Lafayette Parish, Louisiana Population and Demographics

In this article, we'll explore the population statistics for Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, including popular demographics data like median age, number of households, household income, gender, employment and unemployment rates, occupations, religion, and more.

We are using the latest American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year survey data from the US Census Bureau, which is accurate up to 2021.

Table of Contents

Population

There is a lot of data that lets us see how many people live in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. The most basic data is the total population, which is the total number of people living in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. The estimated population of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana is 241,173 people, with a median age of 35.8.

We can look at the total population in Lafayette Parish over the last 5 years to see how much it has changed.

Year Population Change 5-Year Change
2021
241,173
 -1.03% +1.24%
2020
243,692
+0.71%
-
2019
241,973
+0.78%
-
2018
240,091
+0.78%
-
2017
238,230
 - -

Population of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana by Race and Ethnicity

We can also look at how the population has changed over the last 5 years by each of the race/ethnicity types as defined by the US Census Bureau.

Race 2021 2017 Change
White
64.6%
66.1%
 -2.27%
Black/African American
25.6%
25.6%
 0.00%
Native
0.1%
0.2%
 -50.00%
Hispanic
4.6%
4.6%
 0.00%
Asian
1.8%
1.8%
 0.00%
Hawaiian/Pacific Islander
0%
0%
 0.00%
Two Or More Races
2.7%
1.6%
 +68.75%
Other
0.4%
0.2%
 +100.00%

This data can be very important for a number of reasons, including social and economic research, planning and development, and marketing to a multi-cultural population.

Note that the Native group includes both Native American and Alaskan Native people.

Population of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana by Age and Gender

The age and gender of a population is another interesting demographic statistic because it lets us track trends in the population over time. For example, we can see how the population has changed over the last 5 years by median age as a total, and also by male and female.

Year Total Male Female
2021 35.8 +0.85% 35.1 +1.15% 36.4 +0.55%
2020 35.5 +0.85% 34.7 +1.46% 36.2 0%
2019 35.2 +0.86% 34.2 +0.88% 36.2 +1.12%
2018 34.9 +1.16% 33.9 +1.19% 35.8 +0.85%
2017 34.5 - 33.5 - 35.5 -

The median age of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana gives you an idea of the age distribution, with half of the population being older than the median age and half being younger.

This can then be used to infer and compare against birth rates, parent ages, and more metrics to understand the population. For example, an increasing median age indicates an aging population, which can be a sign of a declining population in terms of birth rates and workforce participation.

Age 2021 2017
(Years) Male Female Male Female
0 to 9 16,816 -6.17% 15,768 -1.06% 15,801 15,574
10 to 19 15,042 +7.67% 15,444 +3.08% 16,228 15,892
20 to 29 19,637 -15.34% 19,488 -11.51% 16,783 17,335
30 to 39 18,083 +4.55% 17,137 +14.65% 18,894 19,759
40 to 49 13,605 +6.06% 14,763 -5.97% 14,421 13,882
50 to 59 14,443 +1.88% 16,412 -5.02% 14,699 15,578
60 to 69 11,310 +5.83% 12,225 +15.37% 11,926 14,177
70+ 7,425 +19.26% 10,632 +6.27% 8,941 11,283

Median Household Income

The latest median household income of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana is $63,311.00.

In simple terms, the median income is the middle income of a group of people. Half of the people in the group make more than the median income, and half make less. The median income is a good indicator of the overall income of a group of people, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more.

Median Income by Age

We can also look at the median income by age to see how the median income varies by age, and how it compares to the overall median income for Lafayette Parish.

  • Under 25
    $33,092.00
  • 25 to 44
    $72,958.00
  • 45 to 64
    $69,424.00
  • 65 and over
    $44,712.00

Average Household Income

Whenever we ask what is the average household income in Lafayette Parish, we are actually talking about the mean household income.

This is calculated by adding up all the incomes of all the households in Lafayette Parish, and then dividing that number by the total number of households. This is a good way to get a general idea of the average income of a group of people, but it can be skewed by a very high or very low incomes.

