01 · the cities
New York
New York is the city that refuses to take a nap. Five boroughs of bodegas, bagels, late-night dollar slices, and entire neighborhoods that switch languages every six blocks. The subway is a 472-station miracle that runs all night, and Central Park is the green lung that keeps Manhattan sane. You will spend more than you planned and love every minute of it.
full dispatch→Lafayette
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.
full dispatch→02 · the money
Median rent
Median rent
$3,329/mo
$1,332/mo
$1,997/mo less than New York (150%)
Median home price
Median home price
$739k
$200k
$539k less than New York
State income tax
State income tax
10.7%
3.0%
Gross left after rent
Gross left after rent
$4,110/mo
$6,751/mo
Lafayette has $2,641/mo more gross after rent at $100k
Gross left after rent reflects state income tax but not federal, based on $100k salary. Enter your salary to find your ideal city.
03 · the weather
Pleasant days/yr
Pleasant days/yr
171 days
211 days
40 more than New York
Extreme heat days
Extreme heat days
1 days
7 days
days above 95°F per year
Extreme cold days
Extreme cold days
19 days
0 days
days below 20°F per year
Lafayette has 6 more days above 95°F each year than New York. New York drops below 20°F on 19 more days per year than Lafayette.
04 · the life
OutdoorScore
OutdoorScore
78 / 100
43 / 100
35.0 pts behind New York
Nonstop flights
Nonstop flights
215 routes
3 routes
212 fewer direct routes than New York
Metro size
Metro size
19.5M metro
414k metro
New York has 781.4x more events per month than Lafayette.
the verdict
3
New York
categories won
6
Lafayette
categories won
Lafayette wins on money and weather. New York has the edge on lifestyle.
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