Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Columbia, MO
VS
Fayetteville, AR
🏆 Columbia leads 18 of 23 categories
Columbia
Missouri
18
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.3 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$60,455 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
126,172 ✓ Larger
Fayetteville
Arkansas
5
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
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, MO
Pros
18% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (4.0%)
Homes cost $43k less ($248,600 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.3)
More college-educated — 55.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $3,574 more per year on average
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 39°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (5.3% vs 4.0%)
Median income trails Columbia by $3,574/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Columbia
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 89.3 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Columbia
Median Income
$3,574
$60,455 vs $56,881/yr
Columbia
Violent Crime
18% lower
347.5 vs 423.7 per 100k
Columbia
Median Home Value
$43k less
$248,600 vs $291,300
Columbia
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
4.0% vs 5.3% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Columbia, MO | Fayetteville, AR |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 89.3 ✓ Cheaper | 91.0 |
| Median Home Value | $248,600 ✓ Lower | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $997 | $944 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $60,455 ✓ Higher | $56,881 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.0%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.5 min ✓ Shorter | 18.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 7.6% | 12.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 99 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 91 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 110⚠ High ✓ Safer | 113⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (123) ✓ Better | A- (117) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 55.3% ✓ Higher | 50.7% |
| High School or Higher | 95.4% ✓ Higher | 95.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLUMBIA 93 | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 39.3°F | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.6°F | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 44.8" ✓ Drier | 46.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 17.4" | 6.5" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 126,172 ✓ Larger | 95,022 |
| Median Age | 28.8 ✓ Older | 28.5 |
| Homeownership Rate | 48.8% ✓ Higher | 40.2% |
| Under 18 | 19.0% ✓ More | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 11.1% ✓ More | 9.4% |
Frequently Asked Questions
Columbia's cost of living index is 89.3 vs Fayetteville's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Columbia is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Columbia leads 18 of 23 categories. Columbia wins 18 and Fayetteville wins 5. 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 ($248,600 vs $291,300 median home), income ($60,455 vs $56,881), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Columbia, MO and Fayetteville, AR are about 223 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.