Colorado Springs CO vs Fort Smith AR — Cost of Living, Crime & Income Comparison 2026

Updated May 2026 · Source: US Census ACS 5-Year (2023), FBI CDE (2023), BLS OEWS (2024)

Colorado Springs, CO

Colorado · Population: 483,099

  • Median HH Income$83,198
  • Median Home Price$451,202
  • Unemployment5.5%
  • Bachelor's+41.9%

Fort Smith, AR

Arkansas · Population: 89,496

  • Median HH Income$52,692
  • Median Home Price$195,664
  • Unemployment6.7%
  • Bachelor's+25.3%

Detailed Comparison

Demographics

Population
Colorado Springs
483,099
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
89,496
Pop. Density / sq mi
Lower = more space
Colorado Springs
N/A
Fort Smith
N/A
Median Age
Colorado Springs
35.6
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
36.6
Foreign Born
Colorado Springs
7.4%
Fort Smith
11.7%
Fort Smith +
White
Colorado Springs
72.3%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
61.2%
Black
Colorado Springs
5.8%
Fort Smith
7.7%
Fort Smith +
Asian
Colorado Springs
3.0%
Fort Smith
5.7%
Fort Smith +
Hispanic
Colorado Springs
18.7%
Fort Smith
20.0%
Fort Smith +
Spanish at Home
Colorado Springs
N/A
Fort Smith
N/A

Economy

Median HH Income
Colorado Springs
$83,198
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
$52,692
Per Capita Income
Colorado Springs
$44,893
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
$33,991
Per Capita Personal Income (MSA)
BEA MSA-level
Colorado Springs
$76,653
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
$53,714
Unemployment Rate
Colorado Springs
5.5%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
6.7%
Poverty Rate
Colorado Springs
9.3%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
18.3%
Bachelor's Degree+
Colorado Springs
41.9%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
25.3%

Housing

Median Home Value
Zillow ZHVI / Census ACS
Colorado Springs
$451,202
Fort Smith
$195,664
Fort Smith +
Homeownership Rate
Colorado Springs
61.3%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
53.0%

Safety

Violent Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
512
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
660
Property Crime / 100K
FBI CDE (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
3234
Fort Smith
2507
Fort Smith +

Health

Obesity Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
28.4%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
37.0%
Diabetes Rate
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.0%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
13.8%
Poor Mental Health
CDC PLACES — 14+ days/month
Colorado Springs
18.0%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
19.7%
No Health Insurance
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
9.9%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
15.3%
Binge Drinking
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
16.5%
Fort Smith
13.5%
Fort Smith +
Current Smokers
CDC PLACES
Colorado Springs
11.0%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
17.2%

Climate

Avg Annual Temp
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
49.0°F
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
61.7°F
Annual Precipitation
NOAA 1991–2020 normal
Colorado Springs
16.5 in
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
45.5 in

Air Quality

PM2.5 Annual Avg
EPA AQS (state-level est.)
Colorado Springs
6.2 µg/m³
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
9.5 µg/m³
Good Air Days
AQI ≤ 50
Colorado Springs
75.0%
Colorado Springs +
Fort Smith
55.0%

Commute

Mean Commute Time
Census ACS
Colorado Springs
24.1 min
Fort Smith
18.7 min
Fort Smith +

Which City is Right for You?

Colorado Springs leads in median household income at $83,198, while fort Smith offers more affordable housing with a median home price of $195,664. On public safety, Colorado Springs is safer with a violent crime rate of 512 per 100,000 residents, compared to 660 in Fort Smith. Colorado Springs has a lower unemployment rate at 5.5%, and Colorado Springs has cleaner air (PM2.5 avg 6.2 µg/m³). For overall health outcomes, Colorado Springs scores better with a lower obesity rate of 28.4%.

Compare More Cities

About Colorado Springs & Fort Smith