Lafayette LA
Louisiana · Pop. 121,715
Lafayette, LA: median household income of $61,915, median rent of $1,100/mo, 5.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$61,915
per year
Median Rent
$1,100
per month
Median Home
$257k
home value
Unemployment
5.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
18.3%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
20 min
one way
City Reality Check balanced
"Lafayette, LA Reality Check"
In Lafayette, the rent-to-income burden runs around 21% — refreshingly manageable by national standards. Median income sits at $61,915 and median rent is $1,100/month. 47% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $257,000 — that's 4.2× the median income. Employment picture: 5.20% unemployment — a average employment landscape. Poverty rate: 18.3% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 20 minutes — mercifully short. Lafayette was founded in 1821 — that's 205 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 49.4 sq miles at 2,466 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 36 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. RoastMyCity overall score: 67/100 — It Depends.