Living Cost Compare
Baton Rouge

Louisiana

$1,000/mo est.

vs
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,000 in Baton Rouge, LA versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 22% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Baton Rouge, LA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $49,944 in Baton Rouge, LA and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 5% higher in Fort Smith, AR. Louisiana has a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Baton Rouge, LA
Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio
$881
$634
+28% in Baton Rouge, LA
1 Bedroom
$854
$603
+29% in Baton Rouge, LA
2 Bedroom
$1,075
$863
+20% in Baton Rouge, LA
3 Bedroom
$1,241
$1,087
+12% in Baton Rouge, LA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$224,500
$168,100
+25% in Baton Rouge, LA

Income

Median Household Income
$49,944
$52,692
+6% in Fort Smith, AR
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,710
$39,560
+19% in Baton Rouge, LA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
31.8 yr
36.6 yr
+4.8 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
46.9%
53.0%
+6.1 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
35.8%
25.3%
+10.5 pp in Baton Rouge, LA
Avg Commute
21.1 min
17.3 min
+3.8 min in Baton Rouge, LA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
305
844.7
+177% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
1,756.3
3,697.6
+111% in Fort Smith, AR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
68.5°F
61.7°F
+6.8°F in Baton Rouge, LA
Annual Precipitation
60.6 in
45.5 in
+15.2 in in Baton Rouge, LA

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.62/gal
about equal

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.5
14.1
+5% in Fort Smith, AR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$16.62
$27.86
+68% in Fort Smith, AR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.00
about equal
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$1.75
about equal
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.21
about equal
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$6.45
about equal
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$1.90
about equal
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

Average prices — South vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (LA / AR)
5%
6.5%
+1.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.00%
3.90%
+0.9 pp in AR

Baton Rouge vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Baton Rouge or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 22% below Baton Rouge, LA's $1,000, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Baton Rouge than in Fort Smith?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $34,000 a year in Baton Rouge versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Baton Rouge or Fort Smith?
Baton Rouge is taxed under Louisiana's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.00% and a 5% state sales tax); Fort Smith under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).