01 · the cities
Tucson
Tucson is the first U.S. city named a UNESCO City of Gastronomy, and the Sonoran hot dogs alone justify the trip. The saguaros stand around like skinny green sentries, the mountains ring the city in every direction, and the sunsets do that thing where the whole sky turns watermelon. The University of Arizona keeps the energy young. The monsoons in July are genuinely thrilling, and the dry desert nights keep the patios full long after dark.
full dispatch→Fayetteville
Fayetteville is the University of Arkansas, Razorback football (call those hogs), and the Ozark mountains rising right outside town. The Walmart and Tyson HQ are in nearby Bentonville, which has reshaped the region's economy. The downtown square farmers market is one of the country's best. The food scene has grown up fast. Surprising for the region.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$1,444/mo
$1,606/mo
$162/mo more than Tucson (10%)
Median home price
Median home price
$352k
$367k
$15k more than Tucson
State income tax
State income tax
2.5%
4.4%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$6,681/mo
$6,361/mo
Tucson has $320/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
202 days
170 days
32 fewer than Tucson
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
94 days
16 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
0 days
14 days
days below 20°F per year
Tucson has 78 more days above 95°F each year than Fayetteville. Fayetteville drops below 20°F on 14 more days per year than Tucson.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
66 / 100
64 / 100
2.0 pts behind Tucson
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
16 routes
14 routes
Metro size
Metro size
1.1M metro
590k metro
Tucson has 4.1x more events per month than Fayetteville.
the verdict
7
Tucson
categories won
1
Fayetteville
categories won
Tucson wins this comparison, leading on money and weather.
run your numbers
How far does your Tucson salary go?
Enter your salary to see a full ranked list of cities where you would live better.
see your top citiesWe use a proprietary blend of data from the US Census, Zillow, Ticketmaster, and more.
Walk Score® is a trademark of Walk Score, a Redfin company. How Walk Score works