Fayetteville receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
New Orleans-Metairie
Fayetteville
Opportunity
46 · Bottom 30%
vs30 · Bottom 7%
Growth
30 · Bottom 19%
vs37 · Bottom 30%
Climate
80 · Top 5%
vs73 · Top 28%
Physical resilience
32 · Bottom 22%
vs50 · Bottom 43%
Housing affordability
75 · Bottom 17%
vs84 · Bottom 25%
Access
60 · Bottom 22%
vs68 · Bottom 34%
Economic stability
36 · Bottom 30%
vs53 · Top 48%
Measured values
| Metric | New Orleans-Metairie | Fayetteville | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 981,662 | 392,380 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $62,655 | $61,763 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $38,238 | $32,646 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 416/sq mi | 376/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $260,200 | $202,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,217 | $1,212 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 60.6% | 57.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 5.0% | 4.4% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 0.4% | -2.7% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 33.4% | 27.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 18.6% | 16.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 1,663 | 1,326 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 1.7 | 3.4 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.1% | -38.7% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 89°F | 91°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 48°F | 34°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 53.9" | 44.6" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 64 mi | 59 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 26.3 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 39.2 | 32.3 | 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
New Orleans-Metairie
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, coastal flooding.
Fayetteville
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
New Orleans-Metairie
51
Your Score
51
Area Score
Fayetteville
56
Your Score
53
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area · Fayetteville, NC Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology