Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Bellevue, WA
VS
Fayetteville, AR
🏆 Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories
Bellevue
Washington
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
113.0⚠ High
Median Household Income
$149,551 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
36 ✓ Safer
Population
150,606 ✓ Larger
Fayetteville
Arkansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Bellevue, WA
Pros
Households earn $92,670 more per year on average
67% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Violent crime is well below the national average (138.6 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 70.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 77°F vs 89°F
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $1,139,500
Higher rents — median is $2,422/mo
Cost of living runs 22% higher than Fayetteville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 113.0)
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Homes cost $848k less ($291,300 vs $1,139,500)
Rent averages $1478/mo less ($944 vs $2,422)
22% cheaper overall cost of living than Bellevue
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Bellevue by $92,670/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Bellevue
Median Income
$92,670
$149,551 vs $56,881/yr
Bellevue
Violent Crime
67% lower
138.6 vs 423.7 per 100k
Bellevue
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
22% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 113.0 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$848k less
$291,300 vs $1,139,500
Fayetteville
Summer Heat
12.2°F warmer
July avg high 88.7°F vs 76.5°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Bellevue, WA | Fayetteville, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 113.0⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $1,139,500⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,422⚠ High | $944 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $149,551 ✓ Higher | $56,881 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.6 min | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 29.9% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 85 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 36 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 159⚠ High | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) | A- (117) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.8:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.0% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.9% ✓ Higher | 95.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Bellevue School District | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.4°F ✓ Warmer | 46.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 76.5°F | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 43.9" ✓ Drier | 46.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 3.8" ✓ Less | 6.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 150,606 ✓ Larger | 95,022 |
| Median Age | 38.3 ✓ Older | 28.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 51.7% ✓ Higher | 40.2% |
| Under 18 | 20.0% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 14.6% ✓ More | 9.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Bellevue's cost of living index is 113.0 vs Fayetteville's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 22% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Bellevue leads 15 of 23 categories. Bellevue wins 15 and Fayetteville wins 8. 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 Bellevue to Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($1,139,500 vs $291,300 median home), income ($149,551 vs $56,881), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Bellevue, WA and Fayetteville, AR are about 1,633 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.