Lafayette Parish vs St. Tammany Parish
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana versus St. Tammany 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 and St. Tammany Parish score about the same overall (48 vs 46 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lafayette Parish | St. Tammany Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $67k | $77k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $53k |
| Home Value | $222k | $262k |
| Monthly Rent | $986 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.56% | 0.75% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.32% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.33% | 10.02% |
| Unemployment | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 53°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 64.5 in | 65.2 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 | 114 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 95.2 | 96.6 |
| Air Quality | 47 AQI | 42 AQI |
| School Quality | 45.2 | 55.2 |
| Violent Crime | 1004/100k | 547/100k |
| Property Crime | 2700/100k | 873/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 243,175 | 266,168 |
| Median Age | 36.2 | 40.6 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.50 | 0.37 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+29 | R+45 |
| White (%) | 64.2% | 75.8% |
| Black (%) | 25.6% | 12.0% |
| Hispanic (%) | 4.7% | 6.1% |
| Asian (%) | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.6% | 4.7% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 24 min | 32 min |
| Walkability | 7.7/20 | 7.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 111 mi | 37 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.6% | 91.4% |
| Amenities Nearby | 6.58 | 0.00 |
| 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 St. Tammany Parish more affordable?
- Lafayette Parish has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Lafayette Parish's $44k and St. Tammany Parish's $53k. Median rent is $986 in Lafayette Parish versus $1k in St. Tammany Parish.
- Is Lafayette Parish or St. Tammany Parish safer?
- St. Tammany Parish has the lower violent crime rate. Lafayette Parish reports 1004/100k and St. Tammany Parish reports 547/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lafayette Parish or St. Tammany Parish?
- The median home value is $222k in Lafayette Parish and $262k in St. Tammany Parish, so homes are more affordable in Lafayette Parish.