Head-to-Head · City Comparison
Lafayette, LA
VS
Mobile, AL
🏆 Lafayette leads 12 of 23 categories
Lafayette
Louisiana
12
wins
Cost of Living Index
87.0 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$58,850 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
281⚠ High
Population
121,706
Mobile
Alabama
11
wins
Cost of Living Index
89.4
Median Household Income
$48,524
Violent Crime Index
198⚠ High ✓ Safer
Population
186,316 ✓ Larger
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
Lafayette, LA
Pros
Households earn $10,326 more per year on average
More college-educated — 40.0% hold a bachelor's or higher
Living costs sit below the national average (index 87.0)
2% cheaper overall cost of living than Mobile
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
Mobile, AL
Pros
Homes cost $77k less ($158,400 vs $234,900)
29% less violent crime than Lafayette
Living costs sit below the national average (index 89.4)
Cons
Violent crime (752.0/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Median income trails Lafayette by $10,326/yr
Cost of living runs 2% higher than Lafayette
Key Differences at a Glance
Lafayette
Cost of Living
2% cheaper
COL index 87.0 vs 89.4 (100 = US avg)
Lafayette
Median Income
$10,326
$58,850 vs $48,524/yr
Mobile
Violent Crime
29% lower
752.0 vs 1066.1 per 100k
Mobile
Median Home Value
$77k less
$158,400 vs $234,900
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | Lafayette, LA | Mobile, AL |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 87.0 ✓ Cheaper | 89.4 |
| Median Home Value | $234,900 | $158,400 ✓ Lower |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,022 | $985 ✓ Lower |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $58,850 ✓ Higher | $48,524 |
| Unemployment Rate | 6.1%⚠ High ✓ Lower | 6.5%⚠ High |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 20.4 min ✓ Shorter | 22.8 min |
| Work From Home % | 8.4% ✓ Higher | 6.6% |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 251⚠ High | 151⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 281⚠ High | 198⚠ High ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 207⚠ High | 80 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | B (100) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 17.6:1 ✓ Smaller | 17.7:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.0% ✓ Higher | 30.2% |
| High School or Higher | 90.8% ✓ Higher | 89.6% |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Lafayette Parish | Mobile County |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.5°F | 62.1°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 91.0°F | 91.7°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 64.7" ✓ Drier | 68.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.0" ✓ Less | 0.2" |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 121,706 | 186,316 ✓ Larger |
| Median Age | 36.9 | 37.6 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 56.3% ✓ Higher | 50.6% |
| Under 18 | 21.2% | 21.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 16.7% | 16.9% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
Lafayette's cost of living index is 87.0 vs Mobile's 89.4 (US average = 100).
Lafayette is 2% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Lafayette leads 12 of 23 categories. Lafayette wins 12 and Mobile 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 Lafayette to Mobile or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($234,900 vs $158,400 median home), income ($58,850 vs $48,524), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
Lafayette, LA and Mobile, AL are about 236 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.