Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clifton, NJ
VS
Fort Smith, AR
🏆 Clifton leads 13 of 23 categories
Clifton
New Jersey
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
112.5⚠ High
Median Household Income
$94,179 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
44 ✓ Safer
Population
89,451 ✓ 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.
Clifton, NJ
Pros
Households earn $43,380 more per year on average
80% less violent crime than Fort Smith
Violent crime is well below the national average (165.8 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 34.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 87°F vs 94°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $428,000
Higher rents — median is $1,633/mo
Cost of living runs 27% higher than Fort Smith
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 112.5)
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Homes cost $272k less ($155,600 vs $428,000)
Rent averages $835/mo less ($798 vs $1,633)
27% cheaper overall cost of living than Clifton
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 39°F
Cons
Median income trails Clifton by $43,380/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
Key Differences at a Glance
Clifton
Median Income
$43,380
$94,179 vs $50,799/yr
Clifton
Violent Crime
80% lower
165.8 vs 842.4 per 100k
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
27% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 112.5 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Home Value
$272k less
$155,600 vs $428,000
Fort Smith
Summer Heat
7.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.1°F vs 86.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clifton, NJ | Fort Smith, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 112.5⚠ High | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $428,000⚠ High | $155,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,633⚠ High | $798 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $94,179 ✓ Higher | $50,799 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.4%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 8.1% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 69 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 44 ✓ Safer | 222⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 108⚠ High ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (110) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 11.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 34.3% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 89.1% ✓ Higher | 83.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clifton Public School District | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 51.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 86.5°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.6" | 47.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.2" | 2.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,451 ✓ Larger | 89,315 |
| Median Age | 40.2 ✓ Older | 36.4 |
| Homeownership Rate | 57.5% ✓ Higher | 51.4% |
| Under 18 | 19.7% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 17.5% ✓ More | 15.3% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clifton's cost of living index is 112.5 vs Fort Smith's 85.1 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 27% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clifton leads 13 of 23 categories. Clifton 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 Clifton to Fort Smith or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($428,000 vs $155,600 median home), income ($94,179 vs $50,799), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clifton, NJ and Fort Smith, AR are about 1,160 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.