Fayetteville, AR Crime Map

Frequently Asked Questions

Frequently Asked Questions: Fayetteville, AR Crime & Safety (2026)

Is Fayetteville, AR safe in 2026?

Yes — Fayetteville earns an overall crime grade of B- on DoorProfit's scoring model, while its city-wide neighborhood safety rating reaches A (Very Safe) when aggregated across the seven neighborhoods analyzed. Of those seven neighborhoods, 85.7% (6 out of 7) received a Grade A, and the remaining 14.3% (1 out of 7) received a Grade B+. That means 100% of analyzed neighborhoods fall into the combined A+B "Safe" tier — an unusually strong result for a city of Fayetteville's size (350,995 residents). East Fayetteville, West Fayetteville, Downtown, Midtown, and Uptown all hold Grade A ratings, while South Fayetteville holds an A- and Campus Corridor comes in at B+. No neighborhood in the analysis scored a C, D, or F.

What is the crime rate in Fayetteville, AR compared to other cities?

Rather than raw numeric scores, DoorProfit expresses crime levels through letter grades. Fayetteville's overall crime grade is B-, which reflects a city that performs well but still faces some of the challenges common to mid-size university cities — including a 22.3% poverty rate and a 5.2% unemployment rate that can correlate with opportunistic property crime. At the neighborhood level, however, the picture brightens considerably: 85.7% of neighborhoods grade out at A, meaning the vast majority of Fayetteville's residential fabric is in the top safety tier. The one neighborhood grading below an A — Campus Corridor (B+), home to roughly 22,295 residents and a median income of $31,252 — still qualifies as safe by national standards. The concentration of lower-income households and transient student population in Campus Corridor explains its comparatively lower grade, a pattern seen in university districts nationwide.

What are the safest neighborhoods in Fayetteville in 2026?

The five neighborhoods earning a straight Grade A are:

• East Fayetteville — Grade A; population ~13,200; median household income $87,151 (highest in the city). The combination of higher incomes and lower density contributes to its top-tier safety profile.
• West Fayetteville — Grade A; population ~16,380; median income $62,573. One of the larger safe neighborhoods, making it a popular choice for families.
• Midtown — Grade A; population ~8,887; median income $66,189. A mid-size, higher-income enclave with consistently low crime activity.
• Uptown — Grade A; population ~5,698; median income $69,054. A smaller, affluent area that maintains strong safety metrics.
• Downtown — Grade A; population ~4,883; median income $50,025. Notably, Downtown achieves a Grade A despite its urban density and entertainment activity — a testament to effective local policing and community investment.

Rounding out the safer end of the spectrum, South Fayetteville earns a Grade A- (population ~10,755; median income $41,208) — the lowest median income among Grade A neighborhoods, yet still solidly safe. Campus Corridor grades at B+, the only neighborhood below A, reflecting the higher foot traffic and economic pressures of a dense student-population zone.

Which Fayetteville neighborhoods have the most crime?

In relative terms, Campus Corridor (Grade B+) and South Fayetteville (Grade A-) represent the higher-crime end of Fayetteville's neighborhood spectrum — though it is critical to note that both still fall within the "Safe" A+B tier. Campus Corridor's B+ grade is largely attributable to its demographics: it is the most populous analyzed neighborhood at ~22,295 residents, has the lowest median household income at $31,252, and serves as the primary student-housing zone near the University of Arkansas. Student-dense areas typically see elevated rates of property crime (theft, vehicle break-ins) and minor disturbances. South Fayetteville's A- reflects a working-class community (median income $41,208) that, while very safe overall, sees slightly more crime activity than the wealthier A-rated neighborhoods to the north and east. No neighborhood in Fayetteville's analyzed data earned a C, D, or F grade.

Is Fayetteville a good place to live in 2026?

By the numbers, Fayetteville makes a compelling case. The city's overall crime grade of B- is supported by a neighborhood-level safety picture where 100% of analyzed areas score B+ or better — a rare outcome among U.S. cities approaching 351,000 residents. The median home value sits at $230,754 with a median rent of $837/month, offering relative affordability compared to many similarly-sized metros. The median household income of $47,350 trails the national median, and the 22.3% poverty rate is elevated, but those economic pressures have not translated into broadly unsafe neighborhoods. Families prioritizing safety alongside affordability often gravitate toward East Fayetteville (Grade A, median income $87,151) or West Fayetteville (Grade A, median income $62,573). Students and young professionals frequently choose Campus Corridor (Grade B+) or Downtown (Grade A) for their walkability and amenities. Across all profiles, Fayetteville's safety data for 2026 supports a positive quality-of-life assessment.

How does the poverty rate affect crime in Fayetteville?

Fayetteville's 22.3% poverty rate is meaningfully above the U.S. national average and is one factor reflected in the city's overall B- crime grade. Research consistently shows that higher poverty concentrations correlate with increased property crime rates. In Fayetteville's case, the neighborhoods with the lowest median incomes — Campus Corridor ($31,252) and South Fayetteville ($41,208) — are indeed the two neighborhoods with the relatively highest crime grades (B+ and A-, respectively). Conversely, East Fayetteville, with the city's highest median income at $87,151, holds a Grade A. That said, even the lower-income neighborhoods in Fayetteville remain in safe territory by national standards, suggesting that local law enforcement, community programs, and the University of Arkansas's economic anchor help mitigate the crime impact that poverty levels might otherwise predict.