City comparison
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 | 20.8% lower in A |
| Median home value | $155,600 | $191,200 | 18.6% lower in A |
| Median household income | $50,799 | $54,761 | 7.2% lower in A |
| Groceries index | 98.7 | 98.7 | ≈ equal |
| Utilities index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
| Transportation index | 100.5 | 100.5 | ≈ equal |
| Healthcare index | 94.8 | 94.8 | ≈ equal |
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 $126,204 in Lake Charles to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Fort Smith, AR is about 20.8% cheaper overall than Lake Charles, LA, based on our cost-of-living index. Housing costs are roughly 21% lower in Fort Smith than in Lake Charles. If you earn $80,000 in Fort Smith, you'd need about $100,963 in Lake Charles to keep the same standard of living.