Lafayette Parish, LA

County

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2024 Population
247,997
US Senator
Bill Cassidy
Republican Party
US Senator
John Kennedy
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
36.5
0.275% 1-year increase
2024 Poverty Rate
17.1%
1.77% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$67,451
0.309% 1-year decline
2024 Median Property Value
$242,900
3.71% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
120,162
1.63% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Lafayette Parish, LA reported speaking a non-English language at home as their primary shared language. This does not consider the potential multi-lingual nature of households, but only the primary self-reported language spoken by all members of the household.

96.7% of the residents in Lafayette Parish, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lafayette Parish, LA are University of Louisiana at Lafayette (3,197 degrees awarded in 2023), South Louisiana Community College (1,961 degrees), and Unitech Training Academy-Lafayette (474 degrees).

In 2024, the median property value in Lafayette Parish, LA was $242,900, and the homeownership rate was 65.5%.

Most people in Lafayette Parish, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 22.9 minutes. The average car ownership in Lafayette Parish, LA was 2 cars per household.

About the photo: Photo taken at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette campus.
Photo by Abbie Judice
United StatesLouisianaLafayette, LA

Population & Diversity

Lafayette Parish, LA is home to a population of 248k people, from which 96.7% are citizens. As of 2024, 5.18% of Lafayette Parish, LA residents were born outside of the country (12.8k people).

In 2024, there were 2.44 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (153k people) in Lafayette Parish, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 62.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 10.9k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.7%
2024 Citizenship
96.8%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 96.7% of Lafayette Parish, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Lafayette Parish, LA was 96.8%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lafayette Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Lafayette Parish, LA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    153k ± 687
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    62.9k ± 1.09k
  3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    10.9k ± 949
6.73%
Hispanic Population
16.7k people

In 2024, there were 2.44 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (153k people) in Lafayette Parish, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 62.9k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 10.9k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

6.73% of the people in Lafayette Parish, LA are hispanic (16.7k people).

The following chart shows the 8 races represented in Lafayette Parish, LA as a share of the total population.

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the County level, so we are showing data for Louisiana.
Most Common Origin
  1. Honduras
    46,145 ± 5,248 people
  2. Mexico
    26,336 ± 3,973 people
  3. Vietnam
    16,621 ± 3,160 people

In 2023, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 46,145 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 26,336 and Vietnam with 16,621.

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Foreign-Born Population

5.18%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
12.8k people
5.09%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
12.5k people

As of 2024, 5.18% of Lafayette Parish, LA residents (12.8k people) were born outside of the United States, which is approximately the same as the national average of 14%. In 2023, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Lafayette Parish, LA was 5.09%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Lafayette Parish, LA compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    3,134 ± 436
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    3,093 ± 569
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    2,023 ± 422

Lafayette Parish, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.01 times greater than any other conflict.

The chart shows the distribution of veterans by conflict in Lafayette Parish, LA.

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Economy

The economy of Lafayette Parish, LA employs 120k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lafayette Parish, LA were Health Care & Social Assistance (18,673 people), Retail Trade (13,563 people), and Educational Services (11,939 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($160,764), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($93,488), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($91,726).

Employment

Occupations

120k
2024 Value
± 3,648
1.63%
1 Year growth
± 4.19%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lafayette Parish, LA grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 118k employees to 120k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lafayette Parish, LA, are Sales & Related Occupations (14,031 people), Management Occupations (13,607 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (12,586 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lafayette Parish, LA.

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Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Louisiana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

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Industries

Employment by Industries

120k
2024 Value
± 3,648
1.63%
1 Year growth
± 4.19%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lafayette Parish, LA grew at a rate of 1.63%, from 118k employees to 120k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lafayette Parish, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (18,673 people), Retail Trade (13,563 people), and Educational Services (11,939 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lafayette Parish, LA, though some of these residents may live in Lafayette Parish, LA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

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Median Earnings by Industry

$58,675
Median earning men ± $3,619
$37,091
Median earning women ± $1,289

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($94,448), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($85,125), and Professional, Scientific, & Management, & Administrative & Waste Management Services ($73,086).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Wholesale Trade ($64,225), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($52,314), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($50,595).

