Population 142,456 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lafayette
Household size in Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.48 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.48 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.49 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.42 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.06 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Lafayette run small, averaging 2.42 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Household size has edged down from 2.48 in 2006–10, as it has nationally. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southwest.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.1 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 36.1 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 37.7 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.4 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.3 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Lafayette are younger than 39.4 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.1, as it has nationally. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the northeast.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.9% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.8% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 12.4% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.3% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head just over one in eight households in Lafayette (13.3%), a bit above the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are less common here than in Louisiana overall (15.2%).
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 Lafayette
Renters in Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 40.5% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 41.7% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 41.1% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 44.5% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +4.1 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting is more common in Lafayette than nationally: 44.5% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% for the U.S. About half of owners (49.0%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 4.1 points since 2006–10, as it has nationally. Of the 151 Louisiana cities with 5,000+ people, only 14 have a higher share of renters.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 10.1% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 11.2% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.1% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.0 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Lafayette than nationally: 13.1%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 3.0 points from 2006–10, even as the national rate fell.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1979 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1980 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1982 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1985 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +6 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Lafayette are a bit newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1985, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1979 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the south, while the center has the oldest housing.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $768 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $851 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $965 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,146 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$378 | +$366 | +$606 |
The median renter in Lafayette pays $1,146 a month for rent and utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $378 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 31.5% of household income on rent, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the south and lowest in the northeast.
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 Lafayette
Bachelor's degrees in Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 32.9% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 33.5% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 36.5% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.0% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +8.1 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are a bit more common in Lafayette than nationally: 41.0% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 8.1 points, mirroring the country. Only seven of the 151 Louisiana cities with 5,000+ people have a higher share of college graduates.
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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 85.7% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.7% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 89.6% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.3% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Lafayette have finished high school as nationally: 90.3%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Louisiana as a whole (87.2%). Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points, as it has 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 Lafayette
| Period | Lafayette | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.0% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.3% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.2% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 5.2% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −0.8 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Unemployment in Lafayette is close to the national rate: 5.2% of the labor force, against 5.4%. The rate is lower than in Louisiana overall (6.5%). Each figure pools five years of surveys (2020–24), so it describes that whole stretch rather than today's 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).
Lafayette 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | 2.42 | 39.4 | 13.3% | 44.5% | 13.1% | 1985 | $1,146 | 41.0% | 90.3% | 5.2% |
| Scott | 2.49 | 41.3 | 15.5% | 29.8% | 11.2% | 1992 | $1,014 | 21.6% | 87.2% | 5.8% |
| Duson | 2.44 | 42.3 | 12.7% | 24.1% | 11.9% | 1998 | $1,031 | 26.3% | 85.1% | 7.3% |
| Broussard | 2.83 | 35.8 | 14.4% | 15.5% | 10.9% | 2000 | $1,016 | 37.8% | 91.8% | 3.1% |
| Youngsville | 2.80 | 36.6 | 15.6% | 13.1% | 9.8% | 2002 | $997 | 40.3% | 93.5% | 2.3% |
| Ossun | 3.14 | 26.6 | 21.5% | 28.3% | 8.8% | 1992 | $1,253 | 8.4% | 59.4% | 14.5% |
| Milton | 2.83 | 31.7 | 17.5% | 15.8% | 10.5% | 2003 | $1,270 | 36.9% | 98.6% | 4.6% |
| Ridge | 2.61 | 33.7 | 8.5% | 13.9% | 10.1% | 2005 | $905 | 19.5% | 92.2% | 7.7% |
| Maurice | 2.86 | 38.0 | 11.6% | 16.9% | 13.0% | 2003 | $1,178 | 25.5% | 86.7% | 2.7% |
| Breaux Bridge | 2.80 | 37.1 | 23.0% | 24.4% | 19.2% | 1988 | $957 | 18.9% | 84.1% | 3.2% |
| Parks | 2.96 | 40.1 | 9.9% | 12.3% | 19.5% | 1990 | $775 | 19.8% | 85.2% | 3.2% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Indianapolis, IN · Huntington Beach, CA · Humble, TX · Iowa City, IA · Jackson, MI · Kansas City, KS · Joliet, IL · Kansas City, MO · Houston, TX · Inglewood, CA
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 Lafayette. 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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