Head-to-Head · City Comparison
College Station, TX
VS
Metairie, LA
🏆 It's a dead heat — 11 categories each
College Station
Texas
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
90.7 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$52,397
Violent Crime Index
45 ✓ Safer
Population
120,451
Metairie
Louisiana
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1
Median Household Income
$72,070 ✓ Higher
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.
College Station, TX
Pros
56% less violent crime than Metairie
Violent crime is well below the national average (170.5 vs 380/100k)
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
Median income trails Metairie by $19,673/yr
Pricier housing — median home is $305,800
Metairie, LA
Pros
Households earn $19,673 more per year on average
Living costs sit below the national average (index 91.1)
Homes cost $16k less ($289,800 vs $305,800)
Cons
Property crime (2629.4/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Key Differences at a Glance
College Station
Violent Crime
56% lower
170.5 vs 390.1 per 100k
College Station
Summer Heat
4.0°F warmer
July avg high 95.4°F vs 91.4°F
Both cities
Cost of Living
≈ Equal
Both near 90.7 on the COL index
Metairie
Median Income
$19,673
$72,070 vs $52,397/yr
Metairie
Median Home Value
$16k less
$289,800 vs $305,800
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | College Station, TX | Metairie, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 90.7 ✓ Cheaper | 91.1 |
| Median Home Value | $305,800⚠ High | $289,800 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,129 | $1,120 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $52,397 | $72,070 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 4.7%⚠ High | 4.3%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 16.9 min ✓ Shorter | 21.1 min |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% ✓ Higher | 8.4% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 48 ✓ Safer | 112⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 45 ✓ Safer | 103⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 53 ✓ Safer | 125⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A (129) ✓ Better | B (102) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.9:1 | 14.4:1 ✓ Smaller |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 58.3% ✓ Higher | 39.0% |
| High School or Higher | 95.3% ✓ Higher | 92.5% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | COLLEGE STATION ISD | Jefferson Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.7°F | 62.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 95.4°F ✓ Warmer | 91.4°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 46.2" ✓ Drier | 68.3" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" | 0.0" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 120,451 | 140,046 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 22.9 | 42.4 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 36.3% | 62.8% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 16.5% | 19.6% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 6.8% | 21.5% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
College Station's cost of living index is 90.7 vs Metairie's 91.1 (US average = 100).
College Station is 0% less expensive overall.
Based on the 22 decided categories above, It's a dead heat — 11 categories each. College Station wins 11 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 College Station to Metairie or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($305,800 vs $289,800 median home), income ($52,397 vs $72,070), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
College Station, TX and Metairie, LA are about 367 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.