Population 4,611,961 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in Louisiana
Household size in Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.07 | −0.03 |
At 2.59 people per household, Louisiana sits close to the national average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has edged down from 2.66, as it has nationally.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Half of the people in Louisiana are younger than 39.0 and half are older, close to the national median of 40.1. Since 2006–10, the median age has climbed from 36.8, mirroring the country.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are common in Louisiana: 15.2% of all households, against 11.6% nationally. The single-parent share is up 0.5 points from 2006–10, even as the national share fell. Louisiana has the highest share of single-parent households of any state.
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 Louisiana
Renters in Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
About a third of households in Louisiana rent their homes (32.6%), close to the national share of 34.8%. About half of owners (49.3%) have paid off their mortgages, above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has edged up 0.9 points since 2006–10, in line with the national trend.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy is high in Louisiana: 14.4% 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. Since 2006–10, vacancy has edged up 0.5 points, 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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +7 | +6 |
The housing in Louisiana is a little younger than the country's: half of it was built after 1984, against 1980 nationally. The median year built has moved up from 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$366 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Louisiana costs $1,122 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rents are up $366 a month from 2006–10, a 48% rise, a slower climb than the nation's. The typical renter here spends 33.3% of household income on rent, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. Rents run highest in southeastern Louisiana and lowest in northern Louisiana.
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 Louisiana
Bachelor's degrees in Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
College degrees are less common in Louisiana than nationally: 27.5% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor's or higher, against 35.6%. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 5.5 points, mirroring the country. Few states have a lower share of college graduates: only three of 51.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in Louisiana never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.2% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.5 points, mirroring the country. Only three of the 50 states and D.C. have a lower share of high school graduates.
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 Louisiana
| Period | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little harder to find in Louisiana than nationally: unemployment was 6.5%, against 5.4%. Of the 50 states and D.C., only four have higher unemployment. 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).
Louisiana compared with nearby states
| State | Household size | Median age | Single parents | Renters | Vacant homes | Median year built | Median rent | Bachelor's degree | High school diploma | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Louisiana | 2.59 | 39.0 | 15.2% | 32.6% | 14.4% | 1984 | $1,122 | 27.5% | 87.2% | 6.5% |
| Mississippi | 2.57 | 39.4 | 14.6% | 30.0% | 14.1% | 1987 | $1,018 | 25.8% | 87.3% | 5.8% |
| Arkansas | 2.53 | 39.6 | 12.3% | 33.6% | 13.1% | 1988 | $1,007 | 26.2% | 88.7% | 5.1% |
| Alabama | 2.56 | 40.2 | 12.2% | 29.8% | 13.5% | 1986 | $1,091 | 29.0% | 88.7% | 4.9% |
| Texas | 2.83 | 36.7 | 12.9% | 37.4% | 9.4% | 1992 | $1,560 | 34.0% | 85.8% | 5.3% |
| Oklahoma | 2.58 | 38.0 | 12.0% | 34.2% | 11.3% | 1982 | $1,127 | 28.9% | 89.3% | 5.0% |
| Tennessee | 2.53 | 39.9 | 11.8% | 33.1% | 10.1% | 1986 | $1,286 | 31.4% | 89.9% | 4.8% |
| Georgia | 2.73 | 38.6 | 13.4% | 34.3% | 10.3% | 1991 | $1,520 | 35.1% | 89.2% | 5.2% |
| Missouri | 2.49 | 40.1 | 11.0% | 31.9% | 10.5% | 1978 | $1,122 | 32.6% | 91.8% | 4.1% |
| Kentucky | 2.51 | 39.9 | 11.9% | 31.7% | 10.6% | 1982 | $1,024 | 27.6% | 88.8% | 5.1% |
| Florida | 2.63 | 43.5 | 11.4% | 32.4% | 12.5% | 1989 | $1,816 | 34.6% | 90.0% | 4.8% |
All figures 2020–24.
States with similar populations: District of Columbia · Florida · Connecticut · New Mexico · North Dakota · New York · North Carolina · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon
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 Louisiana. 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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