Living Cost Compare
Dallas

Texas

$1,480/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 $1,480 in Dallas, TX versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 47% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Dallas, TX, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $67,760 in Dallas, TX and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 22% higher in Dallas, TX. Texas has no state income tax and a 6.25% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Dallas, TX
Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio
$1,259
$634
+50% in Dallas, TX
1 Bedroom
$1,280
$603
+53% in Dallas, TX
2 Bedroom
$1,500
$863
+42% in Dallas, TX
3 Bedroom
$1,559
$1,087
+30% in Dallas, TX

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$295,300
$168,100
+43% in Dallas, TX

Income

Median Household Income
$67,760
$52,692
+22% in Dallas, TX
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$51,440
$39,560
+23% in Dallas, TX

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
33.4 yr
36.6 yr
+3.2 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
42.4%
53.0%
+10.6 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
37.4%
25.3%
+12.1 pp in Dallas, TX
Avg Commute
26.0 min
17.3 min
+8.7 min in Dallas, TX

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
661.9
844.7
+28% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,412.9
3,697.6
+8% 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
67.2°F
61.7°F
+5.5°F in Dallas, TX
Annual Precipitation
37.6 in
45.5 in
+7.9 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.58/gal
$3.62/gal
+1% in Fort Smith, AR

Area: Texas vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
$2.50
—

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
14.1
+11% in Dallas, TX
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$31.89
$27.86
+13% in Dallas, TX

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 (TX / AR)
6.25%
6.5%
+0.3 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
None
3.90%
+3.9 pp in AR

Dallas vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Dallas or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 47% below Dallas, TX's $1,480, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Dallas than in Fort Smith?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $51,000 a year in Dallas versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Dallas or Fort Smith?
Dallas is taxed under Texas's rules (no state income tax and a 6.25% 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).