Fort Smith vs Wichita Falls
The short version
- Fort Smith is cheaper overall: prices in its metro run 4% lower than in the Wichita Falls area (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $156,800 in Wichita Falls and $178,100 in Fort Smith.
- Households earn more in Wichita Falls ($60,177 vs $54,816 median).
- Wichita Falls has more scorching days: 105 a year at 90°F or hotter vs 78.
- Fort Smith is growing faster: +1.9% since 2020 vs -0.3%.
- Texas has no state income tax on wages; Arkansas's top rate is 3.9%.
Side by side
| Fort Smith, AR | Wichita Falls, TX | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 90,855 | 101,951 |
| Growth since 2020 | +1.9% | -0.3% |
| People per square mile | 1,415 | 1,412 |
| Median age | 36.5 | 33.8 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 24% | 25% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $54,816 | $60,177 |
| Median home value | $178,100 | $156,800 |
| Home value to income | 3.2× | 2.6× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $884 | $1,022 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 85.9 | 89.5 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 53.4 | 68.2 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $64,400 | $67,100 |
| Homeowners | 53% | 56% |
| Top state income tax | 3.9% | None |
| Combined sales tax | 9.48% | 8.2% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 16.8 | 14.3 |
| Work from home | 8% | 7% |
| Take public transit | 0% | 0% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 6.5% | 3.8% |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% | 17.7% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 51° / 30° | 55° / 30° |
| July high / low | 94° / 72° | 97° / 72° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 28 in |
| Snowfall per year | 3 in | 3 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 78 | 105 |
| Nights below freezing | 63 | 58 |
| 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 | 81.9 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 72% | n/a |
| Home prices, past year | +3.2% | +0.8% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +47.7% | +34.2% |
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. Wichita Falls: April to May and October.
Full monthly tables: Fort Smith weather by month and Wichita Falls 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 $67,100 in Wichita Falls. Moving from Fort Smith to Wichita Falls, you would need about $78,200 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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