Relocation profile · Federal data
Fort Smith, AR-OK
BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #18 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).
- 85.9
- Cost index (US=100)
- $937
- 2BR rent / mo
- $53,744
- Median salary
- 60.5
- LiveAbility Score
The verdict
As of June 2026, Fort Smith ranks #50 of 387 US metros on the LiveAbility Score (60.5/100), with its strongest marks in housing and cost of living.
- #50
- of 387 US metros · Excellent
- 3,088,354
- metro-area population
- 580
- violent crimes per 100K (state-level)
- 1,069
- schools in the state (NCES)
Weakest dimension: job market (2/100). Weigh every dimension against your own priorities, use the City Finder to re-rank by what matters to you.
According to PlainRelocate's LiveAbility composite (BEA, BLS, HUD, FBI, NCES, EPA, NOAA, and FEMA inputs), Fort Smith ranks #50 of 387 scored US metros by LiveAbility Score (highest score = #1). Cost-of-living index 85.9 (100 = national average), median 2-bedroom rent $937/mo, median salary $53,744; LiveAbility Score 60.5/100, strongest in housing and cost of living.
Signature: BEA RPP 85.9 ranks #18 of 387 scored metros for lower prices (cheaper third).
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP 85.9 lands in the cheaper third of scored metros (cuts at 91.5 / 97.0). Median 2BR rent $937/mo.
LiveAbility 60.5/100 puts Fort Smith in the top third (#50 of 387).
BLS OEWS total employment in the Fort Smith area is 89,060.
Fort Smith vs all US metros by LiveAbility Score
Where this metro's LiveAbility Score falls among every scored US metro (composite placement, not a desirability verdict)
61 Top 13% higher than 87% of 387 US metros
Metros banded by LiveAbility Score (0–100)
Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more US metros. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source PlainRelocate LiveAbility Score · June 2026
Fort Smith housing and rent
HUD Fair Market Rents for the Fort Smith MSA; housing RPP 53.4 (100 = national average); 2BR $937/mo.
Fort Smith wages and employment
Fort Smith posts 89,060 total employment with median salary $53,744 against a cheaper-than-average RPP.
Top Occupations by Employment
| Occupation | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | $28,350 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $23,760 |
| General and Operations Managers | $70,330 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | $32,050 |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | $28,410 |
Schools & Education
State-level education data for the Fort Smith area from NCES.
Life Score Breakdown
Fort Smith's composite Life Score is 49.9/100 (D), computed across 6 of 7 dimensions (missing dims omitted; remaining weights renormalized).
LiveAbility Score
View full rankings →Fort Smith ranks #50 out of 387 metros with a LiveAbility Score of 60.5/100 - a composite of 8 of 8 quality-of-life dimensions from federal data. Customize the weights to match your priorities →
Fort Smith - dimension scores
Percentile vs all US metros (100 = best in the nation for that dimension)
- Housing
Housing
98 /100
- Cost of living
Cost of living
96 /100
- Climate
Climate
83 /100
- Schools
Schools
81 /100
- Low hazard
Low hazard
65 /100
- Air quality
Air quality
50 /100
- Safety 5
Safety
5 /100
- Job market 2
Job market
2 /100
What this shows Fort Smith's strongest dimensions are housing and cost of living; its weakest among scored dims is job market at 2/100. Default weights: cost 18%, jobs & housing 15% each, safety & schools 12%, air & hazard 10%, climate 8%.
Compare Fort Smith to
Metros near Fort Smith on cost, LiveAbility, or wages
Nearest out-of-state neighbors to Fort Smith on BEA RPP, LiveAbility, or BLS median salary, a different lens than the size-ranked list.
Similar cost of living (BEA RPP)
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026
Fort Smith cost figures follow BEA Regional Price Parities and HUD Fair Market Rents; Fort Smith wages and LiveAbility inputs follow BLS OEWS plus the federal sources listed in methodology. This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Scores are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation. How this data is sourced.
Verify with BEA → · Verify with BLS → · Verify with HUD → · Verify with NOAA → · Verify with FEMA → · Verify with Census →
Thinking about Fort Smith?
Fort Smith runs a $53,744 median salary at a 85.9 cost index, ranking #50 of 387 nationally on LiveAbility.
- See exactly what Fort Smith's pay and cost figures mean for your own budget. Salary calculator
- Put Fort Smith head-to-head against another city on the same dimensions. Compare Fort Smith
- Abilene is the closest related metro in this corpus -- see how it stacks up. Abilene profile
- A cheaper cost index and a higher LiveAbility score don't always point the same direction -- here's how to weigh the trade-off. Cost vs quality guide
Cost, salary and score figures are federal-data percentiles, not a move recommendation.