Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Arlington, VA
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories
Arlington
Virginia
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
108.6⚠ High
Median Household Income
$137,387 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
67 ✓ Safer
Population
235,845 ✓ Larger
Metairie
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,070
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
140,046
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Arlington, VA
Pros
Households earn $65,317 more per year on average
35% less violent crime than Metairie
More college-educated — 76.8% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (254.4 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.5 pts lower (2.8%)
Smaller class sizes — 12.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $833,300
Higher rents — median is $2,227/mo
Cost of living runs 18% higher than Metairie
Longer commutes — 27.7 min average each way
Metairie, LA
Pros
Homes cost $544k less ($289,800 vs $833,300)
Rent averages $1107/mo less ($1,120 vs $2,227)
18% cheaper overall cost of living than Arlington
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 45°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Cons
Median income trails Arlington by $65,317/yr
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (4.3% vs 2.8%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Arlington
Median Income
$65,317
$137,387 vs $72,070/yr
Arlington
Violent Crime
35% lower
254.4 vs 390.1 per 100k
Arlington
Unemployment
1.5 pp lower
2.8% vs 4.3% unemployment
Metairie
Cost of Living
18% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 108.6 (100 = US avg)
Metairie
Median Home Value
$544k less
$289,800 vs $833,300
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Arlington, VA | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 108.6⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $833,300⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $2,227⚠ High | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $137,387 ✓ Higher | $72,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 2.8% ✓ Lower | 4.3%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 27.7 min⚠ High | 21.1 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 27.0% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 73 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 67 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 83 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (121) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 12.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 14.4:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.8% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Arlington County Public Schools | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 44.8°F | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.6°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.2" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 13.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 235,845 ✓ Larger | 140,046 |
| Median Age | 35.3 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 42.2% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 18.1% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 11.3% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Arlington's cost of living index is 108.6 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
Metairie is 18% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Arlington leads 12 of 23 categories. Arlington wins 12 and Metairie wins 11. The right choice depends on your priorities — use the Pros & Cons and full table above to weigh what matters to you.
Whether you're moving from Arlington to Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($833,300 vs $289,800 median home), income ($137,387 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Arlington, VA and Metairie, LA are about 964 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.