$100k a year, no longer in New York

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Lafayette, LA cityscape

if you left new york

Lafayette

la · metro 414k

photo: Gage LaVergne / pexels

a dispatch from

lafayette

LA

30.22°N

92.02°W

Lafayette is the unofficial capital of Cajun country, with zydeco music spilling out of dance halls, crawfish boils that count as social events, and gumbo so dark and rich it should be served with a nap. Mardi Gras here is huge but more family-friendly than New Orleans. The food (boudin, etouffee, cracklins) is the main reason to be here. Friendly in a way that's hard to fake.

metro414k

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01 · the verdict

the verdict

$2,641

under New York, every month

Lafayette sits well below New York on cost. Same paycheck, a noticeably lighter month.
landable, recorded on the lafayette entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,332/mo

60% cheaper than New York(vs $3,329/mo)

02state income tax

3%

$644/mo less in state tax than New York

vs 10.73% in New York

03after rent

$6,751/mo

$2,641 more than New York

gross of federal tax. a comparison, not a paycheck.

04a house here

$200k

73% cheaper than New York

vs $739k in New York

05metro size

414k

vs 19.5M in New York

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

211

pleasant days a year, in lafayette.

New York only logs 171 pleasant days.

New York hosts 781.4× more events.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

43/100

45% lower than New York

vs 78/100 in New York

Closest outdoor draw: Chicot State Park District II, 42.7 mi.

·walk score®

85/100

15% lower than New York

vs 100/100 in New York

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

99% fewer than New York

vs 215 nonstops in New York

04 · see also

neighbors of lafayette on the map of tradeoffs:

see also

fayetteville

better park access

turn the page

see also

augusta

better park access

turn the page

see also

baton rouge

better park access

turn the page

compare lafayette with:

FayettevilleAugustaBaton Rouge