Lafayette, LA

Census Place

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2024 Population
121,715
US Senator
Bill Cassidy
Republican Party
US Senator
John Kennedy
Republican Party
2024 Median Age
36.9
0.539% 1-year decrease
2024 Poverty Rate
18.3%
4.02% 1-year decrease
2024 Median Household Income
$61,915
0.75% 1-year growth
2024 Median Property Value
$257,000
2.27% 1-year growth
2024 Employed Population
58,924
0.312% 1-year growth

About

None of the households in Lafayette, 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.

95.4% of the residents in Lafayette, LA are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Lafayette, 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, LA was $257,000, and the homeownership rate was 53.1%.

Most people in Lafayette, LA drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 20 minutes. The average car ownership in Lafayette, 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 Parish, LALafayette, LAAcadiana Regional Development District 3--Lafayette Parish (North) PUMA, LAAcadiana Regional Development District 4--Lafayette Parish (South) PUMA, LAAcadiana Regional Development District 5--Iberia & St. Martin Parishes PUMA, LA

Population & Diversity

Lafayette, LA is home to a population of 122k people, from which 95.4% are citizens. As of 2024, 6.98% of Lafayette, LA residents were born outside of the country (8.5k people).

In 2024, there were 1.94 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (68.3k people) in Lafayette, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 35.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 7.1k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

Population & Diversity

Citizenship

95.4%
2024 Citizenship
96%
2023 Citizenship

As of 2024, 95.4% of Lafayette, LA residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.2%. In 2023, the percentage of US citizens in Lafayette, LA was 96%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been decreasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Lafayette, 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, LA
  1. White (Non-Hispanic)
    68.3k ± 1.8k
  2. Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
    35.3k ± 1.86k
  3. Two Races Including Other (Hispanic)
    7.1k ± 1.05k
8.1%
Hispanic Population
9.85k people

In 2024, there were 1.94 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (68.3k people) in Lafayette, LA than any other race or ethnicity. There were 35.3k Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 7.1k Two Races Including Other (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

8.1% of the people in Lafayette, LA are hispanic (9.85k people).

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

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Global Diversity

The PUMS dataset is not available at the Place 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

6.98%
2024 Foreign-Born Population
8.5k people
6.52%
2023 Foreign-Born Population
7.92k people

As of 2024, 6.98% of Lafayette, LA residents (8.5k 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, LA was 6.52%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

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

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Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period
  1. Vietnam
    1,977 ± 459
  2. Gulf War (2001-)
    1,559 ± 407
  3. Gulf War (1990s)
    776 ± 245

Lafayette, LA has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.27 times greater than any other conflict.

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

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Economy

The economy of Lafayette, LA employs 58.9k people. In 2024, the largest industries in Lafayette, LA were Health Care & Social Assistance (9,035 people), Retail Trade (7,200 people), and Educational Services (6,164 people), and the highest paying industries were Management of Companies & Enterprises ($250,001), Mining, Quarrying, & Oil & Gas Extraction ($93,118), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($86,075).

Employment

Occupations

58.9k
2024 Value
± 2,361
0.312%
1 Year growth
± 5.58%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lafayette, LA grew at a rate of 0.312%, from 58.7k employees to 58.9k employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Lafayette, LA, are Sales & Related Occupations (7,968 people), Management Occupations (6,048 people), and Office & Administrative Support Occupations (4,912 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Lafayette, 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

58.9k
2024 Value
± 2,361
0.312%
1 Year growth
± 5.58%

From 2023 to 2024, employment in Lafayette, LA grew at a rate of 0.312%, from 58.7k employees to 58.9k employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Lafayette, LA, are Health Care & Social Assistance (9,035 people), Retail Trade (7,200 people), and Educational Services (6,164 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Lafayette, LA, though some of these residents may live in Lafayette, 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

$52,693
Median earning men ± $4,314
$35,133
Median earning women ± $2,661

The industries with the best median earnings for men in 2024 are Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($92,721), Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($75,823), and Wholesale Trade ($72,750).

The industries with the best median earnings for women in 2024 are Finance & Insurance, & Real Estate & Rental & Leasing ($61,087), Public Administration ($49,159), and Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing & Hunting, & Mining ($48,646).

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

Most students graduating from Universities in Lafayette, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, 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, LA was General Psychology with 136 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Lafayette, 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, 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, LA was $257,000 in 2024, which is 0.772 times smaller than the national average of $332,700. Between 2023 and 2024 the median property value increased from $251,300 to $257,000, a 2.27% increase. The homeownership rate in Lafayette, LA is 53.1%, which is lower than the national average of 65.2%.

People in Lafayette, LA have an average commute time of 20 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Lafayette, LA is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property

$257,000
Median Property Value 2024
±$8,693
$28,138
Median Property Taxes
±$1,439

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

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

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Rent vs Own

53.1%
Homeownership
2024
67.3%
Homeowners with Mortgage
2024

In 2024, 53.1% of the housing units in Lafayette, LA were occupied by their owner. This percentage declined from the previous year's rate of 55%.

This chart shows the percentage of owner in Lafayette, 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.
$61,915
Median Household Income
± $2,564
53k
Number of Households
± 2,165

In 2024, the median household income of the 53k households in Lafayette, LA grew to $61,915 from the previous year's value of $61,454.

The following chart displays the households in Lafayette, 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, 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 (80.4%)
  2. Worked At Home (9.9%)
  3. Carpooled (5.46%)

In 2024, 80.4% of workers in Lafayette, LA drove alone to work, followed by those who worked at home (9.9%) and those who carpooled to work (5.46%).

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

20 minutes
Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Lafayette, LA have a shorter commute time (20 minutes) than the normal US worker (26.4 minutes). Additionally, 1.78% of the workforce in Lafayette, LA have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Lafayette, 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, LA distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Lafayette, LA have 2 cars.

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Poverty

Poverty & Diversity

18.3% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Lafayette, LA (21.9k out of 119k 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 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Lafayette, 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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Health

89.7% of the population of Lafayette, LA has health coverage, with 39.9% on employee plans, 22.1% on Medicaid, 13.2% on Medicare, 12.7% on non-group plans, and 1.79% on military or VA plans.

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see 1,441 patients per year on average, which represents a 0% change from the previous year (1,441 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1692 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 283 patients per year.

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

Coverage

Health Care Diversity

In 2024, insured persons according to age ranges were distributed in 22.4% under 18 years, 25% between 18 and 34 years, 35.6% between 35 and 64 years, and 17% 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

10.3%
Uninsured
39.9%
Employer Coverage
22.1%
Medicaid
13.2%
Medicare
12.7%
Non-Group
1.79%
Military or VA

Between 2023 and 2024, the percent of uninsured citizens in Lafayette, LA grew by 7.65% from 9.53% to 10.3%.

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

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