Cost of living in Fayetteville research summary. The cost of living index is set to 100 for the average place in the United States. A cost of living index above 100 means Fayetteville is expensive. An index value below 100 means the city is a relatively cheap place to live.
On a city-by-city basis in Arkansas, home prices and rent have the biggest impact on the cost of living. Here are the key takeaways based on Saturday Night Science:
The cost of living index in Fayetteville is 104, with 100 being the average.
The cost of living index in Fayetteville is 1.0x higher than the national average.
Fayetteville ranks as the #64 cheapest in Arkansas out of 69.
Fayetteville ranks as the #3,063 cheapest out of 6,489 in the US.
The median home value in Fayetteville is $372,445.
The median income in Fayetteville is $59,074.
According to the most recent data on the cost of living, Fayetteville has an overall cost of living index of 104, which is 1.0x higher than the national index of 100.
Compared to Arkansas, Fayetteville has a cost of living index that's 1.2x higher than Arkansas's index of 85.
The standard of living in Fayetteville ranks as #64 most affordable out of the 69 places we measured in Arkansas. By definition, that implies Fayetteville ranks as the #5 most expensive place in the Natural State.
For more reading on life in Fayetteville, check out:
Six factors go into calculating the cost of living index in Fayetteville. Here is how it fairs on each of the criteria:
The Services index in Fayetteville is 100.
The Groceries index in Fayetteville is 93.
The Health index in Fayetteville is 99.
The Housing index in Fayetteville is 116.
The Transportation index in Fayetteville is 97.
The Utilities index in Fayetteville is 96.
| Living Expense | Fayetteville | Arkansas | National Average | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Overall | 104 | 85 | 100 | |
| Services | 100 | 99 | 100 | |
| Groceries | 93 | 95 | 100 | |
| Health | 99 | 89 | 100 | |
| Housing | 116 | 65 | 100 | |
| Transportation | 97 | 90 | 100 | |
| Utilities | 96 | 93 | 100 | |
Housing swings affordability the most between places in Arkansas, so we broke down housing costs into more detail. Home and income data comes from the most recent US Census ACS 2019-2023. The key points are:
The Median Home Value in Fayetteville is $372,445.
The Median Rent in Fayetteville is $1,003.
The Median Income in Fayetteville is $59,074.
The Home Value To Income in Fayetteville is 6.3x.
The Rent To Monthly Income in Fayetteville is 0.2x.
| Statistic | Fayetteville | Arkansas | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $372,445 | $218,895 | $303,400 |
| Median Rent | $1,003 | $914 | $1,348 |
| Median Income | $59,074 | $58,773 | $78,538 |
| Home Value To Income | 6.3x | 3.7x | 3.9x |
| Rent To Monthly Income | 0.2x | 0.19x | 0.21x |
| Item | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Shampoo | $1.08 | $1.28 |
| Movie | $11.5 | $12.13 |
| Bowling | $14.71 | $18 |
| Haircut | $21.65 | $24.26 |
| Beauty Salon | $45.0 | $45.56 |
| Item | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Ground Beef | $5.81 | $5.84 |
| Fried Chicken | $1.39 | $1.57 |
| Milk | $4.52 | $4.67 |
| Potatoes | $5.22 | $4.93 |
| Pizza | $10.1 | $12.09 |
| Beer | $10.21 | $10.41 |
| Toothpaste | $3.68 | $3.7 |
| Item | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Optometrist | $99.78 | $125.68 |
| Doctor | $108.55 | $135.78 |
| Dentist | $83.89 | $113.29 |
| Item | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | $3.01 | $3.46 |
| Tire Balancing | $52.21 | $59.92 |
| Item | Fayetteville | Arkansas |
|---|---|---|
| All Electricity | $150.82 | $193.99 |
| Phone | $203.29 | $192.25 |
The cost of living varies in the cities and towns around Fayetteville. Here's a quick look at the cost of living in the most populous nearby places:
Springdale, AR has a cost of living index of 94, 0.9x Fayetteville.
Rogers, AR has a cost of living index of 98, 0.9x Fayetteville.
Bentonville, AR has a cost of living index of 108, 1.0x Fayetteville.
| City | Population | Cost Of Living | Vs. Fayetteville |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springdale, AR | 87,388 | 94 | 0.9x |
| Rogers, AR | 71,411 | 98 | 0.9x |
| Bentonville, AR | 56,326 | 108 | 1.0x |
| Van Buren, AR | 23,545 | 91 | 0.9x |
| Centerton, AR | 20,212 | 102 | 1.0x |
| Siloam Springs, AR | 18,096 | 92 | 0.9x |
| Tahlequah, OK | 16,513 | 85 | 0.8x |
| Lowell, AR | 10,438 | 97 | 0.9x |
| Farmington, AR | 8,469 | 101 | 1.0x |
| Prairie Grove, AR | 7,445 | 96 | 0.9x |