CostIndexUSA

Fort Smith, AR vs Jonesboro, AR Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostAR
Fort Smith
85.9
overall index
$1,025/mo rent
AR
Jonesboro
85.9
overall index
$1,325/mo rent

Fort Smith and Jonesboro have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing+0.7%
Fort Smith
53.4
Jonesboro
53.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Fort Smith
93.6
Jonesboro
93.6
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Fort Smith
100.1
Jonesboro
100.1
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Fort Smith
90.6
Jonesboro
90.5
⚡ Utilities+1.6%
Fort Smith
73.8
Jonesboro
75

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in Jonesboro, AR
$80,000
Same salary works in both cities

Formula: salary × (85.9 ÷ 85.9) = salary × 1.0000. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

Fort Smith, AR

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

Jonesboro, AR

Median Home Price
$196,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,325
Housing Index
53.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.3×

Jonesboro has 0.7% higher housing costs compared to Fort Smith.

Income & Job Market

Fort Smith, AR

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

Jonesboro, AR

Median Household Income
$58,600
Per Capita Income
$33,400
Unemployment Rate
5.1%
Population
77,678
Top Industries
HealthcareEducationManufacturingRetailAgriculture

Affordability at a Glance

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

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

79% of income left after rent (median)

Jonesboro, AR
3.7×income-to-rent ratio

73% of income left after rent (median)

Fort Smith vs other cities

Fort Smith, AR
vs
Fayetteville, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 91.4
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
Fort Smith, AR
vs
Ogden, UT
Index: 85.9Index: 100.3

Jonesboro vs other cities

Jonesboro, AR
vs
Fayetteville, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 91.4
Jonesboro, AR
vs
Little Rock, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 89.4
Jonesboro, AR
vs
Lake Charles, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 85.9
Jonesboro, AR
vs
Appleton, WI
Index: 85.9Index: 92.4
Jonesboro, AR
vs
Scranton, PA
Index: 85.9Index: 93.6

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.