Lafayette or La Fayette, is the third largest metropolitan city and an incredible place to live in the state of Louisiana, US.
With a population of 1.22 lakhs residents, spread over a total area of 145 square kilometers, the “hub city” is all about incredible cuisine scenes, world-class events and festivals, traditional music, and its lower living costs, thriving economy, and employment opportunities, and excellent education system keep attracting tourists and expats to live in the city and beyond.
So, if you are searching for a place where a great quality of life means easy access to all these amenities at an affordable value, moving to Lafayette will be a great decision indeed!
Keep reading to learn the reasons you will love living in here.
1. What is Lafayette, LA Known For?
Initially established as Vermilionville, Lafayette is well known for Cajun cuisine and unique Zydeco music.
Moreover, it is highly famous for art galleries, museums, top-rated universities, low crime rate, moderate climate, rich cultural heritage, and Mardi Gras.
Lafayette is also a segment of Louisiana swamplands that receives a greater number of visitors for wildlife and wonderful landscapes.
Lafayette got its identity when the Acadian refugees or Cajuns inhabited the area in the 18th century and brought their unique cuisine and music.
Lafayette, LA is also called the “Best Food City”. The city has given rise to a new generation of chefs for ages.
“The Hub City”, Lafayette also served as a hub for the oil and natural gas industry, for 50-60 years, which has the highest number of workers in Louisiana, mostly to serve the medical sector.
2. Is Lafayette, LA Safe?
On a scale of 1-100 (lowest-highest crime), the violent and property crime rates in Lafayette, LA are 38 and 73, respectively, which are much higher than the violent and property crime rates of 23 and 35 respectively.
But despite this, there are many safe areas to live in and raise a family safely in Lafayette LA.
Lafayette, LA is a safe city to live in, despite a higher crime rate than the US average. It’s also safe to walk around alone around the city.
The overall crime rate in Lafayette is 47 per 1000 residents, from which the violent crime rate is 5.2 and the property crime rate is 43 per 1000 people, respectively.
The crime rate in Lafayette varies in different areas. While the northern part of the city recorded the highest number of crimes, the southwestern area is the safest area to live in Lafayette.
Ossun, River Ranch, New Flanders, Johnston St., And Bios de Lafayette are the safest areas to reside in Lafayette.
Here we mentioned a comparison table of the crime rate in the US vs. Lafayette LA in 2023:
| Crime Type | Lafayette (per 100,000 people) | US (per 100,000 people) |
|---|---|---|
| Violent Crime | 680 | 400 |
| Property | 1500 | 1940 |
Source: https://police.louisiana.edu/jeanne-clery-act/crime-statistics
3. Things to know before moving to Lafayette, LA
Whether you are visiting for the first time or permanently relocating to Lafayette, we have listed out all the facts information, and guidelines that you must know before moving if you are unaware of the place. So, here is it!
4. Living in Lafayette, LA
Living in Lafayette is all about working hard, eating well, and prospering to the fullest. People lead a laid-back lifestyle but achieve everything easily in whatever they want to do.
Residents aspire to live in Lafayette for its strong infrastructure, low cost of living, thriving job opportunities, developing economy, and excellent education system.
It provides an excellent quality of life by spreading love, respect, importance, happiness, great aroma, rhythmic life, and top-rated festivals to people throughout the year.
Its exotic cuisines, southern comfort, rich culture and entertainment, and people-friendly residents make the city a great fit for newcomers.
The state is renowned for providing the best, assisted living in Lafayette to activate older and disabled people to experience the best of Lafayette through art, culture, medical help, and more.
The cost of an assisted living system in Lafayette is around $3700 per month, which is less than the US average of $4200.
5. Cost of Living in Lafayette, LA
The cost of living in Lafayette is 88, which is 12% less than the US average and 2% less than the average cost of living in Louisiana.
The cost of living for a single person and a family of 4 in Lafayette is about $1900 & $3900 per month, respectively.
Lafayette, LA has a low cost of living in comparison to other cities in the US.
The factors affecting the cost of living are the health and transportation costs, but are worth it, as these sectors provide the best services affordable, on-demand, and quick services to help people living within the city.
The average income in Lafayette, LA as of 2023 is $50,130. But you need to earn a salary of at least $48,000 to live in Lafayette which is enough to afford a 2-bedroom apartment, groceries, childcare, transportation, taxes, savings, and other basic expenses.