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Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
Y-Axis
1.78%
Year-over-year growth
Employment change between February 2022 and February 2023

As of February 2023, there are 1.94M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 1.78% increase in employment when compared to February 2022.

Right after the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, during April 2020, a general dip can be seen across industry sectors, resulting in an overall decline in employment by 14.4%.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Louisiana.

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Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments
  1. 964
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
  2. 659
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  3. 416
    Retail Trade

The visualization shows the distribution of establishments by industry and by size according to the number of employees.

The visualization shows the number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

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Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll
  1. $1.6M
    Health Care and Social Assistance
  2. $658k
    Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction
  3. $630k
    Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

The chart shows the total annual payroll and the average annual payroll by industry.

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Civics

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 60.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.2%), followed by Other (0.547%).

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing the state of Louisiana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Elections

Voting results are not available for Lafayette Parish, LA. Showing the available data for Louisiana.
2024 Election Results
  1. Donald J. Trump (60.2%)
    Republican Party
  2. Kamala Harris (38.2%)
    Democratic Party
  3. Other (0.547%)
    Other Party

In the 2024 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 60.2% of the vote. The runner-up was Kamala Harris (38.2%), followed by Other (0.547%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Louisiana for each registered party from 1976 to 2024.

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Senator Elections

US Senators from Louisiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.
Bill Cassidy
Senator from Louisiana2
Assumed office on January 3, 2015
John Kennedy
Senator from Louisiana3
Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing Louisiana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Louisiana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

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Education

In 2023, universities in Lafayette Parish, LA awarded 6,449 degrees. The student population of Lafayette Parish, LA in 2023 is skewed towards women, with 8,800 male students and 13,790 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Lafayette Parish, LA are White (3,684 and 58.4%), Black or African American (1,933 and 30.7%), Hispanic or Latino (266 and 4.22%), and Asian (159 and 2.52%).

The largest universities in Lafayette Parish, LA by number of degrees awarded are University of Louisiana at Lafayette (3,197 and 49.6%), South Louisiana Community College (1,961 and 30.4%), and Unitech Training Academy-Lafayette (474 and 7.35%).

The most popular majors in Lafayette Parish, LA are General Studies (902 and 14%), General Business Administration & Management (474 and 7.35%), and Registered Nursing (389 and 6.03%).

The median tuition cost in Lafayette Parish, LA for a public four year colleges is $5,407 for in-state students and $19,135 for out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University
Measure

In 2023 in Lafayette Parish, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 88.8%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 32.6%. The number of students enrolled in 2023 was 22,590 (39% men and 61% women).

The line chart  shows the evolution of the percentage of applicants admitted, admitted who enrolled or the number of students enrolled according to the option selected in the upper button.

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Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2023 there were 22,590 students enrolled in Lafayette Parish, LA, 39% men and 61% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 12,037 records, of which 58% were women and 42% men.

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Completions

Concentrations

Most Common
  1. General Psychology
    136 degrees awarded
  2. General Studies
    335 degrees awarded
  3. Registered Nursing
    326 degrees awarded

In 2023, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Lafayette Parish, LA was General Psychology with 136 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Lafayette Parish, LA according to their major.

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Universities

Gender
Race
Largest Universities by degrees awarded
  1. University of Louisiana at Lafayette
    3,197 degrees awarded
  2. South Louisiana Community College
    1,961 degrees awarded
  3. Unitech Training Academy-Lafayette
    474 degrees awarded

In 2023, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was University of Louisiana at Lafayette with 3,197 degrees awarded.

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Student Diversity

University

In 2023, 2,440 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Lafayette Parish, LA, which is 0.609 times less than the 4,009 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2023, the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 3,684 degrees mean that there were 1.91 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 1,933 degrees awarded.

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Awarded Degrees over Time

The graph shows the evolution of awarded degrees by degrees. Under the paragraphs, the average number of awarded degrees by university in each degree is shown.

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Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private not-for-profit, 2-year ($23,928) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2023.

Public, 4-year or above ($5,011) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2023.

Public, 2-year ($1,300) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

The graph shows the average net price by sector and year.

