Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, NC
VS
Hollywood, FL
🏆 Fayetteville leads 11 of 20 categories
Fayetteville
North Carolina
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Hollywood
Florida
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$61,958 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
152,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $187k less ($158,500 vs $345,300)
Rent averages $346/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,463)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Hollywood
Commutes run 11 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Smaller class sizes — 16.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Hollywood by $8,534/yr
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 6.1%)
Hollywood, FL
Pros
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.3 pts lower (6.1%)
Households earn $8,534 more per year on average
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 54°F
More college-educated — 31.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $345,300
Higher rents — median is $1,463/mo
Cost of living runs 20% higher than Fayetteville
Living costs are well above the U.S. average (index 111.8)
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
20% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 111.8 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$187k less
$158,500 vs $345,300
Hollywood
Median Income
$8,534
$61,958 vs $53,424/yr
Hollywood
Unemployment
2.3 pp lower
6.1% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, NC | Hollywood, FL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper | 111.8⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,500 ✓ Lower | $345,300⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,117 ✓ Lower | $1,463⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,424 | $61,958 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter | 30.4 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 5.4% | 8.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 163⚠ High | — |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | — |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | — |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | B- (92) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% | 31.7% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 88.9% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cumberland County Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.1°F | 76.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer | 89.6°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" ✓ Drier | 65.0" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 208,697 ✓ Larger | 152,764 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 41.0 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 56.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.6% ✓ More | 19.3% |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Hollywood's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, Fayetteville leads 11 of 20 categories. Fayetteville wins 11 and Hollywood 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 Hollywood or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,500 vs $345,300 median home), income ($53,424 vs $61,958), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, NC and Hollywood, FL are about 629 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.