Skip to main content

Louisiana Demographics & Population 2026

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Louisiana had a total population of 4,611,961, with a median household income of $60,756, which is 25% lower than the national average. The poverty rate is 18.9%.

Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes

Louisiana Quick Facts

Population 4,611,961
Median Household Income $60,756
Median Home Value $216,500
Poverty Rate 18.9%
Unemployment Rate 6.3%
Median Age 38.0 years
Homeownership Rate 67.4%
Affordability Ratio 3.6x
Bachelor's Degree+ 27.0%
High School Graduation 87.3%
Counties 64
Cities/Places 488
Population 4,611,961
Median Income $60,756 25% lower than national
Poverty Rate 18.9%
Unemployment 6.3%

How Louisiana Changed

Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.

Metric2019–20232020–2024Change
Population4,621,0254,611,961-0.2%
Median household income$60,023$60,756+1.2%
Median home value$208,700$216,500+3.7%

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 22.4%
$25K-$50K 20.2%
$50K-$100K 27.6%
$100K+ 29.9%
Detailed income brackets
Under $10K
7.2%
$10K-$15K
5.8%
$15K-$20K
4.5%
$20K-$25K
4.9%
$25K-$30K
4.3%
$30K-$35K
4.1%
$35K-$40K
4.1%
$40K-$45K
3.9%
$45K-$50K
3.8%
$50K-$60K
6.9%
$60K-$75K
9.0%
$75K-$100K
11.7%
$100K-$125K
8.8%
$125K-$150K
6.1%
$150K-$200K
7.3%
$200K+
7.8%

Employment

6.3% Unemployment Rate National: 5.2%
59.3% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 67.4%
Renter 32.6%
Affordability Index Affordable
3.6x home value to income ratio
Median gross rent $1,064/mo 21.0% of median household income annually

People & Demographics

Diversity Index

59out of 100
High Diversity

A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.

State average: 59 | National average: 61

Education

Largest Cities in Louisiana

#CityPopulationMedian IncomePoverty
1New Orleans371,853$56,63122.6%
2Baton Rouge222,771$49,99425.7%
3Shreveport180,982$48,69923.5%
4Metairie139,729$73,04212.5%
5Lafayette121,715$61,91518.3%
6Lake Charles81,143$59,23523.3%
7Kenner64,904$64,02015.4%
8Bossier City62,901$55,81920.8%
9Monroe47,004$40,50535.9%
10Alexandria44,060$47,11327.0%

Richest Cities in Louisiana

#CityMedian IncomeHome ValueBachelor's+
1Bayou Gauche$162,951$308,00024.6%
2Lockport Heights$125,654$322,70036.8%
3Sorrento$117,604$232,20017.7%
4Broussard$116,179$310,20036.1%
5Belle Chasse$115,012$410,00029.8%
6Presquille$112,000$272,10019.5%
7Bayou Country Club$111,696$332,40045.6%
8Addis$108,041$247,40032.2%
9Shenandoah$107,021$331,10052.7%
10Youngsville$105,876$287,70037.1%

Most Affordable Cities in Louisiana

By home-value-to-income ratio (lower = more affordable). Min. population 1,000.

#CityRatioHome ValueIncome
1Ridgecrest1.4x$57,500$41,910
2Bayou L'Ourse1.5x$87,800$60,219
3Lake Arthur1.6x$83,600$53,920
4Amelia1.6x$87,500$55,472
5Minorca1.6x$57,300$36,113
6Port Sulphur1.6x$84,200$52,289
7Richwood1.7x$53,000$31,680
8Bridge City1.7x$95,700$57,031
9Oak Grove1.7x$87,500$51,136
10Port Barre1.8x$75,700$41,278

Explore Louisiana Rankings

Cities by Population All cities ranked by size Richest Cities Ranked by median income Most Educated By bachelor's degree rate Most Affordable By housing affordability

All Counties in Louisiana (64)

