Alexandria vs Lafayette
Alexandria, Louisiana versus Lafayette, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Alexandria and Lafayette score about the same overall (46 vs 47 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Alexandria | Lafayette |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $49k | $59k |
| Cost of Living | $43k | $44k |
| Home Value | $180k | $235k |
| Monthly Rent | $928 | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $1k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.47% | 0.58% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.19% | 9.76% |
| Unemployment | 7.5% | 6.1% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 49°F | 53°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 83°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.9 in | 64.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.4 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 237 days | 261 days |
| Summer Humidity | 72°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 82 days | 119 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 39.1 | 85.0 |
| Air Quality | 49 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 46.1 | 44.4 |
| Violent Crime | 5037/100k | 1082/100k |
| Property Crime | 6332/100k | 4388/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 45,133 | 121,706 |
| Median Age | 37.4 | 36.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.55 | 0.54 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.91 | 0.96 |
| Political Leaning | R+33 | R+29 |
| White (%) | 36.5% | 59.5% |
| Black (%) | 55.3% | 29.1% |
| Hispanic (%) | 3.2% | 5.2% |
| Asian (%) | 1.9% | 2.4% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.2% | 3.9% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 19 min | 20 min |
| Walkability | 9.8/20 | 10.1/20 |
| Airport Distance | 160 mi | 108 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 84.3% | 89.9% |
| Amenities Nearby | 10.41 | 16.84 |
| Park & Nature Access | Good | Moderate |
Each figure is colored by how it ranks among all US places: 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 Alexandria or Lafayette more affordable?
- Alexandria has the lower cost of living: its index is $43k, compared with Alexandria's $43k and Lafayette's $44k. Median rent is $928 in Alexandria versus $1k in Lafayette.
- Is Alexandria or Lafayette safer?
- Lafayette has the lower violent crime rate. Alexandria reports 5037/100k and Lafayette reports 1082/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Alexandria or Lafayette?
- The median home value is $180k in Alexandria and $235k in Lafayette, so homes are more affordable in Alexandria.