CostIndexUSA

College Station, TX vs Lafayette, LA Cost of Living

Data: BEA Regional Price Parities · Census ACS · 2024

TX
College Station
91
overall index
$1,700/mo rent
More AffordableLA
Lafayette
87.2
overall index
$1,325/mo rent

Lafayette is slightly cheaper than College Station — 4.2% lower overall cost of living.

To match an $80,000 salary in College Station, you would need $76,700 in Lafayette. Calculate your salary ↓

Category Breakdown

Index values: 100 = U.S. national average. Higher = more expensive.

🏠 Housing21.7%
College Station
75.1
Lafayette
58.8
🛒 Groceries≈ Equal
College Station
93.8
Lafayette
93.7
🚗 Transportation0.6%
College Station
101.1
Lafayette
100.5
🏥 Healthcare≈ Equal
College Station
91.4
Lafayette
90.9
Utilities15.6%
College Station
84.4
Lafayette
71.2

Salary Equivalency Calculator

Enter your current salary in College Station to see what you'd need to earn in Lafayette to maintain the same purchasing power.

$
Equivalent salary in Lafayette, LA
$76,700
$3,300 less needed in Lafayette

Formula: salary × (87.2 ÷ 91) = salary × 0.9582. Based on BEA Regional Price Parities.

Housing Market

College Station, TX

Median Home Price
$301,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,700
Housing Index
75.1
Price-to-Rent Ratio
14.8×

Lafayette, LA

Median Home Price
$194,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,325
Housing Index
58.8
Price-to-Rent Ratio
12.2×

College Station has 21.7% lower housing costs compared to Lafayette.

Income & Job Market

College Station, TX

Median Household Income
$54,700
Per Capita Income
$31,200
Unemployment Rate
4.8%
Population
120,511
Top Industries
EducationTechnologyHealthcareGovernmentResearch

Lafayette, LA

Median Household Income
$57,300
Per Capita Income
$32,700
Unemployment Rate
3.8%
Population
120,623
Top Industries
EnergyHealthcareEducationManufacturingRetail

Affordability at a Glance

Income-to-rent ratio: higher is better (more income relative to housing costs).

College Station, TX
2.7×income-to-rent ratio

63% of income left after rent (median)

Lafayette, LA
3.6×income-to-rent ratio

72% of income left after rent (median)

Data Sources: Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) Regional Price Parities 2024; U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey (ACS); Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Zillow Research.

Cost indices use 100 as the U.S. national average. Values above 100 indicate costs above the national average. Data is updated annually.

This data is for informational purposes only and should not be used as the sole basis for relocation or financial decisions.