Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Albuquerque, NM
VS
Fayetteville, NC
🏆 Albuquerque leads 13 of 23 categories
Albuquerque
New Mexico
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
93.0
Median Household Income
$61,503 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
311⚠ High
Population
562,551 ✓ Larger
Fayetteville
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
208,697
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Albuquerque, NM
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.9 pts lower (5.5%)
Households earn $8,079 more per year on average
More college-educated — 37.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Rent averages $103/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,117)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 93.0)
Smaller class sizes — 12.1:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (1181.8/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4628.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $88k less ($158,500 vs $246,000)
44% less violent crime than Albuquerque
Commutes run 3 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Albuquerque by $8,079/yr
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 5.5%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Albuquerque
Median Income
$8,079
$61,503 vs $53,424/yr
Albuquerque
Unemployment
2.9 pp lower
5.5% vs 8.4% unemployment
Albuquerque
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 94.9°F vs 90.9°F
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 93.0 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
44% lower
660.2 vs 1181.8 per 100k
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$88k less
$158,500 vs $246,000
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Albuquerque, NM | Fayetteville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 93.0 | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $246,000 | $158,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,014 ✓ Lower | $1,117 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $61,503 ✓ Higher | $53,424 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.1 min | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.0% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 275⚠ High | 163⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 311⚠ High | 174⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 220⚠ High | 147⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B+ (105) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.1:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 37.8% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 90.7% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | ALBUQUERQUE | Cumberland County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 51.9°F | 54.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 94.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 10.3" ✓ Drier | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 7.9" | 1.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 562,551 ✓ Larger | 208,697 |
| Median Age | 38.0 ✓ Older | 30.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 60.7% ✓ Higher | 45.4% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.6% ✓ More | 12.6% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Albuquerque's cost of living index is 93.0 vs Fayetteville's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Albuquerque leads 13 of 23 categories. Albuquerque wins 13 and Fayetteville wins 10. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Albuquerque to Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($246,000 vs $158,500 median home), income ($61,503 vs $53,424), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Albuquerque, NM and Fayetteville, NC are about 1,559 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.