Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Sparks, NV
🏆 Fayetteville leads 12 of 23 categories
Fayetteville
Arkansas
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$56,881
Violent Crime Index
112⚠ High
Population
95,022
Sparks
Nevada
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
103.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$82,938 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
104⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
108,025 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
Rent averages $582/mo less ($944 vs $1,526)
Homes cost $132k less ($291,300 vs $423,500)
More college-educated — 50.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Stronger job market — unemployment is 0.8 pts lower (5.3%)
12% cheaper overall cost of living than Sparks
Commutes run 5 min shorter each way
Cons
Median income trails Sparks by $26,057/yr
Sparks, NV
Pros
Households earn $26,057 more per year on average
7% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,526/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $423,500
Cost of living runs 12% higher than Fayetteville
Property crime (2583.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
12% cheaper
COL index 91.0 vs 103.2 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$132k less
$291,300 vs $423,500
Fayetteville
Unemployment
0.8 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.1% unemployment
Sparks
Median Income
$26,057
$82,938 vs $56,881/yr
Sparks
Violent Crime
7% lower
394.4 vs 423.7 per 100k
Sparks
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 92.1°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Sparks, NV |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 ✓ Cheaper | 103.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 ✓ Lower | $423,500⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $1,526⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 | $82,938 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 23.3 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 7.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High | 111⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High | 104⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 123⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | C+ (88) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 19.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 25.4% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 85.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Washoe County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 48.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 92.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" | 8.4" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" ✓ Less | 6.8" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 108,025 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 37.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 59.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 23.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 15.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Sparks's 103.2 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 12% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 12 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 12 and Sparks 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 Sparks or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $423,500 median home), income ($56,881 vs $82,938), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Sparks, NV are about 1,410 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.