Zachary
Louisiana, USA
#28 in USA
72
Overall Score
VS
Tours
Centre-Val de Loire, France
#3 in France
72
Overall Score
Both cities score equally

Score Breakdown

Zachary
Tours
Livability
74
78
Affordability
65
70
Business
68
60
Growth
70
60

Cost of Living

Tours is the more affordable option overall — monthly living expenses run approximately 64% higher compared to Zachary. Housing costs are a major driver: Zachary's average rent is 123% higher than Tours's.
MetricZacharyToursDiff
Average Rent
$1,500$672+123%
Groceries
$450$526-14%
Utilities
$180$173+4%
Transport
$120$68+76%
Healthcare
$250$90+178%
Monthly Total
$2,500$1,529+64%
Cost Index
9670out of 100

Salary & Income

Zachary offers 131% higher average salaries. However, when adjusted for local cost of living, Zachary delivers stronger purchasing power — meaning your dollar stretches further day-to-day. The minimum comfortable salary in Zachary is estimated at $55,000 vs $24,840 in Tours.
MetricZacharyTours
Average Salary
$65,000$28,122
Salary Needed
$55,000$24,840
Purchasing Power
67,708 idx40,174 idx

Climate Comparison

Both cities share a similar average temperature, within 0°F of each other.
MetricZacharyTours
Avg Temp
°F°F
Summer High
°F°F
Winter Low
°F°F
Rainfall
in in
Snowfall
in in
Sunny Days
Humidity
65.00%80.00%

Commute & Transport

Tours has the shorter commute — saving residents roughly 4,000 minutes (67 hours) per year compared to Zachary. Tours scores higher for public transit, making it the better choice for car-free living. For walkability, Tours leads — a better score here means more amenities reachable on foot.
MetricZacharyTours
Commute Time
28 min20 min
Transit Score
55.0/1065.0/10
Walkability
60.0/1075.0/10
Traffic Index
45.0020.00
Car Dependency
HighLow

Economy & Demographics

Tours is the larger city — approximately 0.1x the population of Zachary. From a growth perspective, Zachary is expanding faster, signaling stronger demand for housing, jobs, and services. On the employment side, Zachary has a lower unemployment rate, reflecting a tighter and more competitive job market.
MetricZacharyTours
Population
20,842140,873
Pop. Growth
1.07%0.38%
Median Age
38.342.5
Unemployment
6.80%8.30%
GDP
$0.0B$0.0B

Pros & Cons

Zachary
Advantages
Zachary's median household income of $84,480 in 2024 is higher than the national average, indicating a strong economic base for its residents.
The city boasts a violent crime rate of 0.2 per 1,000 residents, which is 94% below the national average, making it a very safe place to live.
Housing costs in Zachary are 6% lower than the national average, contributing to a lower overall cost of living.
Lane Regional Medical Center, a 139-bed regional healthcare system established in 1960, provides comprehensive inpatient and outpatient services to Zachary and surrounding areas.
Zachary's public schools are highly rated, making it an attractive location for families seeking quality education for their children.
Drawbacks
The unemployment rate in Zachary stands at 6.8%, which is higher than the typical considered rate of 4% to 5%.
While Zachary has a lower violent crime rate, its property crime rate is 20 per one thousand population, which is considered above average when compared to all other communities in America of all population sizes.
Zachary's average rent of $1,500 per month is higher than the national average rent of $1,464 in the previous year, indicating a slight increase in rental costs.
The average commute time in Zachary is 27.7 minutes, which is longer than the national average commute time.
Zachary's median home value of $270,591 is higher than the national median home value of $251,418.
Tours
Advantages
Tours boasts a 'Very High' Health Care Index of 86.11, indicating excellent healthcare quality.
The city has a 'Very Low' Traffic Commute Time Index of 8.00, suggesting minimal traffic congestion and short commute times.
The cost of living in Tours is generally more affordable than in major French cities and significantly less than large US urban centers.
Tours enjoys a 'Very High' Climate Index of 90.35, offering a pleasant temperate climate.
The city has a well-developed public transportation system, including trams and buses, reducing car dependency.
Drawbacks
France's national unemployment rate rose to 8.3% in Q2 2026, which may impact the local job market.
The national business climate in France was described as 'gloomy' in June 2026, potentially affecting economic opportunities.
Specific recent data for some city-level economic metrics, such as median household income and job growth rate, are not readily available.
The average monthly net salary in Tours is around $2,343.50, which is lower than the national average for France.
While generally safe, the Safety Index of 58.76 indicates a moderate level of crime, suggesting some concerns.

Dive Deeper

Key figures side by side — see which city wins each category at a glance.

Zachary
#28
Louisiana, USA
72.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$1,500
Avg Salary
$65,000
Cost Index
96
Commute
28 min
Transit Score
55.0/10
Walkability
60.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
1.07%
Unemployment
6.80%
Livability
74
Business
68
View Full Profile
Tours
#3
Centre-Val de Loire, France
72.0 / 100 overall
Avg Rent
$672
Avg Salary
$28,122
Cost Index
70
Commute
20 min
Transit Score
65.0/10
Walkability
75.0/10
Sunny Days
/yr
Avg Temp
°F
Pop. Growth
0.38%
Unemployment
8.30%
Livability
78
Business
60
View Full Profile

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