Baton Rouge, LA

Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA)

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2023 Population

871,379

0.187% 1-year growth

US Senator

Bill Cassidy

Republican Party

US Senator

John Kennedy

Republican Party

2023 Median Age

0% 1-year change

2023 Poverty Rate

16%

3.52% 1-year increase

2023 Median Household Income

$68,910

1.37% 1-year growth

2023 Median Property Value

$232,300

3.89% 1-year growth

2023 Employed Population

401,569

0.465% 1-year decline

About

In 2023, Baton Rouge, LA had a population of 871k people with a median age of 36 and a median household income of $68,910. Between 2022 and 2023 the population of Baton Rouge, LA grew from 869,755 to 871,379, a 0.187% increase and its median household income grew from $67,979 to $68,910, a 1.37% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Baton Rouge, LA are White (Non-Hispanic) (53.8%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (34.2%), Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (3.14%), Other (Hispanic) (2.51%), and Two+ (Hispanic) (2.2%).

None of the households in Baton Rouge, 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.

96.6% of the residents in Baton Rouge, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Baton Rouge, LA are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (7,785 degrees awarded in 2022), Baton Rouge Community College (1,531 degrees), and Southern University and A & M College (1,166 degrees).

In 2023, the median property value in Baton Rouge, LA was $232,300, and the homeownership rate was 69.1%.

Most people in Baton Rouge, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 27.1 minutes. The average car ownership in Baton Rouge, LA was 2 cars per household.

Baton Rouge, LA borders Hammond, LA, Lafayette, LA, McComb, MS, Natchez, MS-LA, New Orleans-Metairie, LA, and Opelousas, LA.

About the photo: Huey P. Long, State Capital Park, Baton Rouge, Louisiana

Photo by Antrell Williams

United States Louisiana

Population & Diversity

Baton Rouge, LA is home to a population of 871k people, from which 96.6% are citizens. As of 2023, 5.11% of Baton Rouge, LA residents were born outside of the country (44.6k people).

In 2023, there were 1.57 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (469k people) in Baton Rouge, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 298k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 27.4k Two+ (Non-Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

96.6%

2023 Citizenship

97.3%

2022 Citizenship

As of 2023, 96.6% of Baton Rouge, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2022, the percentage of US citizens in Baton Rouge, LA was 97.3%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

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

Diversity

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Baton Rouge, LA

White (Non-Hispanic)
469k ± 1.07k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
298k ± 2.79k
Two+ (Non-Hispanic)
27.4k ± 2.79k

6.25%

Hispanic Population

54.5k people

6.25% of the people in Baton Rouge, LA are hispanic (54.5k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Baton Rouge, LA as a share of the total population.

Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the MSA level, so we are showing data for Louisiana.

Most Common Origin

Honduras
36,279 ± 4,658 people
Mexico
23,092 ± 3,722 people
Vietnam
18,064 ± 3,293 people

In 2022, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 36,279 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 23,092 and Vietnam with 18,064.

Foreign-Born Population

5.11%

2023 Foreign-Born Population

44.6k people

4.25%

2022 Foreign-Born Population

36.9k people

As of 2023, 5.11% of Baton Rouge, LA residents (44.6k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.8%. In 2022, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Baton Rouge, LA was 4.25%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
11,616 ± 887
Gulf War (2001-)
8,449 ± 1,038
Gulf War (1990s)
6,229 ± 855

Baton Rouge, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.37 times greater than any other conflict.

Economy

The economy of Baton Rouge, LA employs 402k people. The largest industries in Baton Rouge, LA are Health Care & Social Assistance (55,179 people), Retail Trade (44,008 people), and Educational Services (42,820 people), and the highest paying industries are Management of Companies & Enterprises ($121,813), Utilities ($85,527), and Manufacturing ($77,860).

Males in Louisiana have an average income that is 1.52 times higher than the average income of females, which is $49,789. The income inequality in Louisiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

Employment

Occupations

402k

2023 Value

± 6,699

−0.465%

1 Year decline

± 2.35%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Baton Rouge, LA declined at a rate of −0.465%, from 403k employees to 402k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Baton Rouge, LA, are Management Occupations (42,432 people), Office & Administrative Support Occupations (41,114 people), and Sales & Related Occupations (40,858 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Baton Rouge, LA.

