Population 247,997 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Lafayette Parish
Household size in Lafayette Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.57 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.63 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.54 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.03 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in Lafayette Parish run a little small, averaging 2.54 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Louisiana as a whole looks much the same. The biggest households, usually families with children, are concentrated in the southeast.
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 34.9 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 35.7 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 36.7 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 38.8 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +3.9 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Lafayette Parish are younger than 38.8 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 34.9, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the southeast, 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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.1% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 13.3% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.2% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +1.2 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Lafayette Parish (14.2%), above the national share of 11.6%. The picture is much the same across Louisiana. Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has edged up 1.2 points, even as the national share fell.
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 Parish
Renters in Lafayette Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 35.5% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 35.2% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 34.5% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renting in Lafayette Parish is about as common as it is nationally: 34.5% of households rent, against 34.8%. More than four in ten owners (45.4%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. Renting is most common in the north and least common in the southeast. The renter share has edged down 0.6 points since 2006–10, even as the national share rose.
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 9.5% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 8.9% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.8% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 12.4% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +2.9 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in Lafayette Parish than nationally: 12.4%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Even so, the rate is lower than in Louisiana overall (14.4%).
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1983 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1984 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1988 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1991 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +9 | +7 | +6 |
Lafayette Parish has newer housing than the country as a whole: the median home was built in 1991, versus 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1983 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. The newest homes are mostly in the south, the oldest in the center.
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $731 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $835 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $961 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,092 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$361 | +$366 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Lafayette Parish costs $1,092 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $361 a month since 2006–10, up 49%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 33.4% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Renters on a budget will find the lowest rents in the northeast; the highest are in the south.
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 Parish
Bachelor's degrees in Lafayette Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 27.7% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 29.0% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 33.0% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 36.8% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +9.1 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are about as common in Lafayette Parish as nationally: 36.8% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. The share is higher than in Louisiana as a whole (27.5%). The share with a degree is up 9.1 points from 2006–10, as it has nationally. Few Louisiana counties have a higher share of college graduates: only three of 64.
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 84.2% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.2% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 88.9% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.0% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.9 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About as many adults in Lafayette Parish have finished high school as nationally: 90.0%, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Louisiana overall (87.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 5.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Parish
| Period | Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 5.6% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 6.7% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.0% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.6% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.0 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Lafayette Parish than nationally: unemployment was 4.6%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 1.0 points from 2006–10, mirroring the country. 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).
Lafayette Parish compared with nearby counties
| County | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | 2.54 | 38.8 | 14.2% | 34.5% | 12.4% | 1991 | $1,092 | 36.8% | 90.0% | 4.6% |
| St. Martin Parish | 2.77 | 39.9 | 17.8% | 22.3% | 18.3% | 1988 | $861 | 18.9% | 83.5% | 3.8% |
| Acadia Parish | 2.78 | 37.8 | 15.1% | 33.0% | 15.1% | 1982 | $764 | 14.9% | 81.2% | 7.9% |
| Jefferson Davis Parish | 2.68 | 39.9 | 13.3% | 22.9% | 14.9% | 1982 | $899 | 17.3% | 85.3% | 4.8% |
| Iberville Parish | 2.44 | 40.3 | 18.9% | 24.9% | 16.4% | 1988 | $877 | 18.5% | 83.9% | 6.7% |
| Ascension Parish | 2.78 | 37.8 | 14.0% | 19.0% | 8.6% | 2000 | $1,371 | 28.7% | 89.1% | 4.5% |
| Calcasieu Parish | 2.72 | 37.8 | 13.8% | 27.2% | 18.1% | 1990 | $1,174 | 25.3% | 89.2% | 5.3% |
| St. James Parish | 2.56 | 42.7 | 13.0% | 15.6% | 13.5% | 1986 | $1,125 | 19.7% | 87.7% | 4.0% |
| St. John the Baptist Parish | 2.81 | 39.5 | 20.9% | 22.5% | 16.1% | 1985 | $1,434 | 20.0% | 86.7% | 10.3% |
| Orange County | 2.67 | 39.1 | 12.3% | 24.8% | 13.9% | 1985 | $1,194 | 18.6% | 90.8% | 5.9% |
| Jefferson County | 2.60 | 38.1 | 17.1% | 37.5% | 13.9% | 1980 | $1,212 | 20.2% | 85.2% | 6.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Albany County, NY · Benton County, WA · Benton County, AR · Anderson County, SC · Arlington County, VA · Atlantic County, NJ · Baldwin County, AL · Barnstable County, MA · Boulder County, CO · Mohave County, AZ
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 Parish. 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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