72703 receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
72701
72703
Opportunity
72 · Top 18%
vs74 · Top 15%
Growth
82 · Top 3%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 39%
Physical resilience
65 · Top 43%
vs63 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
59 · Bottom 22%
vs65 · Bottom 29%
Access
88 · Bottom 35%
vs91 · Bottom 45%
Economic stability
27 · Bottom 6%
vs56 · Bottom 42%
Measured values
| Metric | 72701 | 72703 | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 49,835 | 35,896 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $55,506 | $60,568 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $31,202 | $46,347 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 396/sq mi | 893/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $355,300 | $391,000 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,040 | $1,006 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 43.4% | 38.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.0% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 43.7% | 46.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 27.2% | 17.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,340 | 2,340 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 23.6 | 23.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -4.8% | -4.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 25°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 47.0" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 24 mi | 19 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 21.2 min | 19.7 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 24.3 | 32.5 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 5 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 12.49 | 17.30 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 40.5% | 32.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
72701
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
72703
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Full profiles: 72701 — Fayetteville, AR · 72703 — Fayetteville, AR · How this is calculated: methodology