Fort Smith and Shreveport-Bossier City receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Measured values
| Metric | Fort Smith | Shreveport-Bossier City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 229,899 | 386,819 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $58,468 | $55,925 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,511 | $34,556 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 128/sq mi | 149/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $171,200 | $191,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $866 | $1,014 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 66.6% | 62.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.0% | -0.3% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 21.0% | 26.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% | 20.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 600 | 1,175 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.6 | 3.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -17.6% | 22.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 94°F | 94°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 30°F | 37°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.3" | 51.4" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 8 mi | 5 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 22.9 min | 23.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.7 | 38.6 | 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.
Shreveport-Bossier City
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, hail.
Your best match
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Full profiles: Fort Smith, AR-OK Metro Area · Shreveport-Bossier City, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology