Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Demographics 2026
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana has a population of 247,997, the 5th most populous county in Louisiana. The median household income is $67,451 and the median home value is $242,900. The poverty rate is 17.1%.
Data vintage: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates · refreshed July 2026 · Methodology & source notes
Lafayette Parish Quick Facts
How Lafayette Parish Changed
Change from the 2019–2023 ACS period to 2020–2024. These are rolling five-year estimates, not year-over-year measurements.
| Metric | 2019–2023 | 2020–2024 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 245,075 | 247,997 | +1.2% |
| Median household income | $67,660 | $67,451 | -0.3% |
| Median home value | $234,200 | $242,900 | +3.7% |
Median Household Income
Median Home Value
Economy & Housing
Household Income Distribution
Detailed income brackets
Employment
Housing Overview
People & Demographics
Age Distribution
Race & Ethnicity
Diversity Index
A diverse community with significant representation from multiple racial and ethnic groups.
State average: 59 | National average: 61
Education
Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)
Cities & Places in Lafayette Parish
| City | Population | Median Income | Poverty | Home Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | 121,715 | $61,915 | 18.3% | $257,000 |
| Youngsville | 17,427 | $105,876 | 9.1% | $287,700 |
| Broussard | 14,322 | $116,179 | 13.5% | $310,200 |
| Carencro | 11,619 | $63,401 | 24.5% | $214,800 |
| Scott | 8,609 | $56,299 | 15.2% | $170,300 |
| Milton | 2,793 | $105,625 | 20.3% | $264,800 |
| Ossun | 2,271 | $40,810 | 24.6% | N/A |
| Duson | 1,282 | $25,054 | 39.3% | $54,300 |
Explore Louisiana Rankings
Population Overview
Lafayette Parish is located in Louisiana with a total population of 247,997. It is the 5th most populous county out of 64 in Louisiana. The county encompasses 8 Census-designated places.
Age Demographics
The median age in Lafayette Parish is 36.5 years. This is 4% lower than the state median of 38.0 years.
Economy, Income & Housing
The median household income in Lafayette Parish is $67,451. This is 11% higher than the state median of $60,756. It is also 16% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 17.1%. This is 10% lower than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. The unemployment rate is 5.1%. This is 19% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $242,900. Housing costs are 12% higher than the state median of $216,500. The home-value-to-income ratio is 3.6x. 65.5% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 3% lower than the state average of 67.4%.
Race & Ethnicity
The largest racial or ethnic group in Lafayette Parish is White (non-Hispanic), making up 61.8% of the population. Black or African American residents account for 25.4%.
Education
35.3% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This places Lafayette Parish in the top 10% of all counties in the state for educational attainment. This is 30% higher than the state rate of 27.0%. Nationally, 35.7% of adults hold at least a bachelor's degree. The high school graduation rate (or equivalent) is 90.2%.
Data Sources & Methodology
All figures for Lafayette Parish come from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates, with comparisons drawn against Louisiana and 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 Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
Lafayette Parish has a population of 247,997, making it the 5th most populous county in Louisiana.
What is the median income in Lafayette Parish?
The median household income in Lafayette Parish is $67,451 with a poverty rate of 17.1%.
How many cities are in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
Lafayette Parish contains 8 Census-designated places.