Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fort Smith, AR
VS
Rochester, NY
🏆 Fort Smith leads 12 of 23 categories
Fort Smith
Arkansas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
85.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$50,799 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
222⚠ High
Population
89,315
Rochester
New York
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.7
Median Household Income
$44,156
Violent Crime Index
153⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
210,992 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fort Smith, AR
Pros
Rent averages $197/mo less ($798 vs $995)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.4 pts lower (6.1%)
Households earn $6,643 more per year on average
13% cheaper overall cost of living than Rochester
Milder winters — January highs near 51°F vs 33°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 85.1)
Cons
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
Rochester, NY
Pros
Homes cost $44k less ($111,400 vs $155,600)
31% less violent crime than Fort Smith
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 94°F
More college-educated — 29.4% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 10.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (582.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fort Smith by $6,643/yr
Cost of living runs 13% higher than Fort Smith
Property crime (3289.3/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Fort Smith
Cost of Living
13% cheaper
COL index 85.1 vs 97.7 (100 = US avg)
Fort Smith
Median Income
$6,643
$50,799 vs $44,156/yr
Fort Smith
Unemployment
2.4 pp lower
6.1% vs 8.5% unemployment
Fort Smith
Summer Heat
11.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.1°F vs 82.5°F
Rochester
Violent Crime
31% lower
582.3 vs 842.4 per 100k
Rochester
Median Home Value
$44k less
$111,400 vs $155,600
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fort Smith, AR | Rochester, NY |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 85.1 ✓ Cheaper | 97.7 |
| Median Home Value | $155,600 | $111,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $798 ✓ Lower | $995 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $50,799 ✓ Higher | $44,156 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.8 min ✓ Shorter | 19.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 6.3% | 9.7% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 203⚠ High | 155⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 222⚠ High | 153⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 175⚠ High | 157⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (98) | B (100) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.1:1 | 10.3:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.9% | 29.4% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 83.1% | 83.4% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FORT SMITH SCHOOL DISTRICT | ROCHESTER CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.3°F ✓ Warmer | 33.4°F |
| Avg High — July | 94.1°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.3" | 35.1" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.9" ✓ Less | 102.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 89,315 | 210,992 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.4 ✓ Older | 32.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.4% ✓ Higher | 37.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.0% ✓ More | 21.8% |
| Over 65 | 15.3% ✓ More | 12.5% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fort Smith's cost of living index is 85.1 vs Rochester's 97.7 (US average = 100).
Fort Smith is 13% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fort Smith leads 12 of 23 categories. Fort Smith wins 12 and Rochester wins 11. 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 Rochester or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($155,600 vs $111,400 median home), income ($50,799 vs $44,156), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fort Smith, AR and Rochester, NY are about 1,044 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.