Melville, Louisiana Demographics & Population 2026

Name: Melville, Louisiana Demographics
Creator: U.S. Census Bureau
License: https://www.census.gov/data/developers/about/terms-of-service.html

During the 2020–2024 ACS period, Melville, Louisiana had a total population of 589, the 336th largest town in Louisiana, with a median household income of $35,500, which is 42% lower than the state average. The poverty rate is 24.8%.

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

Key Takeaways

Household income is 42% below the state average, indicating significant economic challenges.
Only 9.2% of adults have a bachelor's degree, well below the national average of 35.7%.
Housing is very affordable with a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x.

Melville Quick Facts

Population 589

Median Household Income $35,500

Median Home Value $71,700

Poverty Rate 24.8%

Unemployment Rate 6.1%

Median Age 45.5 years

Homeownership Rate 61.2%

Affordability Ratio 2.0x

Bachelor's Degree or Higher 9.2%

High School Graduation Rate 82.9%

Diversity Index 55/100

Population 589 336th of 488

Median Income $35,500 bottom 30%

Poverty Rate 24.8% 99% higher than national

Median Home Value $71,700 bottom 20%

How Melville 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	684	589	-13.9%
Median household income	$41,406	$35,500	-14.3%
Median home value	$111,900	$71,700	-35.9%

How Melville Compares

Median Household Income

Melville

$35,500

$60,756

National

$80,734

Median Home Value

Melville

$71,700

$216,500

National

$332,700

Economy & Housing

Household Income Distribution

Under $25K 45.5%

$25K-$50K 22.3%

$50K-$100K 19.0%

$100K+ 13.2%

Detailed income brackets

Under $10K

16.1%

$10K-$15K

21.1%

$15K-$20K

7.4%

$20K-$25K

0.8%

$25K-$30K

3.7%

$30K-$35K

0.0%

$35K-$40K

7.4%

$40K-$45K

3.7%

$45K-$50K

7.4%

$50K-$60K

6.6%

$60K-$75K

7.8%

$75K-$100K

4.5%

$100K-$125K

2.9%

$125K-$150K

10.3%

$150K-$200K

0.0%

$200K+

0.0%

Employment

6.1% Unemployment Rate State: 6.3%|National: 5.2%

41.5% Labor Force Participation

Housing Overview

Owner 61.2%

Renter 38.8%

Affordability Index Very Affordable

2.0x home value to income ratio

People & Demographics

Age Distribution

Under 18

20.4%

18-34

19.2%

35-54

17.5%

55-74

30.4%

75+

12.6%

Race & Ethnicity

Diversity Index

High Diversity

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

State average: 59 | National average: 61

Education

Educational Attainment (Adults 25+)

Melville Rankings in Louisiana

#336 Population of 488

#338 Median Income of 437

#356 Education of 488

#382 Home Value of 425

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

Other Cities in St. Landry Parish

City	Population	Median Income	Poverty	Home Value
Opelousas	15,495	$32,964	37.4%	$105,100
Eunice	9,239	$35,436	33.2%	$122,000
Sunset	3,074	$60,964	15.4%	$206,100
Port Barre	2,275	$41,278	21.9%	$75,700
Leonville	1,395	$43,015	15.5%	$182,800
Arnaudville	1,239	$16,111	67.1%	$83,400
Lawtell	1,171	N/A	22.3%	N/A
Grand Coteau	959	$34,730	45.7%	$117,500
Krotz Springs	831	N/A	26.6%	$63,300
Washington	564	$41,563	28.9%	$85,300

Cities Similar to Melville

These cities in the same state have comparable population and economic profiles.

City	Population	Median Income	Home Value	Bachelor's+	Poverty
Lecompte	592	$35,357	$59,900	5.3%	38.3%
Grand Isle	623	N/A	$269,500	15.4%	36.5%
St. Joseph	603	$38,393	$59,100	10.1%	39.1%
Wallace Ridge	628	N/A	$200,000	14.5%	25.8%
Convent	637	N/A	N/A	20.0%	4.4%

A note before these figures: with a population of 589, Melville's ACS estimates come from a small number of survey responses and carry wide margins of error. Individual percentages below — particularly rates that round to 0% or 100% — are approximations, not precise measurements. See data.census.gov for the published margins of error.

Population Overview

Melville is a small community located in Louisiana, within St. Landry Parish. The total population is 589. It ranks as the 336th most populous out of 488 Census-designated places in Louisiana.

Age Demographics

The median age in Melville is 45.5 years. This is 20% higher than the state median of 38.0 years. 12.6% of residents are 75 or older, suggesting a significant retirement-age population with implications for healthcare services and senior housing.

Economy, Income & Housing

The median household income in Melville is $35,500. This is 42% lower than the state median of $60,756. It is also 56% lower than the national median of $80,734. The poverty rate stands at 24.8%. This is 31% higher than the state poverty rate of 18.9%. With more than one in five residents living below the poverty line, economic hardship is a significant challenge for the community. The unemployment rate is 6.1%. This is 4% lower than the state rate of 6.3%. The median home value is $71,700. Housing costs are 67% lower than the state median of $216,500. With a home-value-to-income ratio of just 2.0x, Melville is one of the most affordable housing markets in the area. 61.2% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied. This homeownership rate is 9% lower than the state average of 67.4%.

Race & Ethnicity

The largest racial or ethnic group in Melville is Black or African American, making up 54.3% of the population. White (non-Hispanic) residents account for 39.4%. The Black or African American population is significantly higher than the state average (54.3% vs 30.5%).

Education

9.2% of residents aged 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or higher. This is 66% lower 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 82.9%.

Data Sources & Methodology

All demographic data for Melville, Louisiana is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 2020–2024 5-Year Estimates. The ACS collects data from approximately 3.5 million households annually and pools five years of responses so that even small communities can be measured, though the margin of error widens as the population falls. Comparisons are made against Louisiana state averages and national averages calculated from the same dataset. Rankings reflect the city's position among all 488 Census-designated places in Louisiana. Read more about how these figures are produced on our methodology page, or visit data.census.gov for official data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the population of Melville, Louisiana?

Melville, Louisiana has a population of 589 according to the most recent U.S. Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.

What is the median household income in Melville, LA?

The median household income in Melville is $35,500, which is 56% lower than the national median of $80,734.

What is the poverty rate in Melville, LA?

The poverty rate in Melville is 24.8%. This means approximately 146 residents live below the federal poverty line.

What is the racial makeup of Melville, Louisiana?

Melville's population is 39.4% White, 54.3% Black, 0.0% Hispanic/Latino, and 0.0% Asian.

What is the median home value in Melville, LA?

The median home value in Melville is $71,700. The home-value-to-income ratio is 2.0x.

How educated is Melville, Louisiana?

9.2% of adults (25+) in Melville hold a bachelor's degree or higher, and 2.9% hold a graduate or professional degree.