Fayetteville is the closest major city to Fort Bragg. The city has about 206,000 people, and is in Cumberland County, which has a population of about 320,000 people. Other nearby small communities include Spring Lake (12,000), the closest town to base, and Raeford (4,600).

It is about 11 miles from downtown Fayetteville to Bragg; this takes about 19 minutes to commute, but travel times can vary significantly.

Fort Bragg and other military services, and private service-oriented businesses make up a large part of the local economy.

Local Housing Rental Prices: The average apartment rent in the Fayetteville area ranges from $500 to $800 per month, with a median of $625 per month.

Local Housing Purchase Prices: The average price for a house in Fayetteville is about $140,000, compared to $220,000 for North Carolina.

Short Description of the Area: Fayetteville is a mid-sized city in North Carolina, in the south-central part of the state. This area of North Carolina is moderately hilly, and broken up by river and stream valleys.

Climate and Weather: The Fayetteville area has a humid climate, with winter temperatures of the low 50s to low 30s and summer temperatures of the low 90s to low 70s. Summers are hot and humid, with up to 5 and a half inches of rain per month, occasional thunderstorms, and less frequent tornado fronts. Winters are moderate, with less rain, and usually no more than 2 inches of snow per month.

North Carolina Music: North Carolina in general has a rich, mixed music heritage. From traditional hill music to cutting edge modern music, fans should be able to find a venue in one of the state's cities. R&B and various kinds of religious music are particularly popular in the Cape Fear region.

North Carolina Barbecue: Different areas of the state have different right ways to barbeque, with different right sauces, but pork barbeque is popular. The state has a serious difference of opinion over barbeque styles, divided into Eastern whole-hog style, and Lexington pork shoulder style. Arguments and even legislation has seasoned up local newspapers for years. Serious barbecuers may be interested in the Lexington Barbecue Festival, two hours inland to the northwest.