Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Denton, TX
VS
Fayetteville, NC
🏆 Denton leads 14 of 23 categories
Denton
Texas
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,921 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
54 ✓ Safer
Population
142,262
Fayetteville
North Carolina
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Denton, TX
Pros
69% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Households earn $18,497 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.6 pts lower (4.8%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (204.2 vs 380/100k)
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Fayetteville
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $138k less ($158,500 vs $296,100)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Denton
Commutes run 6 min shorter each way
Rent averages $147/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,264)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 96°F
Cons
Median income trails Denton by $18,497/yr
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 4.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Denton
Median Income
$18,497
$71,921 vs $53,424/yr
Denton
Violent Crime
69% lower
204.2 vs 660.2 per 100k
Denton
Unemployment
3.6 pp lower
4.8% vs 8.4% unemployment
Denton
Summer Heat
5.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.9°F vs 90.9°F
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$138k less
$158,500 vs $296,100
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Denton, TX | Fayetteville, NC |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 103.3⚠ High | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $296,100 | $158,500 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,264 | $1,117 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $71,921 ✓ Higher | $53,424 |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.8%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 8.4%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 24.7 min | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 10.6% ✓ Higher | 5.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 65 ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 54 ✓ Safer | 174⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 147⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (115) ✓ Better | B- (93) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.8:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 28.5% |
| High School or Higher | 91.5% | 93.1% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | DENTON ISD | Cumberland County Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 55.8°F ✓ Warmer | 54.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.9°F ✓ Warmer | 90.9°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 38.4" ✓ Drier | 47.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" ✓ Less | 1.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 142,262 | 208,697 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 30.4 | 30.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.4% ✓ Higher | 45.4% |
| Under 18 | 18.5% | 23.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 12.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Denton's cost of living index is 103.3 vs Fayetteville's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Denton leads 14 of 23 categories. Denton wins 14 and Fayetteville wins 9. 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 Denton to Fayetteville or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($296,100 vs $158,500 median home), income ($71,921 vs $53,424), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Denton, TX and Fayetteville, NC are about 1,045 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.