Rents are 4% below what Fayetteville's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,581 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
November. Asking rents in Fayetteville usually run 1% below trend in November and 0.6% above it in June, about $25 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Fayetteville is at its highest level since Zillow's records here began in February 2016.
Rent in Fayetteville changed +2.8% over the year to September 2026. Across the 24 Arkansas cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +2.7%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Fayetteville rose 40.4% while median household income rose 43.5% ($43,690 to $62,695). Income kept ahead of rent.
Rent in Fayetteville is 48% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 4 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($62,695) is $1,567 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 2-bedroom ($1,140); a 3-bedroom is $1,600.
The priciest of 3 ZIP codes in Fayetteville, 72704 ($1,653/mo), costs 14% more than the cheapest, 72703 ($1,449/mo).
Siloam Springs, 19 miles away, rents for 14% less ($1,360/mo), about $2,700 a year in savings.
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Fayetteville. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Fayetteville, AR is majority renter-occupied, skews toward younger working-age adults, has a median income below the national average, 49% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Fayetteville, AR has changed in 5 years
The median rent in Fayetteville, AR stood at $1,143 in 2021 and currently runs about $1,581, reflecting a 38.3% increase over the period. Household income in the area moved from $52,111 to $62,695 across the same window, up 20.3% versus 2021. That spread, with rent up faster than earnings, points to a tougher affordability environment than five years ago. The population has grown by 7.9% since 2021, moving from about 92,070 residents to roughly 99,319. Renters now make up 58.2% of households, compared with 60% five years ago. Reading these numbers side by side helps frame whether current listings in Fayetteville, AR look reasonable against where the market sat half a decade ago.
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Can you afford rent in Fayetteville on your salary?
At $1,581/mo, how Fayetteville rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Fayetteville rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Fayetteville. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Fayetteville
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Fayetteville is $1,581/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $873/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,140/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $947/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,600/mo.
At 30% of local median household income ($62,695/yr), Fayetteville ranks as moderate compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 2.8% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Fayetteville?
At $1,581/mo, rent takes ~30% of Fayetteville's median household income ($62,695/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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