same $100k income, fresh start from Santa Rosa

change
Lafayette, LA cityscape

instead of santa rosa

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

$1,790

lighter monthly cost than Santa Rosa

Lafayette is the kind of cheap that changes the math. Same salary, a different life on the other side.
landable, recorded on the lafayette entry

02 · the money

a quick ledger.

01rent

$1,332/mo

49% cheaper than Santa Rosa(vs $2,597/mo)

02state income tax

3%

$525/mo less in state tax than Santa Rosa

vs 9.3% in Santa Rosa

03after rent

$6,751/mo

$1,790 more than Santa Rosa

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

04a house here

$200k

76% cheaper than Santa Rosa

vs $817k in Santa Rosa

05metro size

414k

vs 482k in Santa Rosa

03 · the life

field notes, weather & such.

211

pleasant days a year, in lafayette.

Santa Rosa gets 254 pleasant days a year, so you'd be trading some sunshine.

5.0× the events of Santa Rosa, and the calendar shows it.
on a typical month
·outdoorscore

43/100

38% lower than Santa Rosa

vs 69/100 in Santa Rosa

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

·walk score®

85/100

13% lower than Santa Rosa

vs 98/100 in Santa Rosa

Walk Score® methodology

·nonstops

3

25% fewer than Santa Rosa

vs 4 nonstops in Santa Rosa

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