Unemployment Insurance Claims

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

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

402k

2023 Value

± 6,699

−0.465%

1 Year decline

± 2.35%

From 2022 to 2023, employment in Baton Rouge, LA declined at a rate of −0.465%, from 403k employees to 402k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Baton Rouge, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (55,179 people), Retail Trade (44,008 people), and Educational Services (42,820 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Baton Rouge, LA, though some of these residents may live in Baton Rouge, LA and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Median Earnings by Industry

$58,295

Median earning men ± $1,118

$36,598

Median earning women ± $703

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2023 are Manufacturing ($81,999), Wholesale Trade ($75,420), and Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($73,623).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2023 are Manufacturing ($57,099), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($55,640), and Public Administration ($52,925).

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.

Establishments by Size

The industries with the most establishments

1,592
Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services
1,185
Other Services (except Public Administration)
1,154
Retail Trade

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

Depending on the option selected, the visualization shows the number of employees or number of establishments and its share across establishment sizes.

Payroll by Industry Sector

The industries with the highest total annual payroll

$4.43M
Construction
$2.63M
Health Care and Social Assistance
$2.55M
Manufacturing

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

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

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

Voting results are not available for Baton Rouge, LA. Showing the available data for Louisiana.

2024 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (60.2%)
Republican Party
Kamala Harris (38.2%)
Democratic Party
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.

Senator Elections

US Senators from Louisiana

Senatorial voting results are only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Bill Cassidy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Kennedy

Senator from Louisiana

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.

US Representative Elections

US Representatives from Louisiana

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Louisiana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2022, universities in Baton Rouge, LA awarded 13,172 degrees. The student population of Baton Rouge, LA in 2022 is skewed towards women, with 24,852 male students and 36,133 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Baton Rouge, LA are White (7,136 and 56.1%), followed by Black or African American (3,840 and 30.2%), Hispanic or Latino (662 and 5.21%), and Asian (397 and 3.12%).

The largest universities in Baton Rouge, LA by number of degrees awarded are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (7,785 and 59.1%), Baton Rouge Community College (1,531 and 11.6%), and Southern University and A & M College (1,166 and 8.85%).

The most popular majors in Baton Rouge, LA are General Studies (943 and 7.16%), General Business Administration & Management (618 and 4.69%), and Social Work (517 and 3.92%).

The median tuition costs in Baton Rouge, LA are $13,886 for private four year colleges, and $6,506 and $6,506 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Admissions & Enrollments

Applicants, Admissions & Enrolled

University

Measure

In 2022 in Baton Rouge, LA, the percentage of applicants admitted was 71.1%, while the percentage of admitted who enrolled was 25.9%. The number of students enrolled in 2022 was 60,985 (40.8% men and 59.2% 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.

Enrollments by Gender and Races

Universities

In 2022 there were 60,985 students enrolled in Baton Rouge, LA, 40.8% men and 59.2% women.

By race, the largest number of students enrolled was concentrated in White with 29,135 records, of which 55.2% were women and 44.8% men.

Completions

Concentrations

Most Common

General Biological Sciences
362 degrees awarded
Physical Education Teaching & Coaching
348 degrees awarded
General Business Administration & Management
281 degrees awarded

In 2022, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Baton Rouge, LA was General Biological Sciences with 362 degrees awarded.

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

Universities

Gender

Race

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
7,785 degrees awarded
Baton Rouge Community College
1,531 degrees awarded
Southern University and A & M College
1,166 degrees awarded

In 2022, the institution with the largest number of graduating students was Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College with 7,785 degrees awarded.

Student Diversity

University

In 2022, 5,379 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Baton Rouge, LA, which is 0.69 times less than the 7,793 female students who received degrees in the same year.

In 2022 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions was White students. These 7,136 degrees mean that there were 1.86 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 3,840 degrees awarded.

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.

Tuition

Average Net Price by Sector

Universities

Private for-profit, 2-year ($15,500) is the sector with the highest median state tuition in 2022.

