Lubbock and Lafayette receive effectively the same standardized Area Score. Which fits you better depends on which dimensions you weight — the differences below are where they actually diverge.
Signals
Lubbock
Lafayette
Opportunity
56 · Top 47%
vs54 · Bottom 47%
Growth
79 · Top 7%
vs65 · Top 27%
Climate
65 · Bottom 48%
vs81 · Top 4%
Physical resilience
24 · Bottom 13%
vs24 · Bottom 12%
Housing affordability
89 · Bottom 35%
vs91 · Bottom 41%
Access
94 · Top 17%
vs95 · Top 15%
Economic stability
52 · Top 48%
vs40 · Bottom 34%
Measured values
| Metric | Lubbock | Lafayette | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 358,708 | 413,428 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $63,629 | $60,892 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $35,300 | $35,892 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 68/sq mi | 146/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $202,700 | $214,400 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,159 | $977 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.2% | 68.2% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.5% | 4.3% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | -0.2% | 0.4% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 31.6% | 27.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 16.9% | 18.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 2,675 | 1,987 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 7.5 | 4.8 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 2.7% | -5.9% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 93°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 27°F | 43°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 18.3" | 59.7" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 14 mi | 15 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 18.9 min | 26.0 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 32.4 | 37.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Lubbock
Elevated or high exposure: drought, hail, strong wind.
Lafayette
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, inland flooding.
Full profiles: Lubbock, TX Metro Area · Lafayette, LA Metro Area · How this is calculated: methodology