CostIndexUSA

Brownsville, TX vs Fort Smith, AR Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostTX
Brownsville
86
overall index
$1,425/mo rent
AR
Fort Smith
85.9
overall index
$1,025/mo rent

Brownsville and Fort Smith have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing−7.5%
Brownsville
57.7
Fort Smith
53.4
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Brownsville
93.8
Fort Smith
93.6
🚗 Transportation−1.0%
Brownsville
101.1
Fort Smith
100.1
🏥 Healthcare−0.9%
Brownsville
91.4
Fort Smith
90.6
⚡ Utilities−9.1%
Brownsville
81.2
Fort Smith
73.8

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in Brownsville to see what you'd need to earn in Fort Smith to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
→
Equivalent salary in Fort Smith, AR
$79,900
$100 less needed in Fort Smith

Formula: salary × (85.9 ÷ 86) = salary × 0.9988. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Home Price
$200,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,425
Housing Index
57.7
Price-to-Rent Ratio
11.7×

Fort Smith, AR

Median Home Price
$195,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,025
Housing Index
53.4
Price-to-Rent Ratio
15.9×

Brownsville has 7.5% lower housing costs compared to Fort Smith.

Income & Job Market

Brownsville, TX

Median Household Income
$52,200
Per Capita Income
$29,800
Unemployment Rate
5.6%
Population
183,392
Top Industries
International TradeHealthcareGovernmentManufacturingEducation

Fort Smith, AR

Median Household Income
$58,600
Per Capita Income
$33,400
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
88,037
Top Industries
ManufacturingHealthcareRetailGovernmentFinance

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

Brownsville, TX
3.1×income-to-rent ratio

67% of income left after rent (median)

Fort Smith, AR
4.8×income-to-rent ratio

79% of income left after rent (median)

Brownsville vs other cities

Brownsville, TX
vs
Abilene, TX
Index: 86Index: 90.4
Brownsville, TX
vs
Amarillo, TX
Index: 86Index: 91.8
Brownsville, TX
vs
Arlington, TX
Index: 86Index: 103.1
Brownsville, TX
vs
Fort Lauderdale, FL
Index: 86Index: 114.2
Brownsville, TX
vs
Tempe, AZ
Index: 86Index: 103.3

Fort Smith vs other cities

Fort Smith, AR
vs
Fayetteville, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 91.4
Fort Smith, AR
vs
Jonesboro, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 85.9
Fort Smith, AR
vs
Little Rock, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 89.4
Fort Smith, AR
vs
Santa Barbara, CA
Index: 85.9Index: 108.8
Fort Smith, AR
vs
Champaign, IL
Index: 85.9Index: 92.7

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.