Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Clovis, CA
VS
Fort Smith, AR
🏆 Clovis leads 14 of 23 categories
Clovis
California
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$98,554 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
64 ✓ Safer
Population
120,607 ✓ Larger
Fort Smith
Arkansas
9
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.
Clovis, CA
Pros
Households earn $47,755 more per year on average
71% less violent crime than Fort Smith
Violent crime is well below the national average (244.6 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 35.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $420,700
Higher rents — median is $1,482/mo
Cost of living runs 23% higher than Fort Smith
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Homes cost $265k less ($155,600 vs $420,700)
Rent averages $684/mo less ($798 vs $1,482)
23% cheaper overall cost of living than Clovis
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 Clovis by $47,755/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
Clovis
Median Income
$47,755
$98,554 vs $50,799/yr
Clovis
Violent Crime
71% lower
244.6 vs 842.4 per 100k
Clovis
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 97.7°F vs 94.1°F
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
23% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 107.8 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Home Value
$265k less
$155,600 vs $420,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Clovis, CA | Fort Smith, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.8⚠ High | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $420,700⚠ High | $155,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,482⚠ High | $798 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $98,554 ✓ Higher | $50,799 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.3%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.7 min | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 9.1% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 70 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 64 ✓ Safer | 222⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 79 ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (97) | B (98) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 22.2:1 | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 35.3% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 91.2% ✓ Higher | 83.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Clovis Unified | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.4°F ✓ Warmer | 51.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 97.7°F ✓ Warmer | 94.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 14.6" ✓ Drier | 47.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 2.9" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,607 ✓ Larger | 89,315 |
| Median Age | 34.8 | 36.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.5% ✓ Higher | 51.4% |
| Under 18 | 28.9% ✓ More | 24.0% |
| Over 65 | 13.1% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Clovis's cost of living index is 107.8 vs Fort Smith's 85.1 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 23% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Clovis leads 14 of 23 categories. Clovis wins 14 and Fort Smith wins 9. 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 Clovis to Fort Smith or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($420,700 vs $155,600 median home), income ($98,554 vs $50,799), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Clovis, CA and Fort Smith, AR are about 1,413 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.