Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Fort Smith, AR
🏆 Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Fort Smith
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,799
Violent Crime Index
222⚠ High
Population
89,315
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $98,752 more per year on average
84% less violent crime than Fort Smith
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.0%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 94°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 28% higher than Fort Smith
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Homes cost $984k less ($155,600 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1624/mo less ($798 vs $2,422)
28% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.1)
Smaller class sizes — 14.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $98,752/yr
Violent crime (842.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3684.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$98,752
$149,551 vs $50,799/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
84% lower
138.6 vs 842.4 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.1% unemployment
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
28% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Home Value
$984k less
$155,600 vs $1,139,500
Fort Smith
Summer Heat
17.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.1°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Fort Smith, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $155,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $798 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $50,799 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 222⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 83.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F | 51.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 47.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" | 2.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 89,315 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 36.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 51.4% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 14.6% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Fort Smith's 85.1 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 28% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 13 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 13 and Fort Smith wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Bellevue to Fort Smith or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $155,600 median home), income ($149,551 vs $50,799), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Fort Smith, AR are about 1,656 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.