Our cost of living guide is where you can compare which indices are affordable or expensive in Lafayette, compared to the average cost of living in the United States of 100.
| Cost of living | Lafayette | US |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Expenses | 88 | 100 |
| Groceries | 96 | 100 |
| Housing cost | 63 | 100 |
| Utilities | 88 | 100 |
| Transportation | 102 | 100 |
| Healthcare | 115 | 100 |
| Miscellaneous | 97 | 100 |
6. Housing in Lafayette, LA
Whether you are looking to rent a home, buy a house, or Lafayette, Louisiana real estate, all are quite stable, affordable, and readily available as compared to other cities in Louisiana.
This is because the cost of housing in Lafayette is 37% less than the national average. The average cost to build a house in Lafayette ranges between $200,000 – $500,000.
People relocating to Louisiana, consider Lafayette for settling down because it fulfills one of the necessities of life, for instance, i.e. a home.
About 70% of residents here are homeowners. When it comes to choosing a good community to live in, it’s very easy to find and Lafayette has everything, from conventional homes to residential apartments, real-estate properties, and rental homes suiting your budget and preferences.
Similarly, in the case of rental houses, the average rental price in Lafayette is just more than half of the US average of about $800 per month, compared to $1500 per month in the US.
However, the average rental prices vary from $900-$1700 for a studio to 3-bedroom apartments.
7. Taxes in Lafayette, LA
The minimum total sales tax rate for Lafayette, LA is 9.4%, in 2023 which is the combination of state, county, and city sales rates.
While the personal Income tax ranges from 1.85%-4.25% in Lafayette, the property taxes are about 0.55% of the average asserted value.
Lafayette government imposes various taxes on the earning residents of the city. While the city has the lowest property taxes, the sales tax here is quite high.
The tax rates in Lafayette are not the same in all the Louisiana cities, but they vary from lower to higher taxes, depending on the area you are moving to.
List of particulars of the various taxes charged in Lafayette, LA
| Particulars | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|
| Income Tax | 1.85%-4.25% |
| Sales Tax | 9.4%, |
| Property Tax | 0.55% of the property value |
| Gas Tax | 20 cents per gallon for both gasoline and diesel. |
Source: https://www.lafayette.in.gov/DocumentCenter/View/230/Tax-Abatement-Guidelines-PDF
8. Weather conditions in Lafayette, LA
Lafayette LA has a sub-tropical climate of three distinct seasons throughout the year.
It gets hot humid summers, a long rainfall season, pleasant falls, delightful winters, and no snowfalls, with partly cloudy skies year-round.
The weather conditions in Lafayette are mild, pleasant, and bearable. The summers are quite hot and humid, frequently receiving thunder and rain.
The temperature during summer can go high up to 100°F. The city averages 220 sunny days every year.
In the winter, the climate remains very cold, breezy, and snowy with an average temperature of 20-75°F.
The city gets a rare snowfall due to the subtropical climate at an average rate of 5mm per year.
While August is the warmest month in Lafayette, LA with a median temperature of 80°F, January is the coldest month with an average temperature of 50°F.
9. Jobs in Lafayette, LA
The job market in Lafayette is diverse and flourishing providing well-paying salaries to its residents in the sectors of construction, retail, manufacturing tourism, finance, and oil and gas industry which are known to be driving the economy of Lafayette.
The average salary in Lafayette is $55,000 fidget slightly less than the national average of $56310.
Lafayette has a better job market than other metropolitan areas of Louisiana, which has witnessed a surge of 0.3% over the last year. It is assumed that there will be 12 % more growth in future jobs.
The experts predict more than 6,000 new job vacancies will come up in the various sectors including, manufacturing, service, technology, healthcare, energy, and education sectors with an average minimum salary of $ 40,000 per annum.
10. Schools in Lafayette, LA
Lafayette has a total of 45 public schools out of which there are eight High schools 12 middle schools and 25 alimentary schools under the Lafayette Parish School system.
The system has over 4000+ employees serving 40,000+ students, making it one of the largest School districts in the state to provide top-class education to students to thrive globally.
Lafayette, LA has good schools and an excellent education system. The schools in Lafayette consider Louisiana’s educational assessment program for students’ examinations.
About 82% of all the students in Lafayette are educated in public schools, while others get enrolled in top-rated private schools in the city.
As per the LEAP 2025 statewide assessments, Lafayette, LA is ranked at 10th position in the state.