The average household income of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana is currently $87,196.00.

In terms of accurately summarizing income at a geographic level, the median income is a better metric than the average income because it isn't affected by a small number of very high or very low incomes.

If you had an area where the average income was greater than the median, it can mean that there is significant income inequality, with income being concentrated in a small number of wealthy households.

7.70% of households in Lafayette Parish are classed as high income households (making $200,000+ per year).

Household Income Tiers

The US Census Bureau divides households into income tiers based on the median income for the area. This is a good way to compare the income of Lafayette Parish against other areas.

  • Less than $24,999
    22.00%
  • $25,000 to $49,999
    19.79%
  • $50,000 to $74,999
    15.33%
  • $75,000 to $99,999
    13.22%
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    15.25%
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    6.71%
  • $200,000 or more
    7.70%

Per Capita Income

The per capita income in Lafayette Parish is $35,485.00.

Per capita income is the average income of a person in a given area. It is calculated by dividing the total income of Lafayette Parish by the total population of Lafayette Parish.

This is different from the average or mean income because it includes and accounts for all people in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, including people like children, the elderly, unemployed people, retired people, and more.

Education Levels

We can also look at the education levels in Lafayette Parish to see how many people have a high school degree, a bachelor's degree, or a graduate degree.

Educational attainment is a good indicator of the overall education level of a population, and can be used to compare against other metrics such as the average income, per capita income, and more to see how education levels affect income, unemployment rates, and more.

  • Master's degree or higher
    11.69%
  • Bachelor's degree
    36.73%
  • Some college or associate's degree
    8.25%
  • High school diploma or equivalent
    41.05%
  • Less than high school diploma
    2.28%

Employment

Employment rates are all based around the total population in Lafayette Parish that are over the age of 16.

The total population of Lafayette Parish over the age of 16 is 189,211.

Of those people, a total of 65.70% are working or actively looking for work. This is called the labor force participation rate.

The participation rate is a useful market measure because it shows the relative amount of labor resources available to the economy.

The employment to total population rate in Lafayette Parish is 62.20%.

Employment by Age

We can look at the employment rates by age to see how it compares to the overall employment rate.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
16 to 19 years 11,533 34.40% 16.60%
20 to 24 years 15,419 73.80% 9.80%
25 to 29 years 18,699 88.80% 7.10%
30 to 34 years 19,567 85.70% 5.20%
35 to 44 years 33,137 83.60% 3.60%
45 to 54 years 28,276 78.00% 4.50%
55 to 59 years 16,253 68.00% 3.40%
60 to 64 years 13,974 54.60% 2.50%
65 to 74 years 20,340 30.70% 1.80%
75 years and over 12,013 8.10% 2.20%

Employment by Race

Another very interesting employment statistic we can look at is the employment and unemployment rates by race in Lafayette Parish. The table below shows the rates for each of the ethnicity groups types defined by the US Census Bureau.

Age Population Participation Unemployment Rate
White 130,447 66.50% 4.00%
Black or African American 46,298 62.70% 9.10%
American Indian and Alaska Native 370 49.50% 0.00%
Asian 3,415 68.00% 1.60%
Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander 109 0.00% 0.00%
Other 2,064 85.20% 7.80%
Two or more races 6,508 65.60% 5.50%
Hispanic or Latino 7,910 67.10% 7.20%
Not Hispanic or Latino 126,672 66.60% 4.00%

Occupations

In this section we can look at the most common occupations in Lafayette Parish as well as the gender breakdown and earnings of them.

The total population of civilian employees that are 16 years old or older in Lafayette Parish is 117,712, with median earnings of $41,117.00.

Women in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana earning approximately 58.60% of the men's earnings.

Population Earnings
Total 117,712 $41,117.00
Male 61,014 $53,549.00
Female 56,698 $31,389.00

Occupations by Category

In the table below, we can break down the population and earnings even further by occupation. The list of occupation categories below will show you how many people are employed in each category and the median earnings of each profession.

