Champaign-Urbana Fayetteville

Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources

Verdict
Unfavorable
Cost Index: 92.7 → 92.0
Rent Delta: +$129/mo

Pros of Moving

  • + More affordable childcare

Cons of Moving

  • - $129/mo more expensive rent (2BR)
  • - $4K lower median salary
  • - Higher violent crime rate
  • - Higher student-teacher ratios

Moving from Champaign-Urbana to Fayetteville shifts your BEA Regional Price Parity from 92.7 to 92.0 (100 = US average), so a Champaign-Urbana salary needs to be multiplied by 0.99 to hold the same purchasing power in Fayetteville. On rent, HUD Fair Market Rent for a 2-bedroom goes from $1,122/month in Champaign-Urbana to $1,251/month in Fayetteville - a higher monthly bill of $129, or $1,548/year. That rent delta alone is often the single biggest line item when relocating.

Wages tell the other half. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics report a median salary of $66,936 in Champaign-Urbana versus $62,837 in Fayetteville - a raw gap of $4,099 lower. The Fayetteville labor market has 121,490 tracked jobs against 94,460 in Champaign-Urbana, shaping how easy it is to find a comparable role. Combine that with the cost-of-living shift above and you get the real purchasing-power delta, sometimes a "higher salary" is actually a pay cut once rent and RPP are applied.

Safety, schools, and childcare round out the move. FBI UCR violent crime rates near Champaign-Urbana and Fayetteville are 277 and 365 per 100,000 (state-level). NCES student-teacher ratios run 14:1 at origin versus 15.8:1 at destination. DOL center-based infant care costs $12,257/year in Champaign-Urbana versus $9,487/year in Fayetteville. Our composite verdict - Unfavorable - weighs all seven federal sources; the dimension table below lets you override that with your personal priorities.

Dimension
Champaign-Urbana
Fayetteville
Winner
💰 Cost of Living
RPP 92.7
RPP 92.0
Fayetteville
🏠 Rent (2BR)
$1,122/mo
$1,251/mo
Champaign-Urbana
💼 Wages
$66,936
$62,837
Champaign-Urbana
🔒 Crime
277 per 100K
365 per 100K
Champaign-Urbana
🎓 Schools
14:1
15.8:1
Champaign-Urbana
👶 Childcare
$12,257/yr
$9,487/yr
Fayetteville
🌿 Environment
2825 violations
2788 violations
Fayetteville

Salary Adjustment Calculator

Enter your current salary in Champaign-Urbana to see what you'd need to earn in Fayetteville to maintain the same purchasing power.

Equivalent salary in Fayetteville
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Frequently Asked Questions

Is Fayetteville more expensive than Champaign-Urbana?
Fayetteville has an RPP of 92.0 compared to Champaign-Urbana's 92.7 (100 = national average). Champaign-Urbana is more expensive overall. The 2BR rent in Fayetteville is $1,251/mo vs $1,122/mo in Champaign-Urbana.
What are salaries like in Fayetteville compared to Champaign-Urbana?
The median salary in Fayetteville is $62,837 compared to $66,936 in Champaign-Urbana. That's a -$4,099 difference.
Is Fayetteville safer than Champaign-Urbana?
The violent crime rate near Fayetteville is 365 per 100K vs 277 per 100K near Champaign-Urbana (state-level data). Champaign-Urbana has a lower crime rate.
How much would I need to earn in Fayetteville to match my Champaign-Urbana salary?
To maintain the same purchasing power, multiply your Champaign-Urbana salary by 0.99. For example, a $75,000 salary in Champaign-Urbana would need to be $74,413 in Fayetteville. Use the salary calculator above for your exact figure.
What does the "Unfavorable" verdict mean?
The verdict is computed from 7 dimensions, cost of living, rent, wages, crime, schools, childcare, and environment, using federal data. "Unfavorable" means the origin clearly wins on most dimensions. Individual priorities may shift the balance, weigh the dimensions that matter most to you.

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Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA June 2026

Data Sources

  • Cost of Living: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities
  • Rent: HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR)
  • Wages: Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES)
  • Crime: FBI Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) - state level
  • Schools: National Center for Education Statistics (NCES)
  • Childcare: Department of Labor (DOL) - state level
  • Environment: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)