Population 30,799 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Median age by neighborhoodHistory and comparison ↓︎
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Population and households in Ruston
Household size in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.61 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.50 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.44 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.45 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.16 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
The average household in Ruston has 2.45 people, under the U.S. average of 2.65. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.61, a much bigger shift than nationally. Households are largest in the northeast and smallest in the south.
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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 30.1 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 29.1 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 29.9 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 30.0 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | −0.1 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
Ruston is young: half of its residents are under 30.0, compared with a national median of 40.1. The population tilts toward young adults, many of them living alone or as couples. Of the 151 Louisiana cities with 5,000+ people, only two are younger.
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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 15.9% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.5% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 15.9% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 14.1% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −1.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single parents head about one in seven households in Ruston (14.1%), above the national share of 11.6%. Even so, single parents are less common here than in Louisiana as a whole (15.2%). Since 2006–10, the single-parent share has fallen 1.8 points, in line with the national trend.
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 Ruston
Renters in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 46.9% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 53.2% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 55.4% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 52.1% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | +5.2 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Renters far outnumber owners in Ruston: 52.1% of households rent their homes, against 34.8% nationally. Among homeowners, 56.7% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. The renter share has risen 5.2 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally. Of the 151 Louisiana cities with 5,000+ people, only four 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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 14.9% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 12.6% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 10.6% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 11.5% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | −3.4 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
Vacancy runs a little high in Ruston: 11.5% of homes are empty, against 9.6% nationally. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Even so, the rate is lower than in Louisiana as a whole (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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1981 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1981 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1984 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +5 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in Ruston are newer than the national norm: the median home was built in 1986, versus 1980 across the U.S. The median year built has moved up from 1981 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the northeast, while the southeast 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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $655 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $694 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $791 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,039 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$385 | +$366 | +$606 |
A typical rental in Ruston costs $1,039 a month with utilities, well below the national median of $1,571. Rent has climbed $385 a month since 2006–10, up 59%, a slower climb than the nation's. Rent takes 39.8% of the typical renter's income, well over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent, so many renters here are stretched. The priciest rents are in the northeast; the most affordable are in the southeast.
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 Ruston
Bachelor's degrees in Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 35.1% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 36.6% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 39.5% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 41.4% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +6.3 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Just over four in ten adults 25 and older in Ruston (41.4%) have a bachelor's degree or higher, a bit above the national share of 35.6%. The share with a degree is up 6.3 points from 2006–10, in line with the national trend. Of the 151 Louisiana cities with 5,000+ people, only six 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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 86.0% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 86.6% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 90.9% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 90.7% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +4.6 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
High school completion in Ruston is close to the national rate: 90.7% of adults have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3%. The rate is higher than in Louisiana as a whole (87.2%). The share with a diploma has risen 4.6 points since 2006–10, 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 Ruston
| Period | Ruston | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 12.7% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 5.7% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.2% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −8.4 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in Ruston than nationally: unemployment was 4.2%, against 5.4%. Since 2006–10, unemployment has fallen 8.4 points, a much bigger shift than nationally. 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).
Ruston 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ruston | 2.45 | 30.0 | 14.1% | 52.1% | 11.5% | 1986 | $1,039 | 41.4% | 90.7% | 4.2% |
| Kelleys | 2.55 | 28.1 | 26.9% | 46.8% | 20.2% | 1980 | $941 | 20.0% | 81.1% | 8.7% |
| Grambling | 1.95 | 24.5 | 16.8% | 63.0% | 18.9% | 1976 | $732 | 15.2% | 90.4% | 4.2% |
| Vienna | 2.64 | 40.7 | 3.5% | 14.6% | 6.2% | 1986 | $870 | 42.0% | 93.5% | 2.5% |
| Woodville | 3.16 | 24.4 | 30.1% | 39.3% | 13.4% | 1995 | $825 | 24.7% | 90.6% | 16.1% |
| Douglas | 2.81 | 38.3 | 8.7% | 17.8% | 7.0% | 1996 | $1,354 | 50.1% | 93.3% | 0.8% |
| Hilly | 2.64 | 40.7 | 3.5% | 14.6% | 6.2% | 1986 | $870 | 42.0% | 93.5% | 2.5% |
| Clay | 2.36 | 50.6 | 11.3% | 6.6% | 17.3% | 1978 | $726 | 25.2% | 95.8% | 3.3% |
| Choudrant | 2.76 | 39.5 | 13.7% | 19.4% | 14.0% | 1993 | $911 | 32.5% | 90.0% | 4.5% |
| Simsboro | 2.23 | 44.3 | 10.6% | 27.6% | 18.0% | 1980 | $916 | 25.1% | 88.8% | 2.5% |
| Mineral Springs | 2.45 | 45.7 | 4.0% | 16.2% | 5.8% | 1985 | $1,948 | 26.3% | 93.0% | 0.3% |
All figures 2020–24.
Cities with similar populations: Beltsville, MD · Ozark, MO · Newtown, PA · Norfolk, NE · North Andover, MA · Norwood, MA · Nutley, NJ · O'Fallon, IL · Orchard Park, NY · Orcutt, 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 Ruston. 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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