Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Roanoke, VA
🏆 Fayetteville leads 12 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$56,881 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
95,022
Roanoke
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.9 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,523
Violent Crime Index
163⚠ High
Population
99,213 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
32% less violent crime than Roanoke
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.3 pts lower (5.3%)
Households earn $5,358 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Roanoke, VA
Pros
Homes cost $129k less ($162,000 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.9)
Smaller class sizes — 12.2:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (620.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4055.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.6% vs 5.3%)
Median income trails Fayetteville by $5,358/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Median Income
$5,358
$56,881 vs $51,523/yr
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
32% lower
423.7 vs 620.4 per 100k
Fayetteville
Unemployment
1.3 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.6% unemployment
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 91.0 on the COL index
Roanoke
Median Home Value
$129k less
$162,000 vs $291,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Roanoke, VA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 90.9 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $162,000 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 | $917 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $51,523 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.6%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.9 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 9.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 175⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 163⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 193⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 12.2:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 28.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 89.1% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Roanoke City Public Schools |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 47.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer | 88.1°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 42.8" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" ✓ Less | 14.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 99,213 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 38.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 52.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 22.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 17.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Roanoke's 90.9 (US average = 100).
Roanoke is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 12 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 12 and Roanoke 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 Roanoke or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $162,000 median home), income ($56,881 vs $51,523), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Roanoke, VA are about 791 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.