Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Shreveport, LA
🏆 Fayetteville leads 13 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0
Median Household Income
$56,881 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
95,022
Shreveport
Louisiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$45,967
Violent Crime Index
323⚠ High
Population
186,183 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
66% less violent crime than Shreveport
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.9 pts lower (5.3%)
Households earn $10,914 more per year on average
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cooler summers — July highs near 89°F vs 94°F
Cons
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Shreveport
Shreveport, LA
Pros
Homes cost $122k less ($168,900 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.1)
Milder winters — January highs near 58°F vs 47°F
4% cheaper overall cost of living than Fayetteville
Cons
Violent crime (1228.5/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fayetteville by $10,914/yr
Property crime (3990.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (9.2% vs 5.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Median Income
$10,914
$56,881 vs $45,967/yr
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
66% lower
423.7 vs 1228.5 per 100k
Fayetteville
Unemployment
3.9 pp lower
5.3% vs 9.2% unemployment
Shreveport
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 87.1 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Shreveport
Median Home Value
$122k less
$168,900 vs $291,300
Shreveport
Summer Heat
5.6°F warmer
July avg high 94.3°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Shreveport, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 87.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $168,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $945 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $45,967 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 9.2%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 19.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 4.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 270⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 323⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 190⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B- (94) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 15.2:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 26.6% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 87.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Caddo Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 58.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 94.3°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" ✓ Drier | 51.4" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" | 0.9" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 186,183 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 37.1 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 53.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 17.1% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Shreveport's 87.1 (US average = 100).
Shreveport is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 13 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 13 and Shreveport wins 10. 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 Shreveport or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $168,900 median home), income ($56,881 vs $45,967), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Shreveport, LA are about 250 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.