Living Cost Compare
Charlotte

North Carolina

$1,560/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 $1,560 in Charlotte, NC versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 50% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Charlotte, NC, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $78,438 in Charlotte, NC and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 33% higher in Charlotte, NC. North Carolina has a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Charlotte, NC
Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio
$1,424
$634
+55% in Charlotte, NC
1 Bedroom
$1,374
$603
+56% in Charlotte, NC
2 Bedroom
$1,491
$863
+42% in Charlotte, NC
3 Bedroom
$1,663
$1,087
+35% in Charlotte, NC

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$351,500
$168,100
+52% in Charlotte, NC

Income

Median Household Income
$78,438
$52,692
+33% in Charlotte, NC
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$49,990
$39,560
+21% in Charlotte, NC

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
34.4 yr
36.6 yr
+2.2 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
51.5%
53.0%
+1.5 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
47.4%
25.3%
+22.1 pp in Charlotte, NC
Avg Commute
25.0 min
17.3 min
+7.7 min in Charlotte, NC

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
733.1
844.7
+15% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,718.9
3,697.6
+1% in Charlotte, NC

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

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature
59.9°F
61.7°F
+1.8°F in Fort Smith, AR
Annual Precipitation
41.6 in
45.5 in
+3.8 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.94/gal
$3.62/gal
+8% in Charlotte, NC

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.20
—

Adult base one-way fare — CATS vs — (2026).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.7
14.1
+4% in Charlotte, NC
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$30.10
$27.86
+7% in Charlotte, NC

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 (NC / AR)
4.75%
6.5%
+1.8 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.99%
3.90%
+0.1 pp in NC

Charlotte vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Charlotte or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 50% below Charlotte, NC's $1,560, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Charlotte than in Fort Smith?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $55,000 a year in Charlotte versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Charlotte or Fort Smith?
Charlotte is taxed under North Carolina's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.99% and a 4.75% 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).