Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
South Bend, IN
🏆 Fayetteville leads 13 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
95,022
South Bend
Indiana
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4
Median Household Income
$49,056
Violent Crime Index
254⚠ High
Population
103,084 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
56% less violent crime than South Bend
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $7,825 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 47°F vs 32°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.0)
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
South Bend, IN
Pros
Homes cost $178k less ($113,800 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cooler summers — July highs near 83°F vs 89°F
Smaller class sizes — 12.6:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (965.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fayetteville by $7,825/yr
Snowy winters — about 65" of snow per year
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Median Income
$7,825
$56,881 vs $49,056/yr
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
56% lower
423.7 vs 965.0 per 100k
Fayetteville
Summer Heat
5.7°F warmer
July avg high 88.7°F vs 83.0°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 91.0 on the COL index
South Bend
Median Home Value
$178k less
$113,800 vs $291,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | South Bend, IN |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 91.4 |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $113,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 | $935 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $49,056 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 5.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 8.9% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 191⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 254⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (99) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 | 12.6:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 28.8% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 87.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | South Bend Community School Corp |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F ✓ Warmer | 31.8°F |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F ✓ Warmer | 83.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 40.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" ✓ Less | 64.5" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 103,084 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 33.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 58.5% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 26.9% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 13.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs South Bend's 91.4 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 13 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 13 and South Bend 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 South Bend or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $113,800 median home), income ($56,881 vs $49,056), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and South Bend, IN are about 574 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.