Living Cost Compare
Bellevue

Nebraska

$1,160/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 $1,160 in Bellevue, NE versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 33% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Bellevue, NE, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $87,343 in Bellevue, NE and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 40% higher in Bellevue, NE. Nebraska has a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Bellevue, NE
Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio
$1,106
$634
+43% in Bellevue, NE
1 Bedroom
$1,008
$603
+40% in Bellevue, NE
2 Bedroom
$1,190
$863
+27% in Bellevue, NE
3 Bedroom
$1,660
$1,087
+35% in Bellevue, NE

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$230,800
$168,100
+27% in Bellevue, NE

Income

Median Household Income
$87,343
$52,692
+40% in Bellevue, NE
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,660
$39,560
+20% in Bellevue, NE

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.1 yr
36.6 yr
+0.5 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
65.5%
53.0%
+12.5 pp in Bellevue, NE
Bachelor's+ (25+)
33.4%
25.3%
+8.1 pp in Bellevue, NE
Avg Commute
20.8 min
17.3 min
+3.5 min in Bellevue, NE

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
100.8
844.7
+738% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
1,149.4
3,697.6
+222% 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
51.1°F
61.7°F
+10.6°F in Fort Smith, AR
Annual Precipitation
30.6 in
45.5 in
+14.8 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Bellevue, NE

Area: Midwest (PADD 2) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
13.3
14.1
+7% in Fort Smith, AR
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$20.10
$27.86
+39% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Bellevue, NE
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Fort Smith, AR
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Bellevue, NE
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Bellevue, NE
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Bellevue, NE
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.62
about equal

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NE / AR)
5.5%
6.5%
+1.0 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
4.55%
3.90%
+0.6 pp in NE

Bellevue vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Bellevue or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 33% below Bellevue, NE's $1,160, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Bellevue than in Fort Smith?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $40,000 a year in Bellevue versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Bellevue or Fort Smith?
Bellevue is taxed under Nebraska's rules (a top state income tax rate of 4.55% and a 5.5% 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).