Fayetteville vs Wilmington
Fayetteville, North Carolina versus Wilmington, North Carolina: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Fayetteville and Wilmington score about the same overall (45 vs 45 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Fayetteville | Wilmington |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $53k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $50k | $51k |
| Home Value | $159k | $319k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 1.16% | 0.77% |
| Income Tax | 4.50% | 4.50% |
| Sales Tax | 7.00% | 7.00% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 10.27% | 10.97% |
| Unemployment | 8.4% | 4.9% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 44°F | 47°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 82°F | 81°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.9 in | 65.1 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 1.2 in | 0.9 in |
| Sunny Days | 239 days | 223 days |
| Summer Humidity | 70°F | 72°F |
| Comfortable Days | 79 days | 92 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 25.6 | 82.5 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 48 AQI |
| School Quality | 39.9 | 47.4 |
| Violent Crime | 2331/100k | 1799/100k |
| Property Crime | 3466/100k | 2876/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 208,697 | 116,933 |
| Median Age | 30.5 | 37.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.65 | 0.42 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 1.03 | 0.88 |
| Political Leaning | D+17 | Even |
| White (%) | 35.0% | 71.5% |
| Black (%) | 41.4% | 16.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 12.9% | 7.0% |
| Asian (%) | 3.1% | 1.3% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 7.6% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 19 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 11.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 55 mi | 127 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 88.8% | 88.7% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.25 | 17.10 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Excellent |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fayetteville or Wilmington more affordable?
- Fayetteville has the lower cost of living: its index is $50k, compared with Fayetteville's $50k and Wilmington's $51k. Median rent is $1k in Fayetteville versus $1k in Wilmington.
- Is Fayetteville or Wilmington safer?
- Wilmington has the lower violent crime rate. Fayetteville reports 2331/100k and Wilmington reports 1799/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Fayetteville or Wilmington?
- The median home value is $159k in Fayetteville and $319k in Wilmington, so homes are more affordable in Fayetteville.