Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Boulder, CO
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 Metairie leads 14 of 23 categories
Boulder
Colorado
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
107.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$80,243 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
85 ✓ Safer
Population
106,598
Metairie
Louisiana
14
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$72,070
Violent Crime Index
103⚠ High
Population
140,046 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Boulder, CO
Pros
17% less violent crime than Metairie
More college-educated — 76.6% hold a bachelor's or higher
Households earn $8,173 more per year on average
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $919,700
Higher rents — median is $1,853/mo
Cost of living runs 16% higher than Metairie
Property crime (2733.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Metairie, LA
Pros
Homes cost $630k less ($289,800 vs $919,700)
Rent averages $733/mo less ($1,120 vs $1,853)
16% cheaper overall cost of living than Boulder
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.1 pts lower (4.3%)
Milder winters — January highs near 63°F vs 47°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Cons
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Median income trails Boulder by $8,173/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Boulder
Median Income
$8,173
$80,243 vs $72,070/yr
Boulder
Violent Crime
17% lower
322.3 vs 390.1 per 100k
Metairie
Cost of Living
16% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 107.2 (100 = US avg)
Metairie
Median Home Value
$630k less
$289,800 vs $919,700
Metairie
Unemployment
1.1 pp lower
4.3% vs 5.4% unemployment
Metairie
Summer Heat
3.4°F warmer
July avg high 91.4°F vs 88.0°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Boulder, CO | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 107.2⚠ High | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $919,700⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,853⚠ High | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $80,243 ✓ Higher | $72,070 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.4%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 19.3 min ✓ Shorter | 21.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 28.0% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 103⚠ High ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 85 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 130⚠ High | 125⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (114) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 76.6% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.9% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Boulder Valley School District No. Re2 | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 47.0°F | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 88.0°F | 91.4°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 19.7" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 85.2" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 106,598 | 140,046 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 28.5 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 47.2% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 11.7% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 12.2% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Boulder's cost of living index is 107.2 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
Metairie is 16% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Metairie leads 14 of 23 categories. Boulder wins 9 and Metairie wins 14. 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 Boulder to Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($919,700 vs $289,800 median home), income ($80,243 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Boulder, CO and Metairie, LA are about 1,096 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.