Discover Fayetteville BAH Rates 2024, Housing, Education, & Cost of Living
Find housing, employment, cost-of-living, and BAH rates for Fayetteville, NC. Listed below are BAH Rates, college and universities, cost-of-living information, school resources for children of military families, and things to see and do in the Fayetteville area.
The military installations near Fayetteville include:
- Fort Liberty (formerly Fort Bragg)
- US Army Cadet Command 4th Brigade
- Pope Army Airfield
Fayetteville is the closest metro area to Fort Liberty, formerly known as Fort Bragg, which is one of the largest military installations in the world by population. It was established in 1918 and covers 251 square miles in Southeastern North Carolina. Fort Liberty is home to the U.S. Army’s XVIII Airborne Corps, the 82nd Airborne Division, the Army Special Operations Command, and the 3rd Special Forces Group.
Fayetteville NC BAH Rates
| MILITARY RANK | WITH DEPENDENTS | WITHOUT DEPENDENTS |
|---|---|---|
| E01 | $1,635 | $1,383 |
| E02 | $1,635 | $1,383 |
| E03 | $1,635 | $1,383 |
| E04 | $1,635 | $1,383 |
| E05 | $1,716 | $1,488 |
| E06 | $1,995 | $1,557 |
| E07 | $2,016 | $1,635 |
| E08 | $2,025 | $1,776 |
| E09 | $2,121 | $1,851 |
| W01 | $2,013 | $1,623 |
| W02 | $2,022 | $1,773 |
| W03 | $2,034 | $1,863 |
| W04 | $2,160 | $1,992 |
| W05 | $2,322 | $2,007 |
| O01E | $2,019 | $1,713 |
| O02E | $2,028 | $1,833 |
| O03E | $2,181 | $1,986 |
| O01 | $1,755 | $1,554 |
| O02 | $1,992 | $1,689 |
| O03 | $2,031 | $1,890 |
| O04 | $2,379 | $1,995 |
| O05 | $2,631 | $2,010 |
| O06 | $2,652 | $2,013 |
| O07 | $2,670 | $2,034 |
Local Colleges and Universities
The Fayetteville area is home to several colleges and universities. Below is a partial list.
To find more Fayetteville schools, use the free CollegeRecon School Finder tool.
For children of veterans, it is important to know that the state of North Carolina offers scholarships to qualifying individuals through the North Carolina Scholarship for Children of Wartime Veterans.
Using Your GI Bill
Anyone considering using the Post 9/11 GI Bill in Fayetteville should know the following:
- You may be eligible for Monthly Housing Allowance (MHA) if you are a full-time student.
- MHA is comparable to the Basic Allowance for Housing (BAH) for an E-5 with dependents.
- MHA is calculated based on the zip code of where you physically attend most of your classes.
- Those attending only online classes receive a set MHA of approximately $1,054 (in 2023)
- Up to $1,000 is available each year for books and supplies.
- The Post 9/11 GI Bill can be transferred to a spouse or dependents but you must still be on active duty to transfer.
- The Yellow Ribbon Program offers financial support in specific situations where the GI Bill does not fully cover the cost of tuition at participating colleges.\
Cost of Living Fayetteville, North Carolina
According to Bestplaces, Fayetteville, North Carolina has a cost of living index of 81.4, making the total cost of living 18.6 percent lower than the U.S national average and 10.5 percent higher than the average for the state. The housing index in Fayetteville is significantly lower than the national average at 51.6 percent.
Category/Index
- Overall – 81.4
- Housing – 51.6
- Groceries – 94
- Transportation – 77.1
- Utilities – 98.4
Other categories to consider
- Healthcare
- Childcare
- Taxes
Fayetteville Housing
Fayetteville is located in the Sandhills region of North Carolina and is a favored place to live due to its easy access to large cities like Raleigh, Charlotte and Fort Liberty. The metro area is considered to be densely suburban though it does boast a thriving downtown area. The low cost of housing in the area makes it an attractive place for individuals and families to live.
According to RentCafe, the average rent in Fayetteville is $1,223. The most affordable and safe neighborhoods in the area include:
- Brookwood ($1,134)
- Eutaw – Cumberland Heights ($1,182)
- Bonnie Doone ($1,190)
According to Realtor.com, the average sale price of a home in Fayetteville as of December 2023 is approximately $222,500 and the market is considered to be a seller’s market indicating that there are more people looking to buy than homes available.
To learn more about VA Loan Program benefits, you can get a free eligibility assessment from our VA loan partner.
Primary Education
Fort Liberty is a part of the DoDEA Americas Mid-Atlantic District and has a total of nine schools to serve school-aged children, five of which are elementary schools. The DoDEA schools on Fort Liberty include:
- Bowley Elementary School
- Devers Elementary School
- Gordon Elementary School
- Poole Elementary School
- Shughart Elementary School
In addition, if parents prefer, the Cumberland County School System, the largest near Fort Liberty, has 86 schools within the system. According to GreatSchools.org, the top-rated primary schools in the Fayetteville area include Long Hill Elementary, Alpha Academy, Stoney Point Elementary, Ponderosa Elementary, and E Melvin Honeycutt Elementary School.
Employment Opportunities
The Department of Defense and Fort Liberty are the largest employers in the Fayetteville area with over 65,000 employees. Additionally, because of its proximity to Fort Liberty and local economic development, the area is experiencing growth and transformation with future job growth being projected at 30.2%.
The top industries that employ Fayetteville area residents include:
- Public Administration
- Education and Health Services
- Manufacturing
- Trade, Transportation and Utilities
The unemployment rate in Fayetteville is 7.1 percent, which is slightly higher than the U.S national average at 6 percent, though job growth has been positive in the area.
>> To find organizations seeking to recruit and place military, veterans, and spouses, please visit CareerRecon.
Things to See and Do in Fayetteville, N.C.
Exemplifying the spirit of the United States, Fayetteville has been a three-time recipient of the All-American City Award for its commitment to empowering their community through civic actions. Moreover, Fayetteville is a deeply historical place that also boasts a thriving arts and culture scene as well as access to fun outdoor activities.
- Stroll through the Fayetteville Downtown Historic District to visit unique small businesses, local restaurants, historic sites, and attend special events.
- Visit the Airborne & Special Operations Museum which offers exhibitions related to military operations from the 1940s up until more recent times. This is a great activity for anyone interested in military history and those who are interested in how history is framed to the public.
- Have a day filled with natural beauty at the Cape Fear Botanical Gardens or Clark Park Nature Center. Both places’ features access to an abundance of nature and outdoor activities.
- Catch a game with the whole family at the newly constructed SEGRA Stadium, which is home of the Fayetteville Woodpeckers.