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Housing & Living

The median property value in Lafayette Parish, LA was $242,900 in 2024, which is 0.73 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $234,200 to $242,900, a 3.71% increase. The homeownership rate in Lafayette Parish, LA is 65.5%, which is higher than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Lafayette Parish, LA have an average commute time of 22.9 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lafayette Parish, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

In 2025, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lafayette Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.187%.

Housing

Property

$242,900
Median Property Value 2024
±$4,823
$66,072
Median Property Taxes
±$2,421

The following chart display owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Lafayette Parish, LA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

The chart underneath the paragraph shows the property taxes in Lafayette Parish, LA compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies.

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Rent vs Own

65.5%
Homeownership
2024
67.5%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 65.5% of the housing units in Lafayette Parish, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 66.1%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lafayette Parish, LA compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

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Equity

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.
$67,451
Median Household Income
± $2,676
101k
Number of Households
± 3,030

In 2024, the median household income of the 101k households in Lafayette Parish, LA declined from $67,451 from the previous year's value of $67,660.

The following chart displays the households in Lafayette Parish, LA distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

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Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Lafayette Parish, LA is from Louisiana.
0.465
2023 Wage GINI in Louisiana
0.466
2022 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2023, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.465 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.123% decline from 2022 to 2023, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.476. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Louisiana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Louisiana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

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Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2024
  1. Drove Alone (80.1%)
  2. Worked At Home (10.4%)
  3. Carpooled (5.83%)

In 2024, 80.1% of workers in Lafayette Parish, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (10.4%) and those who carpooled to work (5.83%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

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Commute Time

22.9 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lafayette Parish, LA have a shorter commute time (22.9 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 2.6% of the workforce in Lafayette Parish, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lafayette Parish, LA compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

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Car Ownership

2 cars
Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Lafayette Parish, LA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lafayette Parish, LA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Severe Housing Problems

In 2025, 14.5% of the population was living with severe housing problems in Lafayette Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator grew 0.187%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the population living with severe housing problems.

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Poverty & Diversity

17.1% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lafayette Parish, LA (41.9k out of 245k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.5%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 35 - 44 and then Females 45 - 54.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lafayette Parish, LA is Black, followed by White and Two Or More.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

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Children in Poverty

In 2025, 21.3% of the children was living in poverty in Lafayette Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2025, the indicator declined 4.1%.

The graph shows the trend of the percentage of the children living in poverty.

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Security

Crimes & Accidents

Indicator

In 2022, the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population was 506 in Lafayette Parish, LA. From 2014 to 2022, the indicator declined 192 per 100,000 population.

The graph shows the trend in the number of reported violent crimes offenses per 100,000 population.

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Health

91.3% of the population of Lafayette Parish, LA has health coverage, with 44% on employee plans, 22.2% on Medicaid, 11.3% on Medicare, 12.2% on non-group plans, and 1.68% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Lafayette Parish, LA see 929 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (929 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1416 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 237 patients per year.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

929 to 1
Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Lafayette Parish, LA

Primary care physicians in Lafayette Parish, LA see an average of 929 patients per year. This represents a 0% change from the previous year (929 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Lafayette Parish, LA in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

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Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.4% under 18 years, 22% between 18 and 34 years, 38.1% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.5% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 48.7% were men and 51.3% were women.

The following chart shows the number of people with health coverage by gender.

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Uninsured People

8.68%
Uninsured
44%
Employer Coverage
22.2%
Medicaid
11.3%
Medicare
12.2%
Non-Group
1.68%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lafayette Parish, LA grew by 3.67% from 8.37% to 8.68%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Lafayette Parish, LA changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.

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Health Indicators

Health Outcomes

Indicator

In 2025, the number of deaths among residents under age 18 per 100,000 population was 67.7 in Lafayette Parish, LA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lafayette Parish, LA.

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Health Behaviors

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 34.7% in Lafayette Parish, LA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lafayette Parish, LA.

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Clinical Care

Indicator

In 2025, the percentage of population under age 65 without health insurance was 8.67% in Lafayette Parish, LA.

The graphic shows the trend of the indicator in Lafayette Parish, LA.

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