Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Lawrence, KS
🏆 Lawrence leads 11 of 21 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$56,881
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
95,022
Lawrence
Kansas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$59,834 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
121⚠ High
Population
95,103 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
8% less violent crime than Lawrence
Rent averages $94/mo less ($944 vs $1,038)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 38°F
Cons
Median income trails Lawrence by $2,953/yr
Lawrence, KS
Pros
Homes cost $44k less ($247,300 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
More college-educated — 55.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $2,953 more per year on average
Cons
Violent crime (461.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
8% lower
423.7 vs 461.5 per 100k
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 91.0 on the COL index
Lawrence
Median Income
$2,953
$59,834 vs $56,881/yr
Lawrence
Median Home Value
$44k less
$247,300 vs $291,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Lawrence, KS |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 91.0 |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $247,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,038 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 | $59,834 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High | 5.2%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 19.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 11.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 114⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 121⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | A- (116) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% | 55.5% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% | 95.9% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Lawrence |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 38.3°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer | 88.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 39.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" ✓ Less | 10.4" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 95,103 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 28.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 43.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% ✓ More | 16.3% |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 12.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Lawrence's 91.0 (US average = 100).
Both have a similar overall cost of living.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Lawrence leads 11 of 21 categories. Fayetteville wins 10 and Lawrence wins 11. 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 Lawrence or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $247,300 median home), income ($56,881 vs $59,834), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Lawrence, KS are about 208 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.