Residential comparison · 13 facts
Lafayette, CA vs Walnut Creek, CA
Compare the housing, tax, cost, income, safety, school, and climate facts that are available for both places. The table shows the numbers without declaring one city universally better.
A household earning $85,000 in Lafayette needs about $89,500 in Walnut Creek to keep the same lifestyle.
Coming from Walnut Creek, $85,000 of lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Lafayette.
A few differences
- Lafayette is higher on median household income ($228,250 vs $130,432).
- Walnut Creek is lower on cost of living index (167 vs 223).
- Walnut Creek is lower on 2-bedroom rent ($2,848/mo vs $3,151/mo).
Lafayette vs Walnut Creek · facet by facet
| Facet | Lafayette, CA | Walnut Creek, CA |
|---|---|---|
| Median home price | $2,000,001 | $1,057,300 |
| 2-bedroom rent | $3,151/mo | $2,848/mo |
| Property tax rate | 0.75% | 0.75% |
| State & local income tax | 2.09% | 2.09% |
| Sales tax | 8.8% | 8.8% |
| Cost of living index | 223 | 167 |
| Groceries index | 112 | 112 |
| Utilities | $245/mo | $245/mo |
| Median household income | $228,250 | $130,432 |
| Unemployment rate | 5.2% | 5.2% |
| Crime index | 52/100 | 52/100 |
| School rating | 5.5/10 | 5.5/10 |
| Sunny days / year | 260 days | 260 days |
Data: Census ACS 2024 · BLS · Tax Foundation 2024 brackets · HUD/Zillow · NOAA 1991–2020 · FEMA NRI · Values are shown as reported; no universal winner is implied.
Full profiles: Lafayette, CA · Walnut Creek, CA
Questions & answers
- Is Lafayette cheaper than Walnut Creek?
- Walnut Creek has the lower day-to-day cost index (167 vs 223 against a national 100). The other differences are shown facet by facet in the table.
- What household income in Walnut Creek equals $85,000 in Lafayette?
- A household earning $85,000 in Lafayette needs about $89,500 in Walnut Creek to keep the same lifestyle; coming the other way, $85,000 of Walnut Creek lifestyle costs about $80,500 in Lafayette.