same $100k income, fresh start from San Francisco

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Lafayette, LA cityscape

if you left san francisco

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

$2,339

lighter monthly cost than San Francisco

Lafayette runs on a fraction of San Francisco's budget. Same paycheck, real lifestyle upgrade.
landable, recorded on the lafayette entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,332/mo

58% cheaper than San Francisco(vs $3,146/mo)

02state income tax

3%

$525/mo less in state tax than San Francisco

vs 9.3% in San Francisco

03after rent

$6,751/mo

$2,339 more than San Francisco

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

04a house here

$200k

84% cheaper than San Francisco

vs $1239k in San Francisco

05metro size

414k

vs 4.6M in San Francisco

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

211

pleasant days a year, in lafayette.

San Francisco edges ahead with 312 pleasant days.

98% fewer events than San Francisco. The pace eases up.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

43/100

48% lower than San Francisco

vs 83/100 in San Francisco

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

·walk score®

85/100

14% lower than San Francisco

vs 99/100 in San Francisco

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

97% fewer than San Francisco

vs 111 nonstops in San Francisco

04 · see also

in the same ballpark as lafayette:

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