Population 19,528 · Census ACS 2020–24
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Population and households in St. James Parish
Household size in St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 2.96 | 2.65 | 2.66 | 2.68 |
| 2010–14 | 2.72 | 2.59 | 2.64 | 2.73 |
| 2015–19 | 2.73 | 2.60 | 2.64 | 2.71 |
| 2020–24 | 2.56 | 2.55 | 2.59 | 2.65 |
| Change | −0.40 | −0.10 | −0.07 | −0.03 |
Households in St. James Parish run a little small, averaging 2.56 people against 2.65 nationally, which usually means more singles and couples and fewer children. Since 2006–10, household size has dropped from 2.96, 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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 37.7 | 37.8 | 36.8 | 37.7 |
| 2010–14 | 39.6 | 37.9 | 37.4 | 38.6 |
| 2015–19 | 41.1 | 39.3 | 38.3 | 39.6 |
| 2020–24 | 42.7 | 40.1 | 39.0 | 40.1 |
| Change | +5.0 | +2.3 | +2.2 | +2.3 |
The median resident of St. James Parish is 42.7 years old, a bit older than the national median of 40.1. The median age has climbed from 37.7 in 2006–10, in line with the national trend. The youngest areas are in the west, the oldest in the southeast.
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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 17.6% | 16.1% | 14.7% | 12.3% |
| 2010–14 | 15.0% | 16.0% | 15.1% | 12.3% |
| 2015–19 | 16.1% | 13.8% | 14.1% | 11.6% |
| 2020–24 | 13.0% | 15.3% | 15.2% | 11.6% |
| Change | −4.7 pts | −0.8 pts | +0.5 pts | −0.6 pts |
Single-parent households are a bit more common in St. James Parish than nationally: 13.0%, against 11.6%. Locally, though, single parents are less common here than in the New Orleans area as a whole (15.3%). The single-parent share has fallen 4.7 points since 2006–10, a much bigger shift than nationally.
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 St. James Parish
Renters in St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 16.2% | 38.4% | 31.8% | 33.3% |
| 2010–14 | 19.9% | 41.4% | 33.7% | 35.6% |
| 2015–19 | 21.0% | 41.5% | 34.4% | 36.0% |
| 2020–24 | 15.6% | 39.4% | 32.6% | 34.8% |
| Change | −0.6 pts | +1.0 pts | +0.9 pts | +1.5 pts |
Only 15.6% of households in St. James Parish rent their homes, far below the national share of 34.8%, so most residents are owners who tend to stay put. Among homeowners, 60.9% have no mortgage at all, well above the national share of 39.8%. Since 2006–10, the renter share has edged down 0.6 points, even as the national share rose. Of Louisiana's 64 counties, only four have a lower 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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 10.4% | 19.1% | 13.9% | 11.4% |
| 2010–14 | 7.8% | 14.8% | 13.1% | 11.4% |
| 2015–19 | 13.8% | 13.4% | 15.1% | 11.1% |
| 2020–24 | 13.5% | 13.6% | 14.4% | 9.6% |
| Change | +3.1 pts | −5.6 pts | +0.5 pts | −1.8 pts |
More homes sit empty in St. James Parish than nationally: 13.5%, against 9.6%. The count includes vacation homes and homes between owners or tenants, not just abandoned ones. Vacancy is up 3.1 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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 1977 | 1968 | 1977 | 1974 |
| 2010–14 | 1978 | 1969 | 1979 | 1975 |
| 2015–19 | 1980 | 1969 | 1981 | 1977 |
| 2020–24 | 1986 | 1972 | 1984 | 1980 |
| Change | +8 | +4 | +7 | +6 |
Homes in St. James Parish are a bit 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 1977 in 2006–10, a sign of steady new building. Newer construction is concentrated in the north, while the east 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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | $500 | $945 | $755 | $965 |
| 2010–14 | $747 | $973 | $831 | $1,040 |
| 2015–19 | $754 | $1,062 | $920 | $1,213 |
| 2020–24 | $1,125 | $1,334 | $1,122 | $1,571 |
| Change | +$625 | +$389 | +$366 | +$606 |
Rent in St. James Parish runs $1,125 a month at the median, utilities included, well below the U.S. median of $1,571. Rents are up $625 a month from 2006–10, a 125% jump, faster than rents rose nationally. Rent takes 32.8% of the typical renter's income, just over the 30% mark often used to define affordable rent. Rents run highest in the east and lowest 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 St. James Parish
Bachelor's degrees in St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 12.6% | 25.0% | 22.0% | 28.4% |
| 2010–14 | 13.7% | 25.8% | 22.8% | 29.6% |
| 2015–19 | 16.9% | 29.1% | 24.5% | 32.1% |
| 2020–24 | 19.7% | 33.0% | 27.5% | 35.6% |
| Change | +7.0 pts | +8.0 pts | +5.5 pts | +7.2 pts |
Fewer adults in St. James Parish have a four-year degree than in the country as a whole: 19.7%, against 35.6% nationally. Since 2006–10, the share with a degree has risen 7.0 points, in line with the national trend. College graduates are most concentrated in the north and least in the west.
