Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, NC
VS
Sunrise, FL
🏆 It's a dead heat — 10 categories each
Fayetteville
North Carolina
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.4 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$53,424
Violent Crime Index
174⚠ High
Population
208,697 ✓ Larger
Sunrise
Florida
10
wins
Cost of Living Index
111.8⚠ High
Median Household Income
$66,001 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
—
Population
96,510
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $138k less ($158,500 vs $296,100)
Rent averages $729/mo less ($1,117 vs $1,846)
20% cheaper overall cost of living than Sunrise
Commutes run 8 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 Sunrise by $12,577/yr
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 6.5%)
Sunrise, FL
Pros
Households earn $12,577 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.9 pts lower (6.5%)
Milder winters — January highs near 76°F vs 54°F
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,846/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
$138k less
$158,500 vs $296,100
Sunrise
Median Income
$12,577
$66,001 vs $53,424/yr
Sunrise
Unemployment
1.9 pp lower
6.5% vs 8.4% unemployment
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, NC | Sunrise, 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 | $296,100 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,117 ✓ Lower | $1,846⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,424 | $66,001 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 6.5%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.0 min ✓ Shorter | 27.2 min |
| Work From Home % | 5.4% | 10.0% ✓ 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- (91) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 21.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% | 31.1% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 91.0% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cumberland County Schools | BROWARD |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.1°F | 76.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.9°F | 91.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" ✓ Drier | 67.9" |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 208,697 ✓ Larger | 96,510 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 42.3 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 69.6% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.6% ✓ More | 19.6% |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 19.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Sunrise's 111.8 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 20% less expensive overall.
Based on the 20 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 10 categories each. Fayetteville wins 10 and Sunrise 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 Sunrise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,500 vs $296,100 median home), income ($53,424 vs $66,001), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, NC and Sunrise, FL are about 620 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.