Lafayette vs New Orleans
Lafayette, Louisiana versus New Orleans, Louisiana: a factual, side-by-side comparison of cost of living, housing, safety, schools, and climate. Greener figures rank better among US places.
Lafayette and New Orleans score about the same overall (47 vs 48 of 100) — the differences are in the individual factors below.
Factor-by-factor comparison
| Factor | Lafayette | New Orleans |
|---|---|---|
| Affordability | ||
| Median Household Income | $59k | $51k |
| Cost of Living | $44k | $47k |
| Home Value | $235k | $282k |
| Monthly Rent | $1k | $1k |
| Monthly Owner Costs | $2k | $2k |
| Property Tax Rate | 0.58% | 0.79% |
| Income Tax | 4.30% | 4.30% |
| Sales Tax | 9.56% | 9.56% |
| Estimated total tax burden | 9.76% | 11.81% |
| Unemployment | 6.1% | 8.4% |
| Weather | ||
| Winter Temp (Jan) | 53°F | 54°F |
| Summer Temp (Jul) | 83°F | 84°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 64.7 in | 58.7 in |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Sunny Days | 261 days | 213 days |
| Summer Humidity | 74°F | 74°F |
| Comfortable Days | 119 days | 130 days |
| Safety & Wellbeing | ||
| Natural Disaster Risk | 85.0 | 77.5 |
| Air Quality | 46 AQI | 46 AQI |
| School Quality | 44.4 | 100.0 |
| Violent Crime | 1082/100k | 2811/100k |
| Property Crime | 4388/100k | 4641/100k |
| Community | ||
| Population | 121,706 | 380,408 |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 37.9 |
| Racial Diversity | 0.54 | 0.57 |
| Male/Female Ratio | 0.96 | 0.90 |
| Political Leaning | R+29 | D+69 |
| White (%) | 59.5% | 30.8% |
| Black (%) | 29.1% | 56.7% |
| Hispanic (%) | 5.2% | 5.7% |
| Asian (%) | 2.4% | 2.8% |
| Other / Multiracial (%) | 3.9% | 4.1% |
| Getting Around | ||
| Commute Time | 20 min | 23 min |
| Walkability | 10.1/20 | 17.4/20 |
| Airport Distance | 108 mi | 12 mi |
| Lifestyle & Connectivity | ||
| Broadband Access | 89.9% | 81.5% |
| Amenities Nearby | 16.84 | 26.45 |
| Park & Nature Access | Moderate | Excellent |
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 Lafayette or New Orleans more affordable?
- Lafayette has the lower cost of living: its index is $44k, compared with Lafayette's $44k and New Orleans's $47k. Median rent is $1k in Lafayette versus $1k in New Orleans.
- Is Lafayette or New Orleans safer?
- Lafayette has the lower violent crime rate. Lafayette reports 1082/100k and New Orleans reports 2811/100k (violent crimes per 100,000 residents).
- Are homes cheaper in Lafayette or New Orleans?
- The median home value is $235k in Lafayette and $282k in New Orleans, so homes are more affordable in Lafayette.