Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Fort Smith?

Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Cheyenne, WY's $990, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Fort Smith?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.

Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Fort Smith?

Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax); Fort Smith under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Cheyenne vs Fort Smith Cost of Living 2026

Cheyenne

Wyoming

$990/mo est.

Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $990 in Cheyenne, WY versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 21% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Cheyenne, WY, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $77,176 in Cheyenne, WY and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 32% higher in Cheyenne, WY. Wyoming has no state income tax and a 4% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Cheyenne, WY

Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio

$756

$634

+16% in Cheyenne, WY

1 Bedroom

$824

$603

+27% in Cheyenne, WY

2 Bedroom

$1,036

$863

+17% in Cheyenne, WY

3 Bedroom

$1,478

$1,087

+26% in Cheyenne, WY

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$311,200

$168,100

+46% in Cheyenne, WY

Income

Median Household Income

$77,176

$52,692

+32% in Cheyenne, WY

Metro Median Wage (annual)

$51,540

$39,560

+23% in Cheyenne, WY

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

38.9 yr

36.6 yr

+2.3 yr in Cheyenne, WY

Homeownership

67.7%

53.0%

+14.7 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Bachelor's+ (25+)

32.9%

25.3%

+7.6 pp in Cheyenne, WY

Avg Commute

16.1 min

17.3 min

+1.2 min in Fort Smith, AR

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

334.6

844.7

+152% in Fort Smith, AR

Property Crime

3,030.3

3,697.6

+22% 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

46.5°F

61.7°F

+15.2°F in Fort Smith, AR

Annual Precipitation

15.9 in

45.5 in

+29.5 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$4.27/gal

$3.62/gal

+15% in Cheyenne, WY

Area: Rocky Mountain (PADD 4) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

15.2

14.1

+7% in Cheyenne, WY

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$18.28

$27.86

+52% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.82

$4.00

+17% in Cheyenne, WY

Bread (lb)

$2.04

$1.75

+14% in Cheyenne, WY

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Fort Smith, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$7.36

$6.45

+12% in Cheyenne, WY

Chicken (lb)

$2.01

$1.90

+6% in Cheyenne, WY

Bananas (lb)

$0.70

$0.62

+12% in Cheyenne, WY

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (WY / AR)

6.5%

+2.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.90%

+3.9 pp in AR

Cheyenne vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Cheyenne or Fort Smith?: Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 21% below Cheyenne, WY's $990, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Cheyenne than in Fort Smith?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $33,000 a year in Cheyenne versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Cheyenne or Fort Smith?: Cheyenne is taxed under Wyoming's rules (no state income tax and a 4% 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).