Are you thinking of moving to Fayetteville but don’t know if it’s the right place for you? In this video, I’m going to walk through some of the pros and cons of living in Fayetteville. We’ll explore everything from entertainment and the outdoors to the local community so you can make the best decision on where to settle in Northwest Arkansas.
The Pros Of Living In Fayetteville
Every city has its good and bad points, but we’re going to start with the pros of Fayetteville living. There are so many great things about this city that I want to share. While this list isn’t exhaustive, these are some of the biggest things people love about living here.
University Of Arkansas
The first thing people love about living in Fayetteville is the University of Arkansas. The U of A has been the center for higher education in Arkansas for over 150 years. As such, it recently joined the top 2% of research schools in the nation. Fayetteville locals also love Razorback sports, whether football, basketball, softball, baseball, or track. You can often hear people calling the hogs all over town when a game is being played.
Entertainment
Another pro of living in Fayetteville is the various entertainment options. There are a lot of events that take place in Fayetteville throughout the year, including bikes, blues, and BBQ, the Joe Martin Stage race, Farmer’s Market on the Square, and Lights of the Ozarks. The recently expanded Walton Arts Center brings in a variety of Broadway shows and musical performances. TheaterSquared was recently recognized as one of the nation’s 10 most promising emerging theaters.
Community
Another benefit of living in Fayetteville is the sense of community. Fayetteville residents are very supportive of local businesses. Most of the restaurants in Fayetteville are locally owned, outnumbering the usual chain eateries. Additionally, there are a variety of small boutiques and shops throughout the town that have been in business for many years. Because of this, residents feel like it’s important to support their neighbors.
Beautiful Natural Landscape
One of the major pros of living in Fayetteville is the natural surroundings. Its hilly landscape and plentiful trees throughout town provide a beautiful backdrop for Northwest Arkansas living. Fayetteville is also home to some of the nicest parks in the NWA, including Wilson Park—which has a community swimming pool and baseball fields—and Gulley Park, which hosts a weekly free summer concert series. You’ll love taking in the beautiful natural landscape at all the parks in Fayetteville.
The Cons Of Living In Fayetteville
While there’s plenty to love about Fayetteville, living here does have its cons. We’ll discuss a few of the most common ones here.
Parking
The first con of living in Fayetteville is the paid parking in the entertainment district, specifically around Dickson Street. You have to pay to park between 2:00 PM and 2:00 AM for $1 per hour or $5 for the day. If you’re from a big city, you’re probably going to laugh at $5 for all-day parking—but we hate it here in Fayetteville. We just do not like to pay for parking.
Cost Of Housing
The next con of living in Fayetteville is the cost of housing. This city is one of the highest in Northwest Arkansas. As of today, the average three-bed, two-bath, 1700 square-foot house will cost you about $220,000. Home values have been increasing more rapidly in Fayetteville than most other cities in Northwest Arkansas over the last year, so if you’re looking to buy a house, be prepared to find yourself in a multiple offer situation and be able to submit your best and highest offer.
College Kids
Because Fayetteville is a college town, there are college kids everywhere. College kids are out riding their scooters on the road, slowing traffic down—typically during the busiest times of the day. They’re also crawling around on Dickson Street on Friday and Saturday nights. If you don’t like being around drunken frat boys acting a fool, Fayetteville may not be the right place for you.
I hope this gives you some insight into whether or not moving to Fayetteville is a good thing for you. If you have any additional questions about Fayetteville—or any other city in Northwest Arkansas—please reach out to me and ask!