Jefferson Parish vs Lafayette Parish
Jefferson Parish, Louisiana versus Lafayette Parish, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Jefferson Parish and Lafayette Parish score about the same overall (46 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Jefferson Parish | Lafayette Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $63k | $67k |
| Cost of Living | $47k | $44k |
| Home Value | $232k | $222k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $986 |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $1k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.51% | 0.56% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.31% | 9.33% |
| Unemployment | 6.0% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 54°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 84°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 66.2 in | 64.5 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 213 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 135 days | 120 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 98.7 | 95.2 |
| Air Quality | 51 AQI | 47 AQI |
| School Quality | 62.9 | 45.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1583/100k | 1004/100k |
| Property Crime | 2716/100k | 2700/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 436,171 | 243,175 |
| Median Age | 39.8 | 36.2 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.60 | 0.50 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.95 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+11 | R+29 |
| White (%) | 50.7% | 64.2% |
| Black (%) | 26.4% | 25.6% |
| Hispanic (%) | 15.1% | 4.7% |
| Asian (%) | 4.1% | 1.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 3.6% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 24 min |
| Walkability | 9.3/20 | 7.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 14 mi | 111 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 85.5% | 89.6% |
| Amenities Nearby | 0.99 | 6.58 |
| Park & Nature Access | Excellent | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US counties: green is strong, amber average, red weaker. Neutral factors (population, demographics, target-style climate) show their percentile without a better/worse claim.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Jefferson Parish or Lafayette Parish more affordable?
- Lafayette Parish has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Jefferson Parish's $47k and Lafayette Parish's $44k. Median rent is $1k in Jefferson Parish versus $986 in Lafayette Parish.
- Is Jefferson Parish or Lafayette Parish safer?
- Lafayette Parish has the lower violent crime rate. Jefferson Parish reports 1583/100k and Lafayette Parish reports 1004/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Jefferson Parish or Lafayette Parish?
- The median home value is $232k in Jefferson Parish and $222k in Lafayette Parish, so homes are more affordable in Lafayette Parish.