Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, AR
VS
Tuscaloosa, AL
🏆 Fayetteville leads 13 of 22 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
Tuscaloosa
Alabama
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$47,257
Violent Crime Index
146⚠ High
Population
105,797 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, AR
Pros
23% less violent crime than Tuscaloosa
Households earn $9,624 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 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)
Smaller class sizes — 14.4:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Nothing stands out — a close match here.
Tuscaloosa, AL
Pros
Homes cost $63k less ($228,300 vs $291,300)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.0)
Milder winters — January highs near 56°F vs 47°F
Cons
Violent crime (553.4/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Fayetteville by $9,624/yr
Property crime (2731.2/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.8% vs 5.3%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Median Income
$9,624
$56,881 vs $47,257/yr
Fayetteville
Violent Crime
23% lower
423.7 vs 553.4 per 100k
Fayetteville
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
5.3% vs 6.8% unemployment
Tuscaloosa
Cost of Living
1% cheaper
COL index 90.0 vs 91.0 (100 = US avg)
Tuscaloosa
Median Home Value
$63k less
$228,300 vs $291,300
Tuscaloosa
Summer Heat
3.5°F warmer
July avg high 92.2°F vs 88.7°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, AR | Tuscaloosa, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.0 | 90.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $291,300 | $228,300 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $944 ✓ Lower | $980 |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $56,881 ✓ Higher | $47,257 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.8%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 18.2 min ✓ Shorter | 18.5 min |
| Work From Home % | 12.8% ✓ Higher | 5.7% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 139⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 112⚠ High ✓ Safer | 146⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 113⚠ High ✓ Safer | 130⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (117) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.1:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 50.7% ✓ Higher | 38.1% |
| High School or Higher | 95.2% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | FAYETTEVILLE SCHOOL DISTRICT | Tuscaloosa City |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 46.5°F | 56.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.7°F | 92.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.3" ✓ Drier | 58.1" |
| Annual Snowfall | 6.5" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 95,022 | 105,797 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 28.8 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 40.2% | 45.7% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 17.5% | 17.5% |
| Over 65 | 9.4% | 13.2% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.0 vs Tuscaloosa's 90.0 (US average = 100).
Tuscaloosa is 1% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 13 of 22 categories. Fayetteville wins 13 and Tuscaloosa wins 9. 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 Tuscaloosa or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($291,300 vs $228,300 median home), income ($56,881 vs $47,257), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, AR and Tuscaloosa, AL are about 425 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.