We’ve had an exciting year at RSN Property Group and are thrilled about our latest Gainesville, GA investment closing, and launching The Summit on 401, but we’re not resting on our laurels or missing a beat!
Our next play? Fayetteville, NC…and trust us, this isn’t only a military town anymore.
Yes, Fort Bragg remains the economic backbone and pumps $8.3 billion annually into the region. But Fayetteville has grown beyond its military roots, achieving a remarkable 30% GDP growth in just three years.
This growth spreads across the economy. Manufacturing expands. Healthcare advances. Logistics companies thrive. Smart infrastructure investments connect it all, while business-friendly policies attract serious money to the region.
The real estate market, though, is the cherry on top. Homes cost 29% less than national averages. Rents rose 7.3% last year. And property values jumped 37.3% in three years.
Yes, this market has all the ingredients to be an investor’s dream. But it’s still somehow flying under many’s radar.
Not for long.
Forget the overhyped “next hot markets” you’ve heard about before—Fayetteville is the real deal.
Fayetteville’s Economic Boom: Not Your Average Military Town Anymore
No longer a military-dependent economy, Fayetteville has become a diversified powerhouse with a 21.2% per-capita GDP growth over the past decade and a staggering 30% GDP growth in just the last three years. What’s going on behind the curtain?
Uncle Sam’s Deep Pockets Still Matter
Fort Bragg still remains Fayetteville’s economic backbone and pumps $8.3 billion annually into the regional economy. 49,000 military personnel, 12,000 civilian workers, and 5,000 contractors also call this massive installation their workplace.
Not to mention, the 72,000 military families and 120,000 veterans who live locally create a stable consumer base that keeps money flowing through the community, rain or shine.
But let’s break it down even more. It generates approximately $1 billion annually in government contracts and micro-purchases alone. It trickles down into tens of millions specifically set aside for small businesses each year. And it drives about $204 million in Department of Defense subcontracting activity throughout North Carolina, including a recent $21.7 million logistics support contract to Technica LLC.
Branching Out: Manufacturing Muscles Up
The military jump-started Fayetteville’s economy, but manufacturing powers its diversification.
Yeadon Fabric Domes just plunked down $4.6 million (March 2025) on a new facility poised to create 72 jobs. American Titanium Metal went even bigger, picking Fayetteville for its aerospace-grade titanium plant and bringing 304 high-paying jobs to town. Goodyear Tire keeps rolling along as it has for years. Natron Energy’s sodium-ion battery gigafactory and Boviet Solar’s panel facility in neighboring counties also prove that industrial mojo is spreading throughout the region.
Strategic Sectors: Healthcare, Education & Logistics
Fayetteville’s economy stands on many other pillars, too.
Healthcare, for one, represents a major growth sector, with Cape Fear Valley Health employing 7,100 workers across three hospitals, providing both essential services and stable jobs.
The logistics sector salivates at Fayetteville’s location at the crossroads of major transportation routes – Amazon opened a 1.3 million square foot fulfillment center in 2024, and Walmart and Ross Stores operate major distribution centers employing thousands.
Higher education completes this economic triad, with Fayetteville State and Methodist University supplying a steady stream of STEM graduates who power both established businesses and the city’s 300+ startups.
Building Boom Follows Business Success
North Carolina keeps drawing businesses like a magnet. The state landed in CNBC’s Top 3 business rankings five years straight, grabbing the #1 spot twice in 2022 and 2023. The state also drew in $15.2 billion in capital investments in 2024.
Fayetteville—North Carolina’s sixth-largest city—is riding this wave of success. Jobs are booming, with unemployment dropping to 4.6% this February, down from 5% last year. That beats both the city’s historical 6.27% average and today’s 5% national rate.
But you can’t grow without good bones, and that’s why Fayetteville keeps strengthening its infrastructure.
The newly completed Outer Loop (I-295) now connects directly to I-95 South, opening up logistics possibilities that weren’t there before. A forward-thinking $40 million Smart City Project promises to slash traffic jams by 25%, cut energy waste by 30%, and drive crime rates down by 15%. Throw in $70 million for fiber-optic cables and citywide 5G, and the digital highways now match the concrete ones.
Living Large While Spending Less: Why Fayetteville Tops Relocation Wishlists
Dollars stretch further in Fayetteville – living costs run 6% below the national average and 1% under the state average. But that’s only one reason why professionals and families keep packing moving trucks headed here- Fayetteville offers far more than financial breathing room.
Homes Without the Hefty Price Tag
We have to start with the affordability perks here, though.
Housing costs sit a whopping 29% below the national average – music to the ears of first-time buyers and relocating families alike. Median home prices range from $305,652 to $353,105, substantially lower than many comparable cities. Renters win, too, with monthly payments typically running between $816 and $1,550. Not to mention, the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority is very supportive.
Military families, young professionals, and remote workers capitalize on these bargains while enjoying spacious lots that could cost double or triple elsewhere.
Even daily expenses stay manageable, with utilities running 3% below national norms and grocery bills coming in 3-4% cheaper than state and national averages.
