Lafayette Parish vs Orleans Parish
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana versus Orleans Parish, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US counties.
Lafayette Parish edges out Orleans Parish on overall objective livability (48 vs 42 of 100), though each leads on different factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lafayette Parish | Orleans Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $47k |
| Home Value | $222k | $282k |
| Monthly Rent | $986 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.79% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.33% | 11.81% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 8.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 53°F | 54°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 64.5 in | 63.0 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.1 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 213 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 120 days | 130 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.2 | 98.3 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 41 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.2 | 65.6 |
| Violent Crime | 1004/100k | 2828/100k |
| Property Crime | 2700/100k | 4685/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 243,175 | 380,408 |
| Median Age | 36.2 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+29 | D+69 |
| White (%) | 64.2% | 30.8% |
| Black (%) | 25.6% | 56.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.7% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 13.7/20 |
| Airport Distance | 111 mi | 23 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 81.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.58 | 0.42 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 Lafayette Parish or Orleans Parish more affordable?
- Lafayette Parish has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Lafayette Parish's $44k and Orleans Parish's $47k. Median rent is $986 in Lafayette Parish versus $1k in Orleans Parish.
- Is Lafayette Parish or Orleans Parish safer?
- Lafayette Parish has the lower violent crime rate. Lafayette Parish reports 1004/100k and Orleans Parish reports 2828/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lafayette Parish or Orleans Parish?
- The median home value is $222k in Lafayette Parish and $282k in Orleans Parish, so homes are more affordable in Lafayette Parish.