Jonesboro, AR vs Fort Smith, AR

Fort Smith, AR spends 55% more per resident than Jonesboro, AR: $14,015 against $9,056. That gap is large enough to show up across most functional budget categories below.

Fort Smith, AR holds the stronger Fiscal Health Score, 69/100 (grade B) against 39/100 (grade D) for Jonesboro, AR — a 30-point spread that puts the two in different grade territory.

On debt, Fort Smith, AR carries the lighter load at $1,000 per resident versus $2,919 for Jonesboro, AR. Both cities pour the most per-resident dollars into the same function: parks and recreation leads in Jonesboro, AR at $523 per resident and in Fort Smith, AR at $549.

They also fund themselves differently: intergovernmental transfers is the largest single revenue source in Jonesboro, AR at 145% of total revenue, whereas Fort Smith, AR relies most on other revenue at 13%.