Moving to Fayetteville, AR Guide

Quick Facts About Fayetteville

Its penchant for “y’alls” aside, Fayetteville is not your typical Southern town. Nestled in mountainous northwestern Arkansas, it’s a dense, suburban-feeling place of natural beauty, culture and Razorback pride. Connecting the Midwest and the Deep South, Fayetteville is an unsung gem of rushing rivers, verdant hollows, crenelated granite outcrops and the rugged Ozark and Ouachita Mountains.  

Blessed with stunning state parks; gentle, horse-dotted pastures; and quiet roads intersecting dense forests, this funky college town also hosts its fair share craft breweries, local bands and farmer’s markets.  

Add in a steady job market and affordable cost of living and it’s easy to see why Fayetteville might top your list of places to move to. Need more convincing? Nearby Bentonville is the birthplace of Walmart, while Springdale — a long-important industrial hub — is home to several trucking companies, including J.B. Hunt. Tyson Foods, the world’s largest meat-producing company, has its home in Springdale, too. 

A Friendly College Town

Fayetteville is anchored by the University of Arkansas, which has been molding young minds here since 1871. It’s hard to ignore — nearly a third of Fayetteville’s population are students or university staff. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s all frat parties and football.  

As a college town, Fayetteville takes its education seriously. How else do you think they’ve managed to cultivate such a bumper crop of hipsters, hippies and hip happenings?  

But be prepared: With the U of A dominating the landscape, you’ll be hard-pressed to avoid running into a Razorback — the school’s porcine mascot. And why would you want to? Their championship athletics teams are the city’s favorite pastime. On game days, the hog call rings out from tens of thousands of fans, echoing through the mountains like a chorus of lovesick wild boars. 

Of course, there’s more to this college town than pigskin and pig calls. The U of A also features over 200 academic programs, ensuring a steady supply of highly educated residents. In fact, over half the population here has a bachelor’s degree or higher, compared to just 30-some percent for the rest of the state. 

All that brain power translates into an educated workforce for major employers like Tyson Foods, Washington Regional Medical Center and, yep, Walmart. Needless to say, the big blue W’s influence even extends to education. There’s the Walton College of Business, the Walton Arts Center and the Bud Walton Arena, all compliments of the Walton family, whose home base is just 30 miles up the road in Bentonville. 

While the prospect of so much porcine paraphernalia and corporate generosity may seem off-putting to some, most Fayettevillians find the benefits of living in a corporate-meets-college town far outweigh any drawbacks, delivering a winning combination of cultural happenings, youthful energy, natural beauty and gainful employment? Woo pig sooie! 

Four Season Weather 

Fayetteville has a humid, subtropical climate and it experiences all four seasons. Summers can be warm and muggy, while winters are relatively mild with occasional snowfall.  

Over the year, temperatures typically vary from 28 F to 90 F and rarely dip below 13 F or soar above 97 F. This ensures residents can experience it all — without extreme discomfort. Of course, you may not need to regularly break out your shades since the city tends to be cloudy all year long. 

Affordable Cost of Living

While the cost of living in Fayetteville is affordable by national standards, prices in this increasingly trendy town are on the rise. The median home value in Fayetteville is $291,300. That’s nearly $10,000 above the national average and over $100,000 more than the state average.  

Homes in Fayetteville are less pricey than they are in Bentonville, where the median value is more than $338,500. However, that’s a stark difference from prices in nearby Springdale, Meanwhile, the state capital, Little Rock, has median home prices that hover below $206,000.  

It’s important to note there are many more renters than homeowners in Fayetteville — in fact, only 40% of units are owner-occupied. Rent is far more affordable in Fayetteville than it is nationally, averaging just under $944/month.  

Income levels in Fayetteville are on par with the state as a whole, though they don’t stack up to U.S. averages. With a median income of $52,111 in Fayetteville, the average U.S. household brings in nearly $17,000 more than the average Fayetteville resident. 

Given this disparity, Fayetteville’s poverty rate is significantly higher than state and national standards, topping 21%.  

Stable Job Market

Once you’ve navigated your way into town on those winding two-lanes and gotten over the culture shock of seeing more trees than people, it’s time to find a job — that is, if you don’t have one in the bag, have a trust fund or plan to live off the land. 

Fortunately, Fayetteville has career opportunities aplenty.  

With the University of Arkansas employing half the town and Walmart owning the other half, you can take your pick.  

