Fayetteville, North Carolina

Fayetteville is a great place to raise a military family. Not only is it known as a military town, it was also named the “World’s First Sanctuary for Soldiers and Their Families” in 2008. This means that, within the county, soldiers are to be provided with local services, ranging from free childcare to job placement for soldiers’ spouses. There may not be a ton to do, but activities in Fayetteville can be enjoyed by the entire family. If your family likes being outdoors, check out the Cape Fear River Trail or the Cape Fear River Botanical Garden. There are also a ton of festivals to enjoy in the summer and the beaches are only an hour and a half drive away!

Looking at the statistics, the crime rate in Fayetteville cannot be ignored. Violent crime rates in Fayetteville are double both the North Carolina and National Median. You’ll hear a very divided view of Fayetteville from both current residents and past residents. Some people swear up and down it’s the worst place they’ve lived, while the current residents seem to have a more rational view. If you talk to a local, they’ll tell you to take steps like making sure to lock your doors at night and not to leave any valuables in your car. Overall, the sentiment seems to be that things are getting better, but the numbers are still something to consider.

Local's pov on Fayetteville:
*Having lived in NYC about half of my life, far east of the city on Long Island for most of the rest of it, and Fayetteville for half a decade, I can’t see anything here that’s worse than anywhere else in the US. Do we have loads of strip clubs? Sure, but didn’t it take decades for NYC to clean up the sex-in-the-street trade? Parts of Long Island are even worse.

About the only thing Fayetteville has that most other cities don’t is the US Army. But that doesn’t change anything - some cities that have never seen a soldier are worse. And who cares if a customer in Walmart is wearing fatigues?*

Fayetteville is, above all else, a military town. A high proportion of residents work for defense, at either Fort Bragg or Pope Army Airfield. With such a high proportion of residents enlisted, it makes sense that it would seep into the everyday life of the city. It’s a very diverse city with a focus on family and family-friendly activities. The median age of residents is 30 years old and, yes, the military also affects the dating pool. Most of the people you find on dating apps or gasp in person will either be involved with the military or moved to the city for someone who is.

If you want to see what happens in Fayetteville check out the calendar of events: https://www.distinctlyfayettevillenc.com/events/?bounds=false&view=list&sort=date