Fayetteville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Fayetteville
New Orleans-Metairie
Opportunity
30 · Bottom 7%
vs46 · Bottom 30%
Growth
37 · Bottom 30%
vs30 · Bottom 19%
Climate
73 · Top 28%
vs80 · Top 5%
Physical resilience
50 · Bottom 43%
vs32 · Bottom 22%
Housing affordability
84 · Bottom 25%
vs75 · Bottom 17%
Access
68 · Bottom 34%
vs60 · Bottom 22%
Economic stability
53 · Top 48%
vs36 · Bottom 30%
Measured values
| Metric | Fayetteville | New Orleans-Metairie | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 392,380 | 981,662 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $61,763 | $62,655 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $32,646 | $38,238 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 376/sq mi | 416/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,700 | $260,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,212 | $1,217 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.3% | 60.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.4% | 5.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -2.7% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 27.2% | 33.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.8% | 18.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,326 | 1,663 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 3.4 | 1.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -38.7% | 2.1% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 91°F | 89°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 34°F | 48°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 44.6" | 53.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 59 mi | 64 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 26.3 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.3 | 39.2 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Fayetteville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
New Orleans-Metairie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Fayetteville
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
New Orleans-Metairie
51
Your Score
51
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Fayetteville, NC Metro Area · New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology