Head-to-Head · City Comparison
New Orleans, LA
VS
Surprise, AZ
🏆 Surprise leads 15 of 23 categories
New Orleans
Louisiana
8
wins
Cost of Living Index
91.1 ✓ Cheaper
Median Household Income
$51,116
Violent Crime Index
380⚠ High
Population
380,408 ✓ Larger
Surprise
Arizona
15
wins
Cost of Living Index
101.2⚠ High
Median Household Income
$87,756 ✓ Higher
Violent Crime Index
29 ✓ Safer
Population
145,591
Pros & Cons
Auto-generated from official data — head-to-head differences and gaps vs the national average.
New Orleans, LA
Pros
Rent averages $660/mo less ($1,162 vs $1,822)
Homes cost $71k less ($281,500 vs $352,600)
Commutes run 7 min shorter each way
10% cheaper overall cost of living than Surprise
More college-educated — 40.7% hold a bachelor's or higher
Cooler summers — July highs near 91°F vs 105°F
Cons
Median income trails Surprise by $36,640/yr
Violent crime (1444.1/100k) is above the U.S. average of 380
Property crime (4640.8/100k) runs high vs the U.S. average
Higher unemployment (8.4% vs 4.6%)
Surprise, AZ
Pros
92% less violent crime than New Orleans
Households earn $36,640 more per year on average
Stronger job market — unemployment is 3.8 pts lower (4.6%)
Violent crime is well below the national average (109.1 vs 380/100k)
Cons
Higher rents — median is $1,822/mo
Pricier housing — median home is $352,600
Cost of living runs 10% higher than New Orleans
Longer commutes — 30.5 min average each way
Key Differences at a Glance
New Orleans
Cost of Living
10% cheaper
COL index 91.1 vs 101.2 (100 = US avg)
New Orleans
Median Home Value
$71k less
$281,500 vs $352,600
Surprise
Median Income
$36,640
$87,756 vs $51,116/yr
Surprise
Violent Crime
92% lower
109.1 vs 1444.1 per 100k
Surprise
Unemployment
3.8 pp lower
4.6% vs 8.4% unemployment
Surprise
Summer Heat
14.0°F warmer
July avg high 104.6°F vs 90.6°F
Full Data Comparison
| Metric | New Orleans, LA | Surprise, AZ |
|---|---|---|
| 💰 Cost of Living | ||
| Cost of Living Index National avg = 100 · lower = cheaper | 91.1 ✓ Cheaper | 101.2⚠ High |
| Median Home Value | $281,500 ✓ Lower | $352,600⚠ High |
| Median Monthly Rent | $1,162 ✓ Lower | $1,822⚠ High |
| 📈 Income & Economy | ||
| Median Household Income | $51,116 | $87,756 ✓ Higher |
| Unemployment Rate | 8.4%⚠ High | 4.6%⚠ High ✓ Lower |
| Avg Commute Minutes each way | 23.4 min ✓ Shorter | 30.5 min⚠ High |
| Work From Home % | 11.3% | 14.8% ✓ Higher |
| 🔒 Safety | ||
| Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer · 60% violent / 40% property | 316⚠ High | 34 ✓ Safer |
| Violent Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 380⚠ High | 29 ✓ Safer |
| Property Crime Index 100 = national avg · lower = safer | 221⚠ High | 42 ✓ Safer |
| 🎓 Education | ||
| School Quality 100 = national avg · grad rate, staffing & attainment | A- (112) ✓ Better | B- (95) |
| Student-Teacher Ratio Lower = smaller classes | 14.8:1 ✓ Smaller | 20.0:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 40.7% ✓ Higher | 31.0% |
| High School or Higher | 88.7% | 93.7% ✓ Higher |
| School District Name only — no quality rating available | Einstein Charter Middle Sch at Sarah Towles Reed | Dysart Unified District (4243) |
| 🌤 Weather | ||
| Avg High — January | 61.0°F | 65.2°F ✓ Warmer |
| Avg High — July | 90.6°F | 104.6°F ✓ Warmer |
| Annual Precipitation | 60.1" | 9.9" ✓ Drier |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" | 0.0" ✓ Less |
| 👥 Demographics | ||
| Population | 380,408 ✓ Larger | 145,591 |
| Median Age | 37.9 | 41.5 ✓ Older |
| Homeownership Rate | 49.3% | 78.4% ✓ Higher |
| Under 18 | 19.6% | 24.5% ✓ More |
| Over 65 | 15.9% | 22.6% ✓ More |
Frequently Asked Questions
New Orleans's cost of living index is 91.1 vs Surprise's 101.2 (US average = 100).
New Orleans is 10% less expensive overall.
Based on the 23 decided categories above, Surprise leads 15 of 23 categories. New Orleans wins 8 and Surprise wins 15. 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 New Orleans to Surprise or relocating the other way, focus on the biggest gaps: housing ($281,500 vs $352,600 median home), income ($51,116 vs $87,756), safety, and schools — all covered in the full table above.
New Orleans, LA and Surprise, AZ are about 1,342 miles apart (straight-line distance). Driving distance will be longer depending on the route.