Fayetteville vs Lexington
The short version
- Overall prices are about the same in both metro areas (BEA 2024).
- The median home costs $293,500 in Lexington and $349,600 in Fayetteville.
- Households earn more in Lexington ($69,479 vs $62,695 median).
- Fayetteville has the warmer winter: January highs of 48°F vs 42°F.
- Lexington gets far more snow: 15 inches a year vs 7.
- Fayetteville is growing faster: +13.1% since 2020 vs +2.2%.
Side by side
| Fayetteville, AR | Lexington, KY | |
|---|---|---|
| People | ||
| Population (2025) | 106,623 | 329,751 |
| Growth since 2020 | +13.1% | +2.2% |
| People per square mile | 1,947 | 1,162 |
| Median age | 28.8 | 35.3 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 49% | 48% |
| Money and housing | ||
| Median household income | $62,695 | $69,479 |
| Median home value | $349,600 | $293,500 |
| Home value to income | 5.6× | 4.2× |
| Median rent (with utilities) | $1,065 | $1,164 |
| Metro price level (US = 100) | 91.4 | 92.9 |
| Housing price level (US = 100) | 76.9 | 77.1 |
| $75,000 elsewhere equals | $68,500 | $69,700 |
| Homeowners | 42% | 54% |
| Top state income tax | 3.9% | 3.5% |
| Combined sales tax | 9.48% | 6% |
| Work and commute | ||
| Average commute (minutes) | 18.5 | 20.9 |
| Work from home | 15% | 12% |
| Take public transit | 1% | 2% |
| Unemployment (2020-24 avg) | 4% | 4.9% |
| Poverty rate | 20.6% | 14.9% |
| Weather | ||
| January high / low | 48° / 25° | 42° / 25° |
| July high / low | 89° / 67° | 87° / 67° |
| Precipitation per year | 47 in | 50 in |
| Snowfall per year | 7 in | 15 in |
| Days 90°F or hotter | 40 | 25 |
| Nights below freezing | 94 | 90 |
| Comfortable months | 3 | 3 |
| Risks, air and home prices | ||
| Natural hazard risk (FEMA, county) | Relatively Moderate | Relatively Moderate |
| FEMA risk score (lower is safer) | 92.3 | 92.0 |
| Good air days, 2025 | 83% | 73% |
| Home prices, past year | +3.7% | +6.1% |
| Home prices, past 5 years | +58.1% | +52.5% |
Highlighted cells are the better value where "better" is clear (lower prices, higher income, shorter commutes). Sources: Census Bureau 2025 estimates and ACS 2020-2024, BEA 2024, NOAA 1991-2020, Tax Foundation 2026.
Weather, month by month
Most comfortable months: Fayetteville: June and September to October. Lexington: April and September to October.
Full monthly tables: Fayetteville weather by month and Lexington weather by month.
What $75,000 is worth
A $75,000 salary in an average-priced US city buys about the same as $68,500 in Fayetteville and $69,700 in Lexington. Moving from Fayetteville to Lexington, you would need about $76,300 to match a $75,000 salary.
Which would you pick?
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