Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fayetteville?

Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.

How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Fayetteville?

To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.

Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fayetteville?

Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Concord vs Fayetteville Cost of Living 2026

Concord

New Hampshire

$1,410/mo est.

Fayetteville

Arkansas

$990/mo est.

Monthly estimate = 1BR rent + electricity + gas

A one-person monthly baseline (1BR rent plus typical utilities) runs $1,410 in Concord, NH versus $990 in Fayetteville, AR. Overall, Fayetteville, AR is roughly 30% cheaper to live in day-to-day than Concord, NH, driven mainly by rent.

Median household income is $83,701 in Concord, NH and $59,074 in Fayetteville, AR — about 29% higher in Concord, NH. New Hampshire has no state income tax and no state sales tax; Arkansas has a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax.

Concord, NH

Fayetteville, AR

Rent

Studio

$876

$709

+19% in Concord, NH

1 Bedroom

$1,134

$817

+28% in Concord, NH

2 Bedroom

$1,475

$999

+32% in Concord, NH

3 Bedroom

$1,769

$1,430

+19% in Concord, NH

Buying a Home

Median Home Value

$323,700

$322,500

+0% in Concord, NH

Income

Median Household Income

$83,701

$59,074

+29% in Concord, NH

Metro Median Wage (annual)

—

$46,610

People & Lifestyle

Median Age

40.7 yr

28.7 yr

+12.0 yr in Concord, NH

Homeownership

57.4%

41.9%

+15.5 pp in Concord, NH

Bachelor's+ (25+)

40.1%

49.8%

+9.7 pp in Fayetteville, AR

Avg Commute

23.2 min

18.2 min

+5.0 min in Concord, NH

Crime (per 100k/yr)

Violent Crime

180.7

429.4

+138% in Fayetteville, AR

Property Crime

1,251.5

2,392.2

+91% in Fayetteville, AR

FBI Crime Data Explorer. Offenses per 100,000 residents per year; agency reporting practices vary, so this is approximate.

Climate

Avg Annual Temperature

46.4°F

57.1°F

+10.7°F in Fayetteville, AR

Annual Precipitation

40.6 in

48.5 in

+7.9 in in Fayetteville, AR

Gas

Regular Gasoline

$3.94/gal

$3.62/gal

+8% in Concord, NH

Area: East Coast (PADD 1) vs Gulf Coast (PADD 3).

Utilities

Electricity (¢/kWh)

27.0

14.1

+48% in Concord, NH

Natural Gas ($/MCF)

$21.67

$27.86

+29% in Fayetteville, AR

Residential, state-level averages (EIA). MCF = 1,000 cubic feet.

Groceries

Milk (gal)

$4.31

$4.00

+7% in Concord, NH

Bread (lb)

$1.92

$1.75

+9% in Concord, NH

Eggs (doz)

$2.19

$2.21

+1% in Fayetteville, AR

Ground Beef (lb)

$6.90

$6.45

+6% in Concord, NH

Chicken (lb)

$2.19

$1.90

+13% in Concord, NH

Bananas (lb)

$0.69

$0.62

+11% in Concord, NH

Average prices — Northeast vs South (BLS). Regional where available, otherwise U.S. average.

State Taxes

Sales Tax (NH / AR)

None

6.5%

+6.5 pp in AR

Income Tax (top rate)

None

3.90%

+3.9 pp in AR

Concord vs Fayetteville — FAQ

Is it cheaper to live in Concord or Fayetteville?: Fayetteville, AR is cheaper. Its monthly baseline of $990 (1BR rent + utilities) runs about 30% below Concord, NH's $1,410, mainly because of rent.
How much more do you need to earn to live in Concord than in Fayetteville?: To keep rent near the recommended 30% of gross income, you'd want to earn roughly $45,000 a year in Concord versus $33,000 in Fayetteville.
Which has lower taxes, Concord or Fayetteville?: Concord is taxed under New Hampshire's rules (no state income tax and no state sales tax); Fayetteville under Arkansas's (a top state income tax rate of 3.90% and a 6.5% state sales tax).

Sources: US Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year (rent, income, home value, demographics); NOAA Climate Normals 1981–2010 (climate); EIA weekly retail (gas); Tax Foundation 2026 (state taxes).