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Things You Should Know Before Moving to Lafayette, LA

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If you're interested in tapping your feet to the sound of The Lost Bayou Ramblers while eating Cayenne-spiced boiled crawfish, Lafayette, Louisiana, centered in the southern part of state, may be an area for you. Bursting with local Cajun culture and technological innovation, Lafayette has plenty to offer a potential new resident.

Before making a decision on whether or not to move to the hub city, take a look at the following guide for helpful tips and useful information on where to live and what to expect.

Lafayette Climate

Centralized in the southern part of Louisiana, Lafayette has weather characteristic of land areas along the Gulf of Mexico. Its climate is humid subtropical, with short-term mild winters (temperatures in the 40's to 60's), and hot and humid summers. Temperatures in the summer reach the high 90's, but with high heat indices, it can feel much hotter occasionally. If you're not used to this weather, be sure to stay hydrated if you plan on spending long amounts of time outdoors. Likewise, although the winters are not as cold in degrees as more northern climates, the humidity can make the air damp and frigid.

There's an annual rainfall of about 57 inches, and like many southern areas, Lafayette is susceptible to hurricanes and tropical storms from the Gulf of Mexico.

Lafayette Neighborhoods

If you like fast-paced city life, a college town or an authentic southern country setting, Lafayette has plenty of neighborhoods waiting for you to choose one and call it your new home.

Within the entire Lafayette Parish, there are approximately 50 apartment complexes. Planned neighborhoods like River Ranch, or Sugarmill Pond (located nearby in Youngsville) have built-in amenities for residents. Homes in River Ranch are priced in the $300,000-$700,000 range, depending on square footage.

The downtown area is the cultural and economic center of this mid-sized city, with every major facility or attraction within walking distance like dining, shopping, professional services and entertainment. You'll be able to park your car in parking garage or public lot, and get to your destination on foot.

Registering Your Car

Your registration must also be updated within 30 days of residency in the state of Louisiana. Once you do so, you will need to surrender your old license plates to your former state.

If you're a new resident to the state of Louisiana, you have 30 days to switch your out-of-state driver's license to a Louisiana driver's license. You must, in person, go to your local Office of Motor Vehicles to apply. You will need your current valid driver's license, proof of insurance if you own a vehicle, Social Security Card, and proof of address. The class E cost is $24.50 and does not include any individual parish fees that may exist.

Lafayette Schools

Lafayette Parish School System runs the public school circuit in Lafayette, with 33 schools including 21 elementary schools, 12 middle schools and seven high schools. In addition, Lafayette Parish School System offers nine academies with career-specific curricula to help prepare students for the workforce. This includes business and finance, engineering, environmental sciences, health careers, information technology, performing arts and visual arts. Lafayette also offers an array of private schools due to its abundant Roman Catholic population.

For higher education, University of Lafayette is one of the top-ranked universities in the South. If you're interested in acquiring a two-year degree, South Louisiana Community College is headquartered in Lafayette. The college has also partnered with Acadian Ambulance to offer EMT basic and paramedic certification through the National EMS Academy. Louisiana Technical College and Remington College also reside in Lafayette.

Lafayette Employment

Although big oil is a large commodity in Louisiana, Lafayette's economy thrives on education, retail, manufacturing and information technology. The state of Louisiana offers various tax incentives for manufacturers making capital investments to modernize or upgrade Louisiana facilities. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Lafayette had the largest increase in employment in the nation from December 2011 to December 2012 – an 8.6 percent gain. The average salary for 2012 in Lafayette was approximately $49,000 annually.

Some top employers in the city are: Lafayette Parish School System, Lafayette Consolidated Government, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, Lafayette General Medical Center, Walmart, Wood Group Production Services, Baker Hughes, Island Operating Company and Schlumberger.

Living Costs in the City

A lot of locals choose to live in very nearby neighborhoods to the downtown epicenter, and commute to work or school by car. A one-bedroom apartment can cost anywhere from $500-$1,000 per month depending on square footage, location and amenities; however, you average apartment near the university should run around $800 per month.

Lafayette Utilities System all water and electric for the area, and have some of the lowest rates in Louisiana. Depending on the time of year, electric bills can range from $70-$150 monthly.

Lafayette is also widely known for its pioneering efforts in high-speed internet, with more than 800 miles of fiber-optic cables hidden underground in the city from LSU fiber, a subsidiary of LUS, and offers cable, internet and phone service at competitive rates.

Food costs and entertainment will cost about 7 percent lower than the national average.

Lafayette Moving Resources

Moving and storage companies are excited to help you move to Lafayette, whether you're moving from out of state or from another county in Louisiana. Make sure you get estimates from multiple moving services before you commit to hiring any (at least three estimates). Check back to our guides for tips on how to choose your moving service wisely with important questions to ask, differentiating between types of estimates, and mistakes to avoid. Visit the following pages at Movers.com to get quotes for the following services:

Lafayette Transportation

For traveling within the city limits, commuters can use the Lafayette Transit System for their bus service, or the Greyhound bus service for intercity travel, with a station on Lee Avenue.

Generally, it is better to own a car in this city, since public transportation is limited and the city contains a few major highways that get a moderate amount of travel. These include: Interstate 10, Interstate 49, US 90, US 167, Ambassador Caffery Parkway (which connects I-10 West and Highway 90 South.

If you're a college student at UL-Lafayette, you may be able to travel efficiently by bicycle, as there are a few recreational bike facilities: Johnston Street bike lanes from Lewis Street to Ridge Road and an off-road paved path at Horticultural Center up Cajundome Boulevard to Eraste Landry Road.

Culture & Contemporary Life

If it's not the arts, like Acadiana Center for the Arts of the Lafayette Science Museum, the food might draw you in. Lafayette was named the “Tastiest Town in the South” by Southern Living Magazine, and was voted “Best Food in the USA” in USA Today's Best of the Road Contest.

They don't call it the heart of Cajun country for nothing – the locals work hard at preserving their cultural roots in their culinary feats, with dishes like spicy andouille sausage, seafood gumbo and crawfish etouffee. You'll also find a wide array of other food cultures like Greek/Lebanese and Mexican. You can also enjoy drive-through daiquiri shops that are scattered around the city.

Lafayette is alive with music as well. In fact, the city is home to many music festivals, including Downtown Alive! A fall and spring concert that features traditional zydeco music, new indie and various other music genres to offer great entertainment to the locals. For a cultural experience, enjoy the Acadiana Symphony Orchestra, Chorale Acadienne or the Lafayette Ballet.

Lafayette Relocation Tips

  • If you're moving into an apartment, look into renters insurance in case of flooding due to a hurricane, and try to move on the second or third floor. If you're moving into a house, don't look for a basement – Louisiana is too close to sea level and basements would flood.

     

  • In Louisiana, counties are referred to as parishes. For example, Lafayette is located in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

     

  • Just before hurricane season, Louisiana offers a tax-free holiday weekend to purchase hurricane preparedness supplies. Make use of this holiday and stock up on flashlights, batteries, blankets, canned goods, water and other essentials.

Jenna Farmer  Posted by Jenna Farmer on March 1, 2013

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