City comparison
Fort Smith, AR is about 350 miles (600 km) from Lake Charles, LA in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 450 miles, or about 7 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Fort Smith, AR to Lake Charles, LA takes about 43 min, covering roughly 350 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Fort Smith has a population of 89,315, vs 82,430 in Lake Charles — about the same size. By land area, Fort Smith covers about 64 sq mi vs 47 sq mi for Lake Charles.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Fort Smith | Lake Charles | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $798/mo | $1,007/mo | 26.2% higher in Lake Charles |
| Median home value | $155,600 | $191,200 | 22.9% higher in Lake Charles |
| Median household income | $50,799 | $54,761 | 7.8% higher in Lake Charles |
| Groceries index | 94.1 | 94.1 | ≈ equal (Lake Charles slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 75.7 | 73.8 | 2.5% higher in Fort Smith |
| Transportation index | 95.8 | 96.1 | ≈ equal (Lake Charles slightly higher) |
| Healthcare index | 95.3 | 95.6 | ≈ equal (Lake Charles slightly higher) |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need $99,908 in Lake Charles to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fort Smith and Lake Charles have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. If you earn $80,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need about $79,926 in Lake Charles to keep the same standard of living.