Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Palm Bay, FL
🏆 Palm Bay leads 13 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
Palm Bay
Florida
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
100.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$62,538 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
91 ✓ Safer
Population
121,513 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $401/mo less ($944 vs $1,345)
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 9 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Palm Bay
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Median income trails Palm Bay by $5,657/yr
Palm Bay, FL
Pros
18% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Homes cost $65k less ($226,200 vs $291,300)
Milder winters — January highs near 73°F vs 47°F
Households earn $5,657 more per year on average
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,345/mo
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Fayetteville
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 100.8 (100 = US avg)
Palm Bay
Median Income
$5,657
$62,538 vs $56,881/yr
Palm Bay
Violent Crime
18% lower
347.2 vs 423.7 per 100k
Palm Bay
Median Home Value
$65k less
$226,200 vs $291,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Palm Bay, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 100.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $226,200 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,345⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 | $62,538 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.7%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 7.8% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High | 74 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 91 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 48 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 16.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 22.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | BREVARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 72.9°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 91.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" ✓ Drier | 60.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 121,513 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 41.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 79.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 21.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 19.4% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Palm Bay's 100.8 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Palm Bay leads 13 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 10 and Palm Bay wins 13. 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 Palm Bay or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $226,200 median home), income ($56,881 vs $62,538), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Palm Bay, FL are about 968 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.