Bella Vista receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Bella Vista
Fayetteville
Opportunity
78 · Top 9%
vs75 · Top 14%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs82 · Top 3%
Climate
73 · Top 39%
vs73 · Top 38%
Physical resilience
58 · Top 50%
vs64 · Top 44%
Housing affordability
94 · Top 23%
vs69 · Bottom 32%
Access
96 · Top 31%
vs94 · Top 42%
Economic stability
58 · Bottom 46%
vs46 · Bottom 25%
Measured values
| Metric | Bella Vista | Fayetteville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 31,697 | 99,319 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $88,055 | $62,695 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $56,409 | $39,241 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 700/sq mi | 1,814/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $296,700 | $349,600 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,395 | $1,065 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 88.0% | 41.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.2% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 4.2% | 4.2% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 41.8% | 49.0% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 3.6% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 708 | 2,340 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 22.3 | 23.6 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -16.5% | -4.8% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 25°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 45.4" | 47.0" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 13 mi | 17 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 28.8 min | 20.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 51.3 | 28.8 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 1 | 19 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 19.63 | 14.93 | 2024-25 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 19.4% | 39.6% | 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
Bella Vista
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm, cold wave.
Fayetteville
Elevated or high exposure: ice storm.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Bella Vista
77
Your Score
76
Area Score
Fayetteville
72
Your Score
72
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Bella Vista, AR · Fayetteville, AR · How this is calculated: methodology