Where Diversity Meets Home
Fayetteville’s military backdrop turns what could be just another Southern town into a global melting pot of cultures and backgrounds. Families from around the world call this place home, creating neighborhoods where kids grow up hearing languages from across continents.
Walk downtown on any given weekend, and you’ll smell the aromas from family-owned restaurants serving everything from authentic Korean barbecue to soul food.
City officials don’t hide in offices either—they roll up their sleeves alongside state partners, tackling infrastructure projects that real people notice: airports that connect families, revitalized housing that breathes new life into old neighborhoods, and community spaces where strangers become friends over local brews and live music.
Something for Everyone
You’ll never hear “I’m bored” living in Fayetteville.
Cultural Heritage Trails wind through neighborhoods, sharing powerful stories of African-American resilience, Civil War struggles, and groundbreaking women. Annual gatherings like the Celtic Festival, Dogwood Festival, and Lafayette Bicentennial events turn strangers into friends over shared laughs and local traditions.
And if you have kids, keeping them active is easy, too. Let them loose on trails at Lake Rim Park while you enjoy five minutes of peace watching bobbers on the water. If you need a date night, the Cape Fear Botanical Garden hosts “Kids Night Out” so you can enjoy dinner without anyone demanding chicken nuggets or spilling milk across the table.
History also comes alive at the Airborne Museum, where tough veterans shed tears showing grandchildren the actual aircraft they jumped from decades ago. Walk the creaking floorboards of the 1897 Poe House at the Museum of the Cape Fear, each step echoing stories from another century.
Downtown also transforms after sunset, with bartenders who remember your name and drink orders at local breweries housed in beautifully renovated historic buildings. And if you want a quick getaway, day trips won’t drain your wallet.
Great for Sports Fans
Living in Fayetteville is also great if you’re a sports fan.
Locals pack Crown Coliseum on winter nights, voices hoarse from cheering the Fayetteville Marksmen hockey players. Summer evenings glow under stadium lights at Segra Stadium, where families spread blankets on the grass berms to watch the minor league baseball Woodpeckers swing for the fences.
The Fayetteville Fury kicks up excitement with indoor soccer action. At the same time, football fanatics rally behind the Carolina Predators during high-energy indoor games that shake the building with every touchdown.
Fayetteville is also the perfect hometown base for college and professional enthusiasts without paying big city prices. The UNC Tar Heels and Duke Blue Devils are barely an hour and a half away. You could even trek to Charlotte (132 miles) and catch a Panther, Hurricane, or Hornet game and not need to book a hotel.
The Real Estate Reality Check: Fayetteville’s Hot Market Heats Wallets
Want your money working overtime? Look to Fayetteville’s real estate scene. Rentals are hot, new construction can’t keep pace, and investors who recognize this imbalance are quietly cashing in.
Your Tenants Will Pay More Tomorrow
Watch those rent checks grow. Average rents hit $1,395 as of April 2025 – up $95 (7.3%) from last year’s $1,300. The real kicker? Between 2023 and 2024, rents across all apartment sizes surged 25%. Two-bedrooms jumped from $1,037 to $1,292, while one-bedrooms climbed from $898 to $1,120.
Yet, even with these increases, Fayetteville rents still run 30% below national averages, giving you plenty of runway for future growth. Local median household income sits at $56,685, but rent increases outpace income growth – meaning your properties will likely command premium prices from qualified tenants who need housing now.
Empty Units? Not Your Problem
Forget worrying about vacancies eating your profits. Cumberland County’s rental vacancy rate sits at just 6.3% with only 951 empty units (February 2025). Some reports show an 8% vacancy rate, slightly above the 7% industry standard – but that’s mostly in luxury units, not the bread-and-butter affordable and mid-market properties where demand significantly exceeds supply.
Ultimately, the market temperature registers as “WARM”- meaning steady renter interest keeping landlords happy and many units receiving multiple applications. Your tenant screening process will matter more than your marketing budget in this environment.
Buy Now, Thank Yourself Later
The numbers don’t lie – property values keep climbing. Homes sell for 6-6.6% more than last year, with March 2025 median sale prices hitting $239,832. Properties also typically move in 28-39 days, meaning you won’t tie up capital in lengthy selling processes.
And if you need the clincher? Home prices appreciated a whopping 37.3% over the past three years. The market has shifted from heavily favoring sellers to slightly more neutral territory, giving you better negotiating leverage than even six months ago.
Your next real estate win might be waiting in this military town turned growth market.
Final Thoughts
We could bore you with more stats and charts, but bottom line is – Fayetteville is hot, and hardly anyone’s noticed yet. Just how we like it.
It isn’t some overhyped market that’s already peaked. It’s the real thing – a place where your money works for you instead of just keeping pace with inflation.The military keeps it stable, new manufacturing brings the energy, and those smart infrastructure plays are like rocket fuel for property values.
So while the headlines chase the usual suspects, we’re planting our flag in a market with real fundamentals and room to run. Fayetteville isn’t a trend, it’s a smart move.
Happy Investing!
Reed, Ben & The RSN Team
Reed Goossens is an Australian-born real estate entrepreneur, investor, author, public speaker, and an all-around good bloke. Reed got his start in real estate investing back in 2012 when he moved to the US.
