01 · the cities
Fayetteville
Fayetteville's life revolves around Fort Liberty (recently renamed from Fort Bragg), one of the largest military installations in the world. The Cape Fear River runs past, the airborne and special operations museum is excellent, and the food scene reflects the international military families that cycle through. Southern, military, and friendly. Quieter than the big NC cities.
full dispatch→Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge is LSU football, the Mississippi River bending past downtown, and the kind of food (gumbo, jambalaya, boudin, po'boys) that makes you want to lie down after lunch. The Louisiana state capitol is the tallest in the country, a 34-story Art Deco tower that looks more like a Manhattan office building. Cajun warmth runs through everything, with a slightly more buttoned-up daily pace than New Orleans.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,477/mo
$1,361/mo
$116/mo less than Fayetteville (9%)
Median home price
Median home price
$258k
$250k
$8k less than Fayetteville
State income tax
State income tax
4.5%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,481/mo
$6,722/mo
Baton Rouge has $241/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
193 days
187 days
6 fewer than Fayetteville
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
14 days
25 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
3 days
1 days
days below 20°F per year
Baton Rouge has 11 more days above 95°F each year than Fayetteville.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
51 / 100
50 / 100
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
4 routes
4 routes
Metro size
Metro size
392k metro
874k metro
Fayetteville and Baton Rouge have similar event volume.
the verdict
2
Fayetteville
categories won
4
Baton Rouge
categories won
Baton Rouge wins on money. Fayetteville has the edge on weather.
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