Population 195 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Gold Dust
Household size in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.42 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.57 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.72 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.24 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.17 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Gold Dust are small: just 2.24 people on average, compared with 2.65 nationally. That is typical of places where many people live alone or as couples, and fewer have children at home. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.42, but in a place this small, survey estimates can swing a lot from one release to the next.
Household size: the average number of people living in each occupied home. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25010).
Median age in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 45.8 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 50.6 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 44.5 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 59.6 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +13.8 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
With a median age of 59.6, Gold Dust is noticeably older than the country as a whole (40.1), an age mix that tilts toward empty nesters and retirees.
Median age: the age that splits residents into two equal halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B01002).
Single-parent households in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.1% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 11.0% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 17.5% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.5% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.5 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are more common in Gold Dust than nationally: 14.5%, against 11.6%. That is in line with the rest of Louisiana.
Single-parent households: households where one adult with no spouse present lives with children under 18. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B11003).
Housing in Gold Dust
Renters in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 21.4% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.0% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 12.0% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +2.5 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Gold Dust is overwhelmingly a place of homeowners: only 12.0% of households rent, far below the national share of 34.8%. Owner-heavy areas like this tend to see less turnover. Nearly three-quarters of owners (72.5%) have paid off their mortgages, well above the national share of 39.8%.
Renters: occupied homes that are rented rather than owned. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25003).
Vacant homes in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 25.7% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.7% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 27.0% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.0% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −6.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Gold Dust: 19.0% of homes are empty, far above the national rate of 9.6%. In resort and lake areas that usually means seasonal and vacation homes; elsewhere it can point to weak demand.
Vacant homes: homes with no one living in them, including vacation homes and homes for sale or rent. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25002).
Age of homes in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1975 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1982 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1977 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1987 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +11 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Gold Dust are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1987, versus 1980 across the U.S. That is in line with the rest of Louisiana.
Age of homes: the year that splits the housing stock into older and newer halves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25035).
Rent in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $573 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $593 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $786 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $801 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$228 | +$366 | +$606 |
The median renter in Gold Dust pays $801 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent takes 41.9% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched.
Rent: monthly rent plus the utilities renters pay themselves. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B25064).
Education in Gold Dust
Bachelor's degrees in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.8% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 28.6% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.3% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | −6.5 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in Gold Dust have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 11.3%, against 35.6% nationally.
Bachelor's degrees: adults 25 and older with a bachelor's degree or higher. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
High school graduates in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 80.4% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 80.8% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 92.7% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 77.9% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | −2.5 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
More than one in five adults in Gold Dust never finished high school, well above the national share: only 77.9% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% nationally.
High school graduates: adults 25 and older with a high school diploma, GED or more. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B15003).
Jobs in Gold Dust
| Period | Gold Dust | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 8.5% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 2.3% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.8% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.7 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been harder to find in Gold Dust than nationally: unemployment was 6.8%, against 5.4%. That is in line with the rest of Louisiana. Because the Census pools five years of responses (2020–24), these rates smooth over short swings and lag the current job market.
Unemployment: people looking for work as a share of everyone working or looking. Source: BestNeighborhood calculations from U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-year block-group estimates (table B23025).
Gold Dust compared with nearby cities
| City | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gold Dust | 2.24 | 59.6 | 14.5% | 12.0% | 19.0% | 1987 | $801 | 11.3% | 77.9% | 6.8% |
| Eola | 2.17 | 61.9 | 15.4% | 6.5% | 8.4% | 1991 | $824 | 7.7% | 76.3% | 0.0% |
| St. Landry | 2.44 | 46.3 | 21.2% | 21.1% | 18.7% | 1987 | $765 | 12.0% | 80.1% | 6.9% |
| Bunkie | 2.28 | 41.6 | 22.5% | 48.9% | 22.0% | 1970 | $745 | 11.7% | 70.2% | 7.2% |
| Whiteville | 2.75 | 50.1 | 25.5% | 30.9% | 22.7% | 2006 | $650 | 6.7% | 92.5% | 3.7% |
| Le Moyen | 2.56 | 43.2 | 11.5% | 8.4% | 14.2% | 1972 | $731 | 15.1% | 70.5% | 1.6% |
| Evergreen | 2.67 | 35.7 | 14.5% | 11.4% | 23.8% | 1980 | $536 | 14.5% | 78.0% | 11.8% |
| Tate Cove | 2.54 | 42.6 | 11.6% | 32.9% | 13.8% | 1985 | $728 | 26.0% | 81.7% | 5.7% |
| Lone Pine | 2.37 | 50.7 | 8.8% | 21.8% | 14.2% | 1979 | $781 | 13.8% | 80.1% | 9.2% |
| Morrow | 2.75 | 39.9 | 12.8% | 15.4% | 17.7% | 1983 | $679 | 14.5% | 77.0% | 1.9% |
| Ville Platte | 2.62 | 38.3 | 22.6% | 38.5% | 14.6% | 1979 | $765 | 17.8% | 73.2% | 9.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Flat Creek, NY · Thomas, IL · Taff, AL · Tabernacle, AL · Swengel, PA · Fort Klamath, OR · Forest Hill, IN · Foneswood, VA · Floraville, IL · Floral, KS
About these numbers
Every figure on this page is a BestNeighborhood calculation from the Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS), built up from the Census block groups that make up Gold Dust. Each ACS 5-year release pools five years of responses; this page shows the last 15 releases, 2006–10 through 2020–24. Neighboring releases share four of their five years, so they move gradually and small changes between them are within the survey's margin of error; in small places the lines can jump from one release to the next for the same reason. The maps show the same measures for each neighborhood, ranked against the whole country.
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