Living Cost Compare
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

vs
Fresno

California

$1,380/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $780 in Fort Smith, AR versus $1,380 in Fresno, CA. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 43% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Fresno, CA, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $66,804 in Fresno, CA — about 21% higher in Fresno, CA. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; California has a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR
Fresno, CA

Rent

Studio
$634
$1,072
+69% in Fresno, CA
1 Bedroom
$603
$1,042
+73% in Fresno, CA
2 Bedroom
$863
$1,293
+50% in Fresno, CA
3 Bedroom
$1,087
$1,688
+55% in Fresno, CA

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$168,100
$348,500
+107% in Fresno, CA

Income

Median Household Income
$52,692
$66,804
+27% in Fresno, CA
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,560
$46,910
+19% in Fresno, CA

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
32.4 yr
+4.2 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
53.0%
49.7%
+3.3 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Bachelor's+ (25+)
25.3%
24.9%
+0.4 pp in Fort Smith, AR
Avg Commute
17.3 min
22.3 min
+5.0 min in Fresno, CA

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
844.7
742.2
+12% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,697.6
3,335.3
+10% 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
61.7°F
64.4°F
+2.7°F in Fresno, CA
Annual Precipitation
45.5 in
11.5 in
+34.0 in in Fort Smith, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$5.52/gal
+53% in Fresno, CA

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs California.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.25

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
34.7
+146% in Fresno, CA
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.86
$20.33
+27% in Fort Smith, AR

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

Groceries

Milk (gal)
$4.00
$4.82
+20% in Fresno, CA
Bread (lb)
$1.75
$2.04
+17% in Fresno, CA
Eggs (doz)
$2.21
$2.19
+1% in Fort Smith, AR
Ground Beef (lb)
$6.45
$7.36
+14% in Fresno, CA
Chicken (lb)
$1.90
$2.01
+6% in Fresno, CA
Bananas (lb)
$0.62
$0.70
+14% in Fresno, CA

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

State Taxes

Sales Tax (AR / CA)
6.5%
7.25%
+0.8 pp in CA
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
13.30%
+9.4 pp in CA

Fort Smith vs Fresno — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Fresno?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 43% below Fresno, CA's $1,380, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Fresno?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $42,000 in Fresno.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Fresno?
Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Fresno under California's (a top state income tax rate of 13.30% and a 7.25% 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).