Besides this, the city has the largest higher education system the University of Louisiana known for offering notable programs including architecture, environmental science, engineering, computer science, humanity, and nursing.
According to the US News and World Report, the city is ranked 46th in education and 48th in higher education.
Best 5 Public schools in Lafayette, LA
- Early College Academy
- Lafayette High School
- David Thibodaux stem Magnet Academy.
- Southside High School.
- O. comeaux High School
Best 5 Elementary schools in Lafayette
- Ernest Gallet Elementary School
- Broadmoor Elementary School.
- Myrtle Place Elementary School.
- L. Leo Judice Elementary School
- Martial Billeaud Elementary School
- Green T. Lindon Elementary School
5 Best colleges in Lafayette
- University of Louisiana.
- Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College.
- South Louisiana Community.
- Franciscan Missionaries Of Our Lady University.
- Infinity College.
11. Places to Stay in Lafayette, LA
Lafayette has several livable, safe, and family-friendly regions and suburbs to live in with lower crime rates and readily available homes.
So before relocating to Loushiana’ Lafayette, you need to search for a home considering your budget, distance to school or work, medical services, and purpose of living.
Here is a list of top 5 places to stay in Lafayette:
- River Ranch: River Ranch is a popular, planned, and wealthiest community known for its upscale homes, nice streets, and a combination of residential and commercial properties. The area, which has an average real estate price of $1 million and a rental price of $1,800, is home to a town square with shopping malls, restaurants, bars, city clubs, gyms, and more.
- Broussard: Broussard is a small town located in the southern part of Lafayette. The city has strong economic developments and a growing population. It offers various options from affordable housing to schools at a walkable distance. Moreover, it is near to Lafayette Airport.
- Downtown Lafayette: If you want to lead a more urban lifestyle, downtown Lafayette is a perfect place for you. Situated in the heart of Lafayette, this lively area provides a lot of restaurants, bars, events, the typical Cajun experience, home to the University of Louisiana, and a vibrant Downtown Alive Lafayette Friday nightlife.
- Acadiana Oaks: Acadian Oaks is one of the cheapest places to live in the centre of Lafayette. The region provides a Suburban feel, tree-lined lanes, crime-free streets, shopping centres, restaurants, and cinema halls, which can be present at a walkable distance from your home.
- Scott: Scott is a small area situated in the western segment of Lafayette. With a population of 10,000 residents, it is the 4th largest suburb in Lafayette. Scott is a warm and welcoming community and is accessible to all of Lafayette’s major amenities.
12. Places to Visit in Lafayette, LA
Lafayette, LA is filled with joy and attractions.
Besides being famous for music and food, Lafayette is extremely well known for its tourist places such as the Cathedral of St John the Evangelist, Acadian Cultural Center, Alexandre Mouton House, and Lafayette Science Museum.
Dig into the places to know the best places to visit in Lafayette, LA.
| Best hiking in Lafayette, LA | Acadiana Park Nature StationLake Martin Wildlife Refuge |
| Best attractions in Lafayette, LA | Vermilionville Historic VillageCajundomeAcadian Cultural CenterHilliard University Art Museum |
| Best parks in Lafayette, LA | ZoosianaLake Martin Wildlife RefugeGirard ParkCity ParkFountain Memorial Park |
| Best places to eat in Louisiana, Lafayette | Zea Rotisserie & BarSocial Southern Table And BarBon Temps GrillThe Cajun TableLIT Pizza – Youngsville |
| Best biking trails in Lafayette, LA | Acadiana Nature Station BoardwalkUl Bike TrailSouthside Park LoopVeterans Park TrailGirard Park Pond Loop |
| Best golf course in Lafayette, LA | Wetlands Golf CourseMuni Golf CourseEagle Ridge Golf CourseLes Vieux Chenes Golf Course |
| Best art & entertainment in Lafayette, LA | Kart RanchLafayette Science MuseumBlackpot FestivalThe PearlJungle GardensPerforming Arts Servings Acadiana |
| Best nightlife in Lafayette, LA | Brass RoomThe Green RoomThe Gouse HouseBlue Moon Guest House And SalonBolt Night ClubCorner Bar |
13. Things to do in Lafayette, LA
Lafayette has a lot to offer and explore for all age groups. Especially, Lafayette has the most things to do in Lousiana for kids, from visiting museums, and national parks to exploring several family-friendly adventures.
