Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Lafayette, LA
🏆 College Station leads 13 of 22 categories
College Station
Texas
13
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Lafayette
Louisiana
9
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High
Population
121,706 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
College Station, TX
Pros
84% less violent crime than Lafayette
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
Stronger job market — unemployment is 1.4 pts lower (4.7%)
More college-educated — 58.3% hold a bachelor's or higher
Commutes run 4 min shorter each way
Living costs sit below the national average (index 90.7)
Cons
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Median income trails Lafayette by $6,453/yr
Cost of living runs 4% higher than Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Homes cost $71k less ($234,900 vs $305,800)
Households earn $6,453 more per year on average
Rent averages $107/mo less ($1,022 vs $1,129)
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
4% cheaper overall cost of living than College Station
Cons
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 4.7%)
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Violent Crime
84% lower
170.5 vs 1066.1 per 100k
College Station
Unemployment
1.4 pp lower
4.7% vs 6.1% unemployment
College Station
Summer Heat
4.4°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 91.0°F
Lafayette
Cost of Living
4% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 90.7 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Income
$6,453
$58,850 vs $52,397/yr
Lafayette
Median Home Value
$71k less
$234,900 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $234,900 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 | $1,022 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $58,850 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.1%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 20.4 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 251⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 281⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 40.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Lafayette Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F ✓ Warmer | 61.5°F |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 91.0°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 64.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 121,706 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 36.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 21.2% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Lafayette's 87.0 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 4% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, College Station leads 13 of 22 categories. College Station wins 13 and Lafayette wins 9. 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 College Station to Lafayette or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $234,900 median home), income ($52,397 vs $58,850), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Lafayette, LA are about 256 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.