Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MD
VS
Fayetteville, AR
🏆 Columbia leads 12 of 20 categories
Columbia
Maryland
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
102.7⚠ High
Median Household Income
$124,537 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
106,600 ✓ 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.
Columbia, MD
Pros
Households earn $67,656 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.0%)
More college-educated — 63.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,895/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $458,700
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Fayetteville
Longer commutes — 29.6 min average each way
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $951/mo less ($944 vs $1,895)
Homes cost $167k less ($291,300 vs $458,700)
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Columbia
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Median income trails Columbia by $67,656/yr
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.0%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Median Income
$67,656
$124,537 vs $56,881/yr
Columbia
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.3% unemployment
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 102.7 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$167k less
$291,300 vs $458,700
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MD | Fayetteville, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 102.7⚠ High | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $458,700⚠ High | $291,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,895⚠ High | $944 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $124,537 ✓ Higher | $56,881 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 29.6 min⚠ High | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 18.5% ✓ Higher | 12.8% |
| 🔒 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 | A (123) ✓ Better | A- (117) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.5:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 63.6% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.6% ✓ Higher | 95.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Howard County Public Schools | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 42.7°F | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 49.7" | 46.3" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 28.5" | 6.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,600 ✓ Larger | 95,022 |
| Median Age | 38.8 ✓ Older | 28.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 64.3% ✓ Higher | 40.2% |
| Under 18 | 21.0% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 16.3% ✓ More | 9.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 102.7 vs Fayetteville's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Columbia leads 12 of 20 categories. Columbia wins 12 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 Columbia to Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($458,700 vs $291,300 median home), income ($124,537 vs $56,881), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MD and Fayetteville, AR are about 970 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.