Kingsport-Bristol receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fort Smith
Kingsport-Bristol
Opportunity
47 · Bottom 32%
vs48 · Bottom 34%
Growth
48 · Bottom 48%
vs54 · Top 43%
Climate
63 · Bottom 39%
vs75 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
47 · Bottom 38%
vs65 · Top 37%
Housing affordability
100 · Top 27%
vs95 · Top 48%
Access
97 · Top 12%
vs95 · Top 17%
Economic stability
38 · Bottom 32%
vs31 · Bottom 22%
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Smith | Kingsport-Bristol | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 229,899 | 310,842 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,468 | $57,792 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,511 | $34,596 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 128/sq mi | 155/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,200 | $198,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $866 | $849 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 74.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | -1.1% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 23.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 15.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 600 | 901 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 2.9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.6% | -13.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 86°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 26°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.3" | 44.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 9 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 25.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 45.7 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Fort Smith
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, wildfire.
Kingsport-Bristol
Elevated or high exposure: landslide, earthquake.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fort Smith
63
Your Score
60
Area Score
Kingsport-Bristol
66
Your Score
65
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area · Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology