Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Savannah, GA
🏆 Savannah leads 11 of 21 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
Savannah
Georgia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
95.6
Median Household Income
$54,748
Violent Crime Index
5 ✓ Safer
Population
147,583 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $272/mo less ($944 vs $1,216)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (5.3%)
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
5% cheaper overall cost of living than Savannah
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Savannah, GA
Pros
95% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Homes cost $88k less ($203,300 vs $291,300)
Violent crime is well below the national average (20.3 vs 380/100k)
Milder winters — January highs near 61°F vs 47°F
Cons
Higher unemployment (7.2% vs 5.3%)
Cost of living runs 5% higher than Fayetteville
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
5% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 95.6 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Income
$2,133
$56,881 vs $54,748/yr
Fayetteville
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
5.3% vs 7.2% unemployment
Savannah
Violent Crime
95% lower
20.3 vs 423.7 per 100k
Savannah
Median Home Value
$88k less
$203,300 vs $291,300
Savannah
Summer Heat
3.6°F warmer
July avg high 92.3°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Savannah, GA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 95.6 |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $203,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,216 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $54,748 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 7.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 5 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B+ (106) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 13.0:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 31.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 90.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Savannah-Chatham County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 61.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 92.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" ✓ Drier | 52.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 147,583 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 33.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 45.9% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 20.1% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 14.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Savannah's 95.6 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 5% less expensive overall.
Based on the 21 decided categories above, Savannah leads 11 of 21 categories. Fayetteville wins 10 and Savannah 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 Savannah or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $203,300 median home), income ($56,881 vs $54,748), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Savannah, GA are about 793 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.