City comparison
Abilene, TX is about 400 miles (650 km) from Fayetteville, AR in a straight line. By road, the drive is roughly 500 miles, or about 8 h 30 min behind the wheel at highway speeds.
Driving distance is a rough estimate (great-circle × 1.25); driving time assumes a 60 mph blended average. Real trips run 10–20% longer with stops.
A direct flight from Abilene, TX to Fayetteville, AR takes about 49 min, covering roughly 400 miles in a straight line. Connecting itineraries with a layover typically add 1–3 hours.
Block-to-block estimate at ~500 mph cruise, including taxi, climb, and descent — what an airline would publish, not pure airborne time.
Abilene has a population of 126,356, vs 95,022 in Fayetteville — about 1.3× larger by population. By land area, Abilene covers about 105 sq mi vs 55 sq mi for Fayetteville.
Population from US Census ACS. Land area from the Census Gazetteer (city proper, excluding inland water).
Cost indices by category, with the US city average (100) marked.
Index: 100 = US city average. Lower is more affordable.
Side-by-side costs, salaries, and sub-category indices.
| Metric | Abilene | Fayetteville | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,060/mo | $944/mo | 12.3% higher in Abilene |
| Median home value | $161,800 | $291,300 | 80.0% higher in Fayetteville |
| Median household income | $59,254 | $56,881 | 4.2% higher in Abilene |
| Groceries index | 94.2 | 94.0 | ≈ equal (Abilene slightly higher) |
| Utilities index | 82.4 | 76.9 | 7.2% higher in Abilene |
| Transportation index | 96.6 | 95.8 | 0.9% higher in Abilene |
| Healthcare index | 96.1 | 95.3 | 0.9% higher in Abilene |
How much you'd need to earn in the other city to keep the same standard of living.
If you earn $100,000 in Abilene, you'd need $100,058 in Fayetteville to maintain your standard of living.
Climate, safety, and demographics side by side.
Abilene and Fayetteville have nearly identical overall cost-of-living indices. Housing costs are roughly 3% higher in Fayetteville than in Abilene. If you earn $80,000 in Abilene, you'd need about $80,047 in Fayetteville to keep the same standard of living.