Memphis → Lafayette
Relocation analysis based on 7 federal data sources
Should you move?
Moving from Memphis to Lafayette is neutral, depends on priorities: BEA regional price parity goes from 92.2 to 87.2 (US = 100), and HUD 2-bedroom rent falls by $394/mo.
- -$7,937
- BLS median salary lower in Lafayette
- 602 to 410
- violent crimes per 100K (FBI UCR, state-level)
- 15.3:1 to 16.8:1
- NCES student-teacher ratio
- $464
- DOL infant care lower / yr in Lafayette
BEA Regional Price Parity, HUD Fair Market Rent, BLS OEWS, FBI UCR, NCES, and DOL. The table below lets you override the composite with your own priorities.
Pros of Moving
- + 5% lower cost of living
- + $394/mo cheaper rent (2BR)
- + Lower violent crime rate
Cons of Moving
- - $8K lower median salary
- - Higher student-teacher ratios
- - More environmental violations
Purchasing power opens up: BEA RPP falls from 92.2 to 87.2, so each dollar covers more in Lafayette (ratio 0.95). HUD 2BR Fair Market Rent drops $394/mo ($4,728/yr) from $1,274 in Memphis to $880 in Lafayette.
The seven-dimension ledger splits (4 destination wins · 3 origin wins); priorities decide this move. Lafayette sits #250 of 387 metros on PlainRelocate livability (middle third). Memphis is #300/387 on the same ranking. Composite verdict: Neutral, depends on priorities. Override it with the dimension table below.
BLS OEWS median salary moves $7,937 lower ($65,102 → $57,165). Labor-market size: 597,090 tracked jobs at origin vs 163,850 at destination.
State retirement friendliness is near-even: Tennessee 66 (C, #17/51) vs Louisiana 67 (C, #15/51). Full state tax and healthcare sub-scores sit in the retirement desk below.
State retirement friendliness
Primary-state scores from PlainRelocate's retirement registry (tax + healthcare + climate composite). Metro pairs use each metro's primary state abbreviation.
- Income tax
- 100
- Property tax
- 80
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 36
- Income tax
- 78
- Property tax
- 79
- Estate tax
- 100
- Healthcare
- 8
Full retirement ranking · Source composite documented on methodology (Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides + federal healthcare/climate inputs).
Salary Adjustment Calculator
Enter your current salary in Memphis to see what you'd need to earn in Lafayette to maintain the same purchasing power.
Source: BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents, BLS OES, FBI UCR, NCES, DOL, EPA; retirement desk: Tax Foundation + AARP tax guides June 2026