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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 82.7% | 82.5% | 81.7% | 84.9% |
| 2010–14 | 84.6% | 83.8% | 83.3% | 86.1% |
| 2015–19 | 85.6% | 85.8% | 85.4% | 87.7% |
| 2020–24 | 87.7% | 87.2% | 87.2% | 89.3% |
| Change | +5.0 pts | +4.7 pts | +5.5 pts | +4.3 pts |
About one in eight adults in St. James Parish never finished high school, a bit more than nationally: 87.7% have a diploma or equivalent, against 89.3% across the U.S. The New Orleans area as a whole looks much the same. Since 2006–10, the share with a diploma has risen 5.0 points, 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 St. James Parish
| Period | St. James Parish | New Orleans area | Louisiana | U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2006–10 | 6.1% | 9.3% | 7.9% | 8.1% |
| 2010–14 | 11.1% | 9.8% | 8.7% | 9.4% |
| 2015–19 | 7.0% | 6.9% | 6.7% | 5.6% |
| 2020–24 | 4.0% | 7.1% | 6.5% | 5.4% |
| Change | −2.0 pts | −2.2 pts | −1.4 pts | −2.7 pts |
Jobs have been a little easier to find in St. James Parish than nationally: unemployment was 4.0%, against 5.4%. Unemployment is down 2.0 points from 2006–10, as it has 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).
St. James 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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% |
| Assumption Parish | 2.29 | 43.5 | 11.8% | 15.2% | 11.6% | 1984 | $816 | 13.8% | 79.8% | 5.8% |
| St. Charles Parish | 2.84 | 39.5 | 11.0% | 17.9% | 11.2% | 1986 | $1,338 | 26.8% | 89.2% | 6.5% |
| Jefferson Parish | 2.53 | 41.1 | 14.2% | 37.4% | 9.2% | 1975 | $1,312 | 29.5% | 85.4% | 6.4% |
| Orleans Parish | 2.46 | 39.2 | 16.0% | 48.8% | 18.9% | 1963 | $1,377 | 42.4% | 89.5% | 8.0% |
| St. Bernard Parish | 2.81 | 37.3 | 23.3% | 29.9% | 10.2% | 1980 | $1,157 | 17.2% | 82.2% | 7.5% |
| Iberia Parish | 2.87 | 39.8 | 20.6% | 32.7% | 17.3% | 1982 | $996 | 17.6% | 82.3% | 7.6% |
| Lafayette Parish | 2.54 | 38.8 | 14.2% | 34.5% | 12.4% | 1991 | $1,092 | 36.8% | 90.0% | 4.6% |
| Vermilion Parish | 2.69 | 39.8 | 16.0% | 26.6% | 16.1% | 1985 | $868 | 18.5% | 83.7% | 4.9% |
| Cameron Parish | 2.50 | 43.9 | 12.8% | 4.6% | 36.6% | 2002 | $1,364 | 15.7% | 90.4% | 2.1% |
All figures 2020–24.
Counties with similar populations: Copiah County, MS · Webster County, KY · Crawford County, WI · Crawford County, MO · Crawford County, MI · Crawford County, IN · Crawford County, IL · Crawford County, GA · Craig County, OK · Covington County, MS
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 St. James 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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