Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Fayetteville, NC
VS
Yakima, WA
🏆 Yakima leads 12 of 23 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
Yakima
Washington
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$55,734 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
143⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
96,764
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Fayetteville, NC
Pros
Homes cost $85k less ($158,500 vs $243,300)
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Yakima
More college-educated — 28.5% hold a bachelor's or higher
Milder winters — January highs near 54°F vs 40°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.4)
Cons
Violent crime (660.2/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (3094.6/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Yakima, WA
Pros
18% less violent crime than Fayetteville
Rent averages $103/mo less ($1,014 vs $1,117)
Cons
Violent crime (544.3/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Fayetteville
Key Differences at a Glance
Fayetteville
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.4 vs 101.6 (100 = US avg)
Fayetteville
Median Home Value
$85k less
$158,500 vs $243,300
Yakima
Median Income
$2,310
$55,734 vs $53,424/yr
Yakima
Violent Crime
18% lower
544.3 vs 660.2 per 100k
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Fayetteville, NC | Yakima, WA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.4 ✓ Cheaper | 101.6⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $158,500 ✓ Lower | $243,300 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,117 | $1,014 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $53,424 | $55,734 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 8.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.0 min | 17.9 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 5.4% ✓ Higher | 5.3% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 163⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 174⚠ High | 143⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 147⚠ High | 97 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B- (93) ✓ Better | C (79) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 16.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 28.5% ✓ Higher | 19.3% |
| High School or Higher | 93.1% ✓ Higher | 77.2% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Cumberland County Schools | Yakima School District |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 54.1°F ✓ Warmer | 39.6°F |
| Avg High — July | 90.9°F ✓ Warmer | 88.3°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9" | 8.6" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2" ✓ Less | 20.3" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 208,697 ✓ Larger | 96,764 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 33.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 45.4% | 53.1% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 23.6% | 27.8% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.6% | 15.8% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Fayetteville's cost of living index is 91.4 vs Yakima's 101.6 (US average = 100).
Fayetteville is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Yakima leads 12 of 23 categories. Fayetteville wins 11 and Yakima wins 12. 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 Yakima or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($158,500 vs $243,300 median home), income ($53,424 vs $55,734), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Fayetteville, NC and Yakima, WA are about 2,283 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.