64 results
East Baton Rouge Parish452,938$63,07119.6%$248,800
Jefferson Parish430,920$65,25216.6%$251,400
Orleans Parish371,853$56,63122.6%$315,700
St. Tammany Parish272,421$81,20211.4%$284,000
Lafayette Parish247,997$67,45117.1%$242,900
Caddo Parish230,004$50,70522.4%$175,700
Calcasieu Parish207,088$67,56417.4%$217,000
Ouachita Parish158,480$54,68823.2%$194,400
Livingston Parish148,115$80,12212.9%$230,600
Tangipahoa Parish136,738$56,76019.2%$212,900
Ascension Parish130,314$91,54910.3%$279,600
Bossier Parish129,789$69,61715.9%$227,200
Rapides Parish127,527$54,96719.9%$181,100
Terrebonne Parish106,186$64,83616.0%$187,200
Lafourche Parish96,252$63,13517.0%$193,900
St. Landry Parish81,670$44,46226.8%$142,500
Iberia Parish68,599$56,96122.8%$164,500
Vermilion Parish57,123$55,70720.2%$163,300
Acadia Parish56,955$45,56225.0%$155,500
St. Charles Parish51,396$80,89711.7%$263,700
St. Martin Parish51,353$55,96015.3%$164,200
Lincoln Parish48,174$39,17231.2%$210,100
St. Mary Parish47,828$52,57620.8%$138,900
Vernon Parish47,117$57,27019.0%$156,000
Washington Parish45,120$45,38024.3%$155,700
Page 1 of 3

All Cities & Places in Louisiana (488)

488 results
New Orleans371,853$56,63122.6%$315,700
Baton Rouge222,771$49,99425.7%$234,700
Shreveport180,982$48,69923.5%$178,900
Metairie139,729$73,04212.5%$327,500
Lafayette121,715$61,91518.3%$257,000
Lake Charles81,143$59,23523.3%$214,300
Kenner64,904$64,02015.4%$246,300
Bossier City62,901$55,81920.8%$202,100
Monroe47,004$40,50535.9%$198,900
Alexandria44,060$47,11327.0%$183,700
Prairieville35,238$104,9234.6%$317,400
Marrero32,540$41,40223.0%$169,800
Houma32,392$58,19416.3%$205,900
Central29,783$89,5545.4%$288,700
Slidell28,561$70,49715.7%$217,700
Laplace28,343$69,03013.1%$199,900
New Iberia27,571$47,08726.7%$158,300
Terrytown24,726$51,71819.2%$220,300
Chalmette22,616$54,90424.9%$214,700
Ruston22,284$31,12039.8%$225,300
Hammond21,539$48,16628.9%$221,400
Bayou Cane21,253$74,35016.0%$188,700
Harvey20,915$48,77425.8%$200,100
Sulphur20,775$61,76016.0%$182,900
Zachary19,952$84,4808.5%$259,100
Page 1 of 20

Download Louisiana Data

Free CSV downloads of Louisiana demographic data — no account or payment required. Files use official Census place names (e.g. "Springfield city", "Oakdale CDP"), so they match Census Bureau sources exactly.

📊
Cities Data (CSV) All cities: population, income, housing, race, education
📋
Counties Data (CSV) All counties: population, income, housing, race, education

Population Overview

Louisiana has a total population of 4,611,961, making it a mid-sized state in the nation. The median age is 38.0 years, 2% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Age Demographics

The median age in Louisiana is 38.0 years. This is 2% lower than the national median of 38.9 years.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Louisiana is $60,756. This is 25% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 18.9%. This is 52% higher than the national poverty rate of 12.4%. The unemployment rate is 6.3%. This is 20% higher than the national rate of 5.2%. The median home value is $216,500. Housing costs are 35% lower than the national median of $332,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 67.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% higher than the national average of 65.2%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Louisiana is White (non-Hispanic), making up 55.7% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 30.5%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the national average (30.5% vs 11.9%). The Hispanic or Latino population (7.2%) is well below the national average of 19.3%. The Asian population (1.7%) is well below the national average of 5.9%.

Education

27.0% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 24% lower than the national rate of 35.7%. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 87.3%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All figures for Louisiana come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against national averages from the same dataset. See our methodology page for how each metric is defined, or data.census.gov for official tables with margins of error.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Louisiana?

Louisiana has a total population of 4,611,961 according to the U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median income in Louisiana?

The median household income in Louisiana is $60,756, which is 25% lower than the national median of $80,734.

How many cities are in Louisiana?

Louisiana has 488 Census-designated places (cities, towns, and CDPs) and 64 counties.

What is the poverty rate in Louisiana?

The poverty rate in Louisiana is 18.9%, compared to the national average of 12.4%.

What is the largest city in Louisiana?

The largest city in Louisiana is New Orleans with a population of 371,853.