Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cape Coral, FL
VS
Fayetteville, AR
🏆 Fayetteville leads 10 of 19 categories
Cape Coral
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
104.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$72,474 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
198,912 ✓ Larger
Fayetteville
Arkansas
10
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.
Cape Coral, FL
Pros
Households earn $15,593 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.9 pts lower (4.4%)
Milder winters — January highs near 75°F vs 47°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,630/mo
Cost of living runs 14% higher than Fayetteville
Longer commutes — 28.6 min average each way
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $686/mo less ($944 vs $1,630)
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 10 min shorter each way
14% cheaper overall cost of living than Cape Coral
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Cape Coral by $15,593/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cape Coral
Median Income
$15,593
$72,474 vs $56,881/yr
Cape Coral
Unemployment
0.9 pp lower
4.4% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
14% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 104.9 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$11k less
$291,300 vs $302,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cape Coral, FL | Fayetteville, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 104.9⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $302,400 | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,630⚠ High | $944 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $72,474 ✓ Higher | $56,881 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.4%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 28.6 min⚠ High | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 11.1% | 12.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | — | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | — | 113⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | C+ (87) | A- (117) ✓ Better |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 20.5:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 24.6% | 50.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% | 95.2% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | LEE | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 75.0°F ✓ Warmer | 46.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 91.6°F ✓ Warmer | 88.7°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 57.4" | 46.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 6.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 198,912 ✓ Larger | 95,022 |
| Median Age | 48.2 ✓ Older | 28.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 77.4% ✓ Higher | 40.2% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 24.7% ✓ More | 9.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cape Coral's cost of living index is 104.9 vs Fayetteville's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 14% less expensive overall.
Based on the 19 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 10 of 19 categories. Cape Coral wins 9 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 Cape Coral to Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($302,400 vs $291,300 median home), income ($72,474 vs $56,881), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cape Coral, FL and Fayetteville, AR are about 968 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.