Public, 4-year or above ($4,393) is the sector with the highest median state fee in 2022.

Private for-profit, 2-year ($1,631) is the sector with the highest average net price of books and supplies.

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

Working Population

Educational Pyramid

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

Measure

In 2022, 1.03% of men over 25 years of age had not completed any academic degree (no schooling), while 0.811% of women were in the same situation.

This visualization shows the gender distribution of the population according to the academic level reached.

Educational Attainment

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

Race

The most common educational levels obtained by the working population in 2022 were High School or Equivalent (1.2M), Some college (811k), and Secondary Education (604k).

This visualization illustrates the percentage distribution of the population according to the highest educational level reached. You can filter the data by race by using the selector above.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Baton Rouge, LA was $232,300 in 2023, which is 0.766 times smaller than the national average of $303,400. Between 2022 and 2023 the median property value increased from $223,600 to $232,300, a 3.89% increase. The homeownership rate in Baton Rouge, LA is 69.1%, which is approximately the same as the national average of 65%.

People in Baton Rouge, LA have an average commute time of 27.1 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Baton Rouge, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Median household income in Baton Rouge, LA is $68,910. In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Baton Rouge, LA was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $92,266, followed by West Baton Rouge Parish, LA and Plaquemines Parish, LA, with respective values of $87,320 and $82,874.

Housing

Property

$232,300

Median Property Value 2023

±$2,564

$225,509

Median Property Taxes

±$4,365

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 Baton Rouge, LA the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

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

Rent vs Own

69.1%

Homeownership

2023

68.3%

Homeowners with Mortgage

2023

In 2023, 69.1% of the housing units in Baton Rouge, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 69.5%.

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

Equity

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2023, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Baton Rouge, LA was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $92,266, followed by West Baton Rouge Parish, LA and Plaquemines Parish, LA, with respective values of $87,320 and $82,874.

The following map shows all of the counties in Baton Rouge, LA colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$68,910

Median Household Income

± $1,516

326k

Number of Households

± 5,369

In 2023, the median household income of the 326k households in Baton Rouge, LA grew to $68,910 from the previous year's value of $67,979.

The following chart displays the households in Baton Rouge, 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.

Wage Distribution

The closest comparable wage GINI for Baton Rouge, LA is from Louisiana.

0.466

2022 Wage GINI in Louisiana

0.467

2021 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2022, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.313% decline from 2021 to 2022, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. 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.

Transportation

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2023

Drove Alone (81.3%)
Carpooled (8.75%)
Worked At Home (6.81%)

In 2023, 81.3% of workers in Baton Rouge, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.75%) and those who worked at home (6.81%).

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.

Commute Time

27.1 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Baton Rouge, LA have a longer commute time (27.1 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.6 minutes). Additionally, 2.62% of the workforce in Baton Rouge, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

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

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

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

Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

16% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Baton Rouge, LA (135k out of 844k people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.4%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 18 - 24, followed by Females 25 - 34 and then Males 18 - 24.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Baton Rouge, LA is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

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.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Health

91.8% of the population of Baton Rouge, LA has health coverage, with 46.8% on employee plans, 21.7% on Medicaid, 11.1% on Medicare, 11.1% on non-group plans, and 1.02% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see 1427 patients per year on average, which represents a 0.488% decrease from the previous year (1434 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1718 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 308 patients per year.

Coverage

Patient to Clinician Ratios

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

1,427 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Louisiana

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see an average of 1,427 patients per year. This represents a 0.488% decrease from the previous year (1,434 patients).

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

Health Care Diversity

In 2023, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 25.7% under 18 years, 23.3% between 18 and 34 years, 36.3% between 35 and 64 years, and 14.8% over 64 years.

By gender, of the total number of insured persons, 47.5% were men and 52.5% were women.

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

Uninsured People

8.17%

Uninsured

46.8%

Employer Coverage

21.7%

Medicaid

11.1%

Medicare

11.1%

Non-Group

1.02%

Military or VA

Between 2022 and 2023, the percent of uninsured citizens in Baton Rouge, LA grew by 2.95% from 7.94% to 8.17%.

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

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