College Station vs Fort Smith
Cost of Living Comparison · 2026
College Station
Fort Smith
The Verdict
Fort Smith is 13.0% less expensive than College Station overall. A household earning $75,000 in College Station would need approximately $66,379 in Fort Smith to maintain the same standard of living.
Category-by-Category Breakdown
Index values · National average = 100 · Lower is more affordable
Salary Equivalence
A $75,000 salary in College Station has the same purchasing power as $66,379 in Fort Smith.
Conversely, $75,000 in Fort Smith equals $84,740 in College Station.
Living in College Station vs Fort Smith
Housing Costs
College Station's housing index of 82 is higher Fort Smith's 49, translating to median home prices of $314,000 vs $155,000. The $159,000 difference in home prices means roughly $10,332 per year in additional mortgage costs at current rates. Renters face a similar gap: $1,075/mo in College Station compared to $775/mo in Fort Smith, a monthly difference of $300.
Grocery & Food Costs
Grocery expenses index at 93 in College Station and 92 in Fort Smith. A household spending the national average of $475/month on groceries would pay approximately $442/month in College Station vs $437/month in Fort Smith. The difference in grocery costs between these cities is relatively minor and unlikely to be a deciding factor in relocation.
Utility Expenses
Utility costs — electricity, gas, water, internet — index at 96 in College Station and 95 in Fort Smith. Monthly utility bills average approximately $384 in College Station vs $380 in Fort Smith. Utility costs are relatively comparable between these two cities.
Healthcare
Healthcare costs index at 90 in College Station and 88 in Fort Smith. This encompasses insurance premiums, doctor visit copays, dental care, and prescription costs. Healthcare costs are relatively similar between these two cities, though individual plan costs can still vary.
Income & Purchasing Power
Median household income is $50,900 in College Station and $45,200 in Fort Smith. After adjusting for local costs, purchasing-power-equivalent incomes are approximately $58,506 and $58,701 respectively. Fort Smith residents come out ahead in real purchasing power.
Relocation Considerations
Under the standard 28% rule, a median-income household can allocate $1,188/month to housing in College Station vs $1,055/month in Fort Smith. In College Station, median rent of $1,075/mo fits within this budget. In Fort Smith, median rent of $775/mo remains manageable. The biggest category-level difference between these two cities is Housing, where the gap is 33 index points — focus your budget analysis there.
Frequently Asked Questions
Moving & Relocation Resources
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