Living Cost Compare
Davenport

Iowa

$960/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 $960 in Davenport, IA versus $780 in Fort Smith, AR. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 19% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Davenport, IA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $64,497 in Davenport, IA and $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR — about 18% higher in Davenport, IA. Iowa has a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Davenport, IA
Fort Smith, AR

Rent

Studio
$726
$634
+13% in Davenport, IA
1 Bedroom
$777
$603
+22% in Davenport, IA
2 Bedroom
$962
$863
+10% in Davenport, IA
3 Bedroom
$1,117
$1,087
+3% in Davenport, IA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$162,900
$168,100
+3% in Fort Smith, AR

Income

Median Household Income
$64,497
$52,692
+18% in Davenport, IA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$48,550
$39,560
+19% in Davenport, IA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
37.8 yr
36.6 yr
+1.2 yr in Davenport, IA
Homeownership
63.0%
53.0%
+10.0 pp in Davenport, IA
Bachelor's+ (25+)
30.0%
25.3%
+4.7 pp in Davenport, IA
Avg Commute
18.7 min
17.3 min
+1.4 min in Davenport, IA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
581.4
844.7
+45% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,559.6
3,697.6
+4% 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
49.3°F
61.7°F
+12.4°F in Fort Smith, AR
Annual Precipitation
36.0 in
45.5 in
+9.4 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.85/gal
$3.62/gal
+6% in Davenport, IA

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
15.9
14.1
+11% in Davenport, IA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$22.16
$27.86
+26% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.31
$4.00
+7% in Davenport, IA
Bread (lb)
$1.66
$1.75
+5% in Fort Smith, AR
Eggs (doz)
$3.63
$2.21
+39% in Davenport, IA
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.77
$6.45
+5% in Davenport, IA
Chicken (lb)
$2.10
$1.90
+9% in Davenport, IA
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 (IA / AR)
6%
6.5%
+0.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.80%
3.90%
+0.1 pp in AR

Davenport vs Fort Smith — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Davenport or Fort Smith?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 19% below Davenport, IA's $960, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Davenport than in Fort Smith?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $31,000 a year in Davenport versus $24,000 in Fort Smith.
Which has lower taxes, Davenport or Fort Smith?
Davenport is taxed under Iowa's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.80% and a 6% 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).