Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
Fort Smith, AR
🏆 Columbia leads 13 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3
Median Household Income
$60,455 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172 ✓ 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.
Columbia, MO
Pros
59% less violent crime than Fort Smith
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.1 pts lower (4.0%)
Households earn $9,656 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Fort Smith
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Homes cost $93k less ($155,600 vs $248,600)
Rent averages $199/mo less ($798 vs $997)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 39°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Cons
Violent crime (842.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Columbia by $9,656/yr
Property crime (3684.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$9,656
$60,455 vs $50,799/yr
Columbia
Violent Crime
59% lower
347.5 vs 842.4 per 100k
Columbia
Unemployment
2.1 pp lower
4.0% vs 6.1% unemployment
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 89.3 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Home Value
$93k less
$155,600 vs $248,600
Fort Smith
Summer Heat
5.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.1°F vs 88.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | Fort Smith, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 | $155,600 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $798 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 ✓ Higher | $50,799 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter | 16.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% ✓ Higher | 6.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 203⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 222⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | B (98) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 24.9% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 83.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 51.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" ✓ Drier | 47.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 2.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 ✓ Larger | 89,315 |
| Median Age | 28.8 | 36.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% | 51.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.0% | 24.0% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.1% | 15.3% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Fort Smith's 85.1 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbia leads 13 of 23 categories. Columbia 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 Columbia to Fort Smith or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($248,600 vs $155,600 median home), income ($60,455 vs $50,799), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and Fort Smith, AR are about 273 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.