It is a great city hosting an exotic combination of Spanish, French, and Caribbean cultures. The city will not disappoint you in any field.
Check out below to learn about the various things to do in Lafayette, LA.
| Kids | Spend time at the Children’s Museum of AcadianaTake a tour of ZoosianaLearn and enjoy at Lafayette Science MuseumIce Skating at the CajundomePlay at Kart Ranch |
| Family | Taste the Cajun CuisineGo for swamp tours along the creekAntique Shopping with family for classic ornaments and showpiecesKayaking on the Vermilion River |
| Couples | Enjoy a wonderful meal at Lafayette`s restaurant take a walk at the Lafayette Natural History Museum & PlanetariumEnjoy festivals like Mardi GrasPlan for outdoor picnics at one of the Lafayette`s park |
| Elderly people | Enjoy a wonderful meal at Lafayette`s restaurant take a walk at the Lafayette Natural History Museum & PlanetariumEnjoy festivals like Mardi GrasPlan for outdoor picnics at one of Lafayette`s park |
14. Pros and Cons of Living in Lafayette, LA
Living in Lafayette, Louisiana comes up with a lot of benefits and along with that, some worst things too.
One should know about the pros and cons of the city before moving to get adjusted to it and accommodate him/herself easily in life.
So, have a look below at the pros and cons of living in Lafayette, LA.
Pros
- Rich in culture and food.
- Excellent quality of life.
- Low cost of living.
- Top-class educational opportunities
- Minimum property tax.
- Low cancer rate.
- Moderate weather.
- A lot of cultural activities and events.
- Family-friendly and welcoming residents.
Cons
- High sales tax.
- Less natural landscape and open spaces.
- Lack of employment opportunities.
- Limited and costly public transportation.
- Hurricane-prone area.
- High traffic congestion.
- Less availability of consuming water.
15. Moving companies in Lafayette, LA
Moving companies in Lafayette charge around $500-$1100 while moving the city or the state of Louisiana.
However, if moving to or from Lafayette to other states, the average cost of moving will be around $11,000 and more, depending on where you are moving to.
The cost of moving to Lafayette, LA depends on various elements such as the distance of your move, the size of your luggage, the level of the movers, and other additional costs.
So, It is wise to hire a full-time Lafayette moving company and collect quotations to get an exact idea of your moving cost.
Figure out the home size first, to fix a budget and make decisions regarding your upcoming move.
Here is a list of some recognized moving companies in Lafayette that will make your shift effective and hassle-free.
- Two Men and a Truck Lafayette
- U-Haul Moving & Storage of Lafayette
- Penske Truck Rental
- Bayou Moving and Junk Removal
- Move Eaze LLC
- Geaux Movers
- Big Boys Moving and Storage
- Acadiana Movers
Moving to Lafayette, LA FAQ’s
How to Get Around in Lafayette?
You can get around Lafayette in a car. However, the city also provides public transportation such as buses that connect different areas within the city at minimum cost.
What are some must-try local dishes in Lafayette?
Crawfish etouffee, Jambalaya, Gumbo spiked with garlicky andouille sausage, Boudin and Sunday Brunch are some of the must-try and savoring local dishes in Lafayette.
Who lives in Lafayette, LA?
Lafayette, LA is home to many eminent and talented celebrities which are as follows:
- Lauren Daigle- Grammy-winning singer
- C. C. Adcock- Musician
- Cupid- Singer and songwriter
- Ali Landry- former Miss USA, model and actress
- James Lee Burke- mystery novelist and Pulitzer Prize nominee
Where to eat in Lafayette, LA?
Places, where you can dive over (eat) in Lafayette, include:
- Traditional Southern Breakfast at Dwyer’s Café
- Duck & Andouille Gumbo and Crab Cakes at Charley G’s
- Cajun-style lunch with Crawfish Bisque, Fried Alligator, Shrimp, and Oyster Brochette at Don’s Seafood and Steakhouse
- Malts & Milkshakes at Hub City Diner
- Spanish Style Tapas at Pamplona
Conclusion
The happiest city in Louisiana, Lafayette, offers you aesthetic, culinary, and livelihood experiences that you won’t find in any other Louisiana city.
If you are moving to Lafayette, you are surely going to get yourself indulge in all of the best things that the city offers.
So, consider our blog post for future references, while planning to move to Lafayette.