The U of A is always hiring professors, TAs and admin. More of a retail rat? Walmart’s corporate HQ is just up the road in Bentonville. And the opportunities don’t stop there. The job market is growing, in 2022, Tyson Foods announced plans to relocate 1,000 corporate positions from Chicago and South Dakota to its headquarters in nearby Springdale, Arkansas. J.B. Hunt is also headquartered here. As for those with healthcare expertise, Washington Regional Medical Center is yet another top employer.  

Given the ample job opportunities in retail, food processing, and logistics, the region’s unemployment rate is lower than the national average. But keep in mind that with 50% of Fayettevillians holding a bachelor’s degree, competition among the highly skilled workforce is fierce. Time to start networking. 

Entertainment and Recreation for Everyone

When the weekend hits, you have some decisions to make. Do you head to the bustling downtown square for the Saturday farmer’s market, where you can load up on healthy local produce and artisanal goods while enjoying live music? Or is it a Razorback game day, in which case you’ll want to stake out a spot at a sports bar to cheer on the Hogs, fueled by wings and beers. 

You’ll quickly discover this quirky college town is an outdoorsy paradise. When the weather’s nice, the main mode of transport is bicycles — and for good reason. Fayetteville has over 40 miles of paved trails and dirt tracks to explore. 

You can hop on the Razorback Greenway and pedal your way through lush, leafy forests and past silvery streams without a car in sight. Start downtown and head south through the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks to bask in the butterfly house and meander the native plant trails. Feeling ambitious? Keep riding and you’ll end up at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art. Along the way, you might spot a fox, deer or great blue heron in their native habitat. 

Prefer knobby tires to pavement? Designated an IMBA Ride Center, Fayetteville is also a mountain biking mecca, with over 30 miles of singletrack at Kessler Mountain Regional Park. Ride the green trails if you’re still getting your MTB sea legs or go full send down Flight Training, a double-black diamond descent sure to get your heart racing. Looking for a change of scene? The Ozark Mountains are calling your name. 

If you’re not into cycling, don’t despair. There are plenty of other ways to get your thrill on in the Natural State. Float scenic rivers like the Buffalo National River, hike to waterfalls in the Ozark National Forest, rock climb at Horseshoe Canyon Ranch or learn to hang glide at Mount Nebo State Park. But don’t overlook the natural beauty at the Botanical Garden of the Ozarks or the wonders of Hot Springs National Park. 

Mind you, Fayetteville is ideal for those wishing to balance the adrenaline rush with a cold craft beer. Once you’ve had your fill of outdoor recreation, hit up a local brewery like Fossil Cove or Core Brewing and Refuge to swap stories of close encounters with roots and rocks over a pint of signature suds. 

Once the sun sets, the options open up. Catch an up-and-coming band at George’s Majestic Lounge, a historic venue that’s hosted the likes of Johnny Cash and Willie Nelson. Or laugh the night away at the improv comedy club, The Grove. If you prefer a stiffer drink, slide into a leather booth at Maxine’s Tap Room, a speakeasy-style bar with craft cocktails and occasional burlesque shows. 

Feeling classy? The Walton Arts Center hosts Broadway shows, dance companies and musicians. Or get your culture fix at the University of Arkansas Global Campus gallery, which features works by students and visiting artists. 

With the lively bar and music scene comes a need for late-night munchies. Luckily, Fayetteville has you covered, especially in the downtown and Dickson Street areas. Grab a slice from Damgoode Pies, open until 3 a.m., or hit up Hugo’s, a drive-through that’s been dishing out burgers and fries since the ’50s. 

Those preferring a different kind of food and festivities should head to the popular First Thursday festival in the downtown square, which features live music, food trucks, crafts and activities for all ages. 

The food-enthused should not miss brunch at Prelude Breakfast Bar or The Farmer’s Table Café. And you can never go wrong with the food trucks lining Dickson Street, serving everything from crepes to Korean BBQ. 

Whether you spend your weekend recovering, recreating or a bit of both, this hip little city in the Ozarks aims to please. Just don’t forget — on Sundays, pretty much everything is closed except for church and brunch. But that just gives you an excuse to sleep in after a Saturday night out. 

How to Move Fayetteville, AR 

Ready to relocate to Fayetteville? Start looking for the right professional moving company to help you. 

As the America’s #1 Mover®, United Van Lines is one of the nation’s most trusted, long-distance movers, offering custom, full-service moving packages and white glove service. 

If you’re moving locally in Arkansas to Fayetteville, our interstate agents provide moving services independently under their own businesses and brands. 

Whether you seek a full-service move with us or plan to partially DIY, United Van Lines can help ensure your cross-country move is seamless. We also offer a wealth of moving resources to simplify and streamline your move. Let’s get you started with a moving quote.