Living Cost Compare
Fort Smith

Arkansas

$780/mo est.

vs
Jacksonville

Florida

$1,320/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 $1,320 in Jacksonville, FL. Overall, Fort Smith, AR is roughly 41% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Jacksonville, FL, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $52,692 in Fort Smith, AR and $66,981 in Jacksonville, FL — about 21% higher in Jacksonville, FL. Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax; Florida has no state income tax and a 6% state sales tax.

Fort Smith, AR
Jacksonville, FL

Rent

Studio
$634
$1,127
+78% in Jacksonville, FL
1 Bedroom
$603
$1,146
+90% in Jacksonville, FL
2 Bedroom
$863
$1,385
+60% in Jacksonville, FL
3 Bedroom
$1,087
$1,545
+42% in Jacksonville, FL

Buying a Home

Median Home Value
$168,100
$266,100
+58% in Jacksonville, FL

Income

Median Household Income
$52,692
$66,981
+27% in Jacksonville, FL
Metro Median Wage (annual)
$39,560
$48,830
+23% in Jacksonville, FL

People & Lifestyle

Median Age
36.6 yr
36.4 yr
+0.2 yr in Fort Smith, AR
Homeownership
53.0%
57.4%
+4.4 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Bachelor's+ (25+)
25.3%
31.8%
+6.5 pp in Jacksonville, FL
Avg Commute
17.3 min
24.1 min
+6.8 min in Jacksonville, FL

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime
844.7
558.4
+34% in Fort Smith, AR
Property Crime
3,697.6
2,600.1
+30% 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
70.2°F
+8.5°F in Jacksonville, FL
Annual Precipitation
45.5 in
49.2 in
+3.7 in in Jacksonville, FL

Gas

Regular Gasoline
$3.62/gal
$3.83/gal
+6% in Jacksonville, FL

Area: Gulf Coast (PADD 3) vs Florida.

Public Transit

Base Fare (one-way)
—
$1.75

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

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)
14.1
15.1
+7% in Jacksonville, FL
Natural Gas ($/MCF)
$27.86
$23.62
+15% in Fort Smith, AR

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 (AR / FL)
6.5%
6%
+0.5 pp in AR
Income Tax (top rate)
3.90%
None
+3.9 pp in AR

Fort Smith vs Jacksonville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Fort Smith or Jacksonville?
Fort Smith, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $780 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 41% below Jacksonville, FL's $1,320, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Fort Smith than in Jacksonville?
To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $24,000 a year in Fort Smith versus $46,000 in Jacksonville.
Which has lower taxes, Fort Smith or Jacksonville?
Fort Smith is taxed under Arkansas's rules (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax); Jacksonville under Florida's (no state income tax and a 6% 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).