Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Garland, TX
🏆 Garland leads 15 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
Garland
Texas
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.3⚠ High
Median Household Income
$71,044 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
61 ✓ Safer
Population
244,026 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $477/mo less ($944 vs $1,421)
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 12 min shorter each way
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Garland
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Cons
Median income trails Garland by $14,163/yr
Garland, TX
Pros
45% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Homes cost $62k less ($229,000 vs $291,300)
Households earn $14,163 more per year on average
Violent crime is well below the national average (232.7 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 47°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,421/mo
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Fayetteville
Longer commutes — 29.7 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 103.3 (100 = US avg)
Garland
Median Income
$14,163
$71,044 vs $56,881/yr
Garland
Violent Crime
45% lower
232.7 vs 423.7 per 100k
Garland
Median Home Value
$62k less
$229,000 vs $291,300
Garland
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Garland, TX |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.3⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $229,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,421⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 | $71,044 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 29.7 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 9.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High | 75 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 61 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 95 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | C+ (89) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 24.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 78.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | GARLAND ISD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 55.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 41.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" | 0.2" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 244,026 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 34.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 62.0% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 25.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Garland's 103.3 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Garland leads 15 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 8 and Garland wins 15. 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 Fayetteville to Garland or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $229,000 median home), income ($56,881 vs $71,044), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Garland, TX are about 260 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.