Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Hampton, VA
VS
Lafayette, LA
🏆 Lafayette leads 12 of 23 categories
Hampton
Virginia
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
97.4
Median Household Income
$64,430 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
65 ✓ Safer
Population
137,217 ✓ Larger
Lafayette
Louisiana
12
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.
Hampton, VA
Pros
77% less violent crime than Lafayette
Violent crime is well below the national average (247.6 vs 380/100k)
Households earn $5,580 more per year on average
Homes cost $15k less ($219,800 vs $234,900)
Smaller class sizes — 13.8:1 student-teacher ratio
Cons
Property crime (2882.0/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Cost of living runs 10% higher than Lafayette
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Rent averages $233/mo less ($1,022 vs $1,255)
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Hampton
Milder winters — January highs near 62°F vs 49°F
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
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
Median income trails Hampton by $5,580/yr
Key Differences at a Glance
Hampton
Median Income
$5,580
$64,430 vs $58,850/yr
Hampton
Violent Crime
77% lower
247.6 vs 1066.1 per 100k
Hampton
Median Home Value
$15k less
$219,800 vs $234,900
Lafayette
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 97.4 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Summer Heat
3.7°F warmer
July avg high 91.0°F vs 87.3°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Hampton, VA | Lafayette, LA |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 97.4 | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper |
| Median Home Value | $219,800 ✓ Lower | $234,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,255 | $1,022 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $64,430 ✓ Higher | $58,850 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.5%⚠ High | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 22.3 min | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter |
| Work From Home % | 7.0% | 8.4% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 94 ✓ Safer | 251⚠ High |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 65 ✓ Safer | 281⚠ High |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 137⚠ High ✓ Safer | 207⚠ High |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (101) ✓ Better | B (100) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 13.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.6:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 27.7% | 40.0% ✓ Higher |
| High School or Higher | 92.8% ✓ Higher | 90.8% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Hampton City Public Schools | Lafayette Parish |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 49.0°F | 61.5°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 87.3°F | 91.0°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 47.8" ✓ Drier | 64.7" |
| Annual Snowfall | 2.7" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 137,217 ✓ Larger | 121,706 |
| Median Age | 36.5 | 36.9 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 55.6% | 56.3% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 21.3% ✓ More | 21.2% |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 16.7% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Hampton's cost of living index is 97.4 vs Lafayette's 87.0 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lafayette leads 12 of 23 categories. Hampton wins 11 and Lafayette wins 12. 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 Hampton to Lafayette or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($219,800 vs $234,900 median home), income ($64,430 vs $58,850), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Hampton, VA and Lafayette, LA are about 1,019 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.