Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Cary, NC
VS
Lafayette, LA
🏆 Cary leads 15 of 23 categories
Cary
North Carolina
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
98.0
Median Household Income
$125,317 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
19 ✓ Safer
Population
174,880 ✓ Larger
Lafayette
Louisiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High
Population
121,706
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Cary, NC
Pros
Households earn $66,467 more per year on average
93% less violent crime than Lafayette
Stronger job market — unemployment is 2.7 pts lower (3.4%)
More college-educated — 70.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Violent crime is well below the national average (71.0 vs 380/100k)
Smaller class sizes — 15.3:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $477,400
Higher rents — median is $1,538/mo
Cost of living runs 11% higher than Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Homes cost $243k less ($234,900 vs $477,400)
Rent averages $516/mo less ($1,022 vs $1,538)
11% cheaper overall cost of living than Cary
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 51°F
Cons
Median income trails Cary by $66,467/yr
Violent crime (1066.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4347.5/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (6.1% vs 3.4%)
Key Differences at a Glance
Cary
Median Income
$66,467
$125,317 vs $58,850/yr
Cary
Violent Crime
93% lower
71.0 vs 1066.1 per 100k
Cary
Unemployment
2.7 pp lower
3.4% vs 6.1% unemployment
Lafayette
Cost of Living
11% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 98.0 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Home Value
$243k less
$234,900 vs $477,400
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Cary, NC | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 98.0 | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $477,400⚠ High | $234,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,538⚠ High | $1,022 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $125,317 ✓ Higher | $58,850 |
| Unemployment Rate | 3.4% ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.8 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 28.3% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 36 ✓ Safer | 251⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 19 ✓ Safer | 281⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 63 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (118) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 15.3:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 70.3% ✓ Higher | 40.0% |
| High School or Higher | 96.8% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Wake County Schools | Lafayette Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 50.9°F | 61.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 89.0°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 50.3" ✓ Drier | 64.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 4.8" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 174,880 ✓ Larger | 121,706 |
| Median Age | 39.4 ✓ Older | 36.9 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.8% ✓ Higher | 56.3% |
| Under 18 | 24.5% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 13.2% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Cary's cost of living index is 98.0 vs Lafayette's 87.0 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 11% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Cary leads 15 of 23 categories. Cary wins 15 and Lafayette wins 8. 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 Cary to Lafayette or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($477,400 vs $234,900 median home), income ($125,317 vs $58,850), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Cary, NC and Lafayette, LA are about 856 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.