from Fort Smith to Fayetteville, you would need about $79,800 to match a $75,000 salary.
Moving between Fort Smith and Fayetteville
IRS county-to-county migration, 2022 to 2023 tax years, for the counties that contain each city. See where else people move from Fort Smith and Fayetteville.
Which would you pick?
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