Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
New Bedford, MA
🏆 Fayetteville leads 13 of 22 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
New Bedford
Massachusetts
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.9⚠ High
Median Household Income
$54,604
Violent Crime Index
93 ✓ Safer
Population
100,620 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.3%)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than New Bedford
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Rent averages $82/mo less ($944 vs $1,026)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
New Bedford, MA
Pros
17% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 11.7:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.3%)
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Fayetteville
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 100.9 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Income
$2,277
$56,881 vs $54,604/yr
Fayetteville
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Fayetteville
Summer Heat
6.2°F warmer
July avg high 88.7°F vs 82.5°F
New Bedford
Violent Crime
17% lower
353.2 vs 423.7 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | New Bedford, MA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.9⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $291,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,026 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $54,604 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 25.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 4.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High | 82 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 93 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 65 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 11.7:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 16.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 76.3% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | New Bedford |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 39.1°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer | 82.5°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 45.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" ✓ Less | 32.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 100,620 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 36.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% ✓ Higher | 39.9% |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs New Bedford's 100.9 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 13 of 22 categories. Fayetteville wins 13 and New Bedford 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 Fayetteville to New Bedford or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $291,300 median home), income ($56,881 vs $54,604), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and New Bedford, MA are about 1,303 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.