Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Smith, AR
VS
Lehigh Acres, FL
🏆 Fort Smith leads 12 of 20 categories
Fort Smith
Arkansas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,799
Violent Crime Index
222⚠ High
Population
89,315
Lehigh Acres
Florida
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$59,733 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
124,440 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Rent averages $600/mo less ($798 vs $1,398)
Homes cost $76k less ($155,600 vs $231,500)
Commutes run 19 min shorter each way
17% cheaper overall cost of living than Lehigh Acres
More college-educated — 24.9% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.1)
Cons
Violent crime (842.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lehigh Acres by $8,934/yr
Property crime (3684.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Lehigh Acres, FL
Pros
Households earn $8,934 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.6 pts lower (5.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 51°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,398/mo
Cost of living runs 17% higher than Fort Smith
Longer commutes — 36.3 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
17% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 102.3 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Home Value
$76k less
$155,600 vs $231,500
Fort Smith
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 94.1°F vs 90.6°F
Lehigh Acres
Median Income
$8,934
$59,733 vs $50,799/yr
Lehigh Acres
Unemployment
0.6 pp lower
5.5% vs 6.1% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Smith, AR | Lehigh Acres, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper | 102.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $155,600 ✓ Lower | $231,500 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $798 ✓ Lower | $1,398⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,799 | $59,733 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter | 36.3 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 6.3% | 6.5% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 222⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) ✓ Better | C (81) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.5:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% ✓ Higher | 15.8% |
| High School or Higher | 83.1% ✓ Higher | 81.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT | LEE |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.3°F | 74.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer | 90.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3" ✓ Drier | 62.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.9" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,315 | 124,440 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 ✓ Older | 34.3 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.4% | 67.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 24.0% | 27.4% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 13.0% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Smith's cost of living index is 85.1 vs Lehigh Acres's 102.3 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 17% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fort Smith leads 12 of 20 categories. Fort Smith wins 12 and Lehigh Acres wins 8. 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 Fort Smith to Lehigh Acres or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($155,600 vs $231,500 median home), income ($50,799 vs $59,733), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Smith, AR and Lehigh Acres, FL are about 965 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.