CostIndexUSA

Fort Smith, AR vs Lake Charles, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

≈ Equal CostAR
Fort Smith
85.9
overall index
$1,025/mo rent
LA
Lake Charles
85.9
overall index
$1,150/mo rent

Fort Smith and Lake Charles have nearly identical costs of living.

Category Breakdown

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

🏠 Housing−3.0%
Fort Smith
53.4
Lake Charles
51.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
Fort Smith
93.6
Lake Charles
93.7
🚗 Transportation≈ Equal
Fort Smith
100.1
Lake Charles
100.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
Fort Smith
90.6
Lake Charles
90.9
⚡ Utilities−2.8%
Fort Smith
73.8
Lake Charles
71.7

Salary Equivalency Calculator

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

$
→
Equivalent salary in Lake Charles, LA
$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×

Lake Charles, LA

Median Home Price
$190,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,150
Housing Index
51.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
13.8×

Fort Smith has 3.0% lower housing costs compared to Lake Charles.

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

Lake Charles, LA

Median Household Income
$65,100
Per Capita Income
$37,100
Unemployment Rate
4%
Population
77,403
Top Industries
EnergyPetrochemicalsHealthcareGamingManufacturing

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)

Lake Charles, LA
4.7×income-to-rent ratio

79% 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
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

Lake Charles vs other cities

Lake Charles, LA
vs
Baton Rouge, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 90.8
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Lafayette, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 87.2
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Monroe, LA
Index: 85.9Index: 83.6
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Appleton, WI
Index: 85.9Index: 92.4
Lake Charles, LA
vs
Jonesboro, AR
Index: 85.9Index: 85.9

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.