Occupation Employed Earnings
Management 11,090 $66,976.00
Business and Financial 7,049 $67,710.00
Computer and Mathematical 2,583 $65,564.00
Architecture and Engineering 2,716 $86,821.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 965 $74,476.00
Community and Social Service 1,950 $36,741.00
Legal 1,782 $112,250.00
Educational and Library 8,797 $42,820.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 1,784 $31,614.00
Healthcare Practitioners 9,451 $56,860.00
Healthcare Support 3,300 $21,176.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 780 $53,416.00
Law Enforcement 793 $50,625.00
Food Preparation and Serving 7,013 $13,629.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 3,639 $22,775.00
Personal Care and Service 3,414 $18,531.00
Sales 14,921 $35,547.00
Office and Administrative Support 13,076 $33,177.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 182 $102,619.00
Construction and Extraction 6,836 $43,413.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 3,080 $54,702.00
Production 5,176 $48,898.00
Transportation and Material Moving 4,373 $41,904.00

Occupations by Gender

The table below shows the same occupations from the list above, but we have split them by male and female to see how many male and females work in each occupation, the median earnings, and the male to female ratio of earnings.

That last metric is important because it can be used to look at the gender pay gap between men and women.

Occupation Male Female
Population Earnings Population Earnings
Management 7,375 $83,840.00 3,715 $50,933.00
Business and Financial 3,583 $80,396.00 3,466 $53,858.00
Computer and Mathematical 1,759 $70,336.00 824 $52,206.00
Architecture and Engineering 2,448 $90,480.00 268 $68,561.00
Life, Physical, and Social Science 594 $71,094.00 371 $77,292.00
Community and Social Service 579 $37,475.00 1,371 $35,402.00
Legal 1,260 $160,182.00 522 $54,643.00
Educational and Library 1,895 $32,410.00 6,902 $43,169.00
Arts, Design, Entertainment, Sports, and Media 873 $34,583.00 911 $31,315.00
Healthcare Practitioners 2,623 $115,756.00 6,828 $51,689.00
Healthcare Support 192 $21,859.00 3,108 $20,997.00
Firefighters and Protective Service 693 $53,673.00 87 $34,511.00
Law Enforcement 509 $72,589.00 284 $39,810.00
Food Preparation and Serving 3,099 $13,943.00 3,914 $13,450.00
Building and Grounds Cleaning 1,606 $27,232.00 2,033 $18,466.00
Personal Care and Service 791 $25,636.00 2,623 $14,352.00
Sales 7,833 $53,024.00 7,088 $22,179.00
Office and Administrative Support 2,715 $43,671.00 10,361 $31,305.00
Farming, Fishing, and Forestry 182 $102,619.00 0 $0.00
Construction and Extraction 6,725 $43,773.00 111 $20,956.00
Installation, Maintenance, and Repair 3,020 $55,075.00 60 $25,982.00
Production 4,456 $53,601.00 720 $21,408.00
Transportation and Material Moving 3,748 $47,060.00 625 $14,786.00

Households and Family Size

A household defined bu the US Census Bureau is a group of people who occupy a housing unit. A housing unit is a house, apartment, mobile home, group of rooms, or single room occupied as separate living quarters.

There are currently 95,607 households in Lafayette Parish, with an average household size of 2.47 people.

A family is defined as a group of two or more people related by birth, marriage, or adoption who live together in the same household.

There are 60,839 families in Lafayette Parish with an average family size of 3.09 people.

Households by Marital Status

The four categories of household by marital status are:

  • Married-couple family
  • Male householder with no spouse present
  • Female household with no spouse present
  • Nonfamily household

The table below shows the total number of households and families, with the average sizes of each.

Married Male Female Nonfamily
Total Households 44,098 4,128 12,613 34,768
Average Household Size 3.08 3.27 3.39 1.28
Total Families 44,098 4,128 12,613 0
Average Household Size 3.06 2.94 3.24 0

Poverty

Of the 60,839 families in Lafayette Parish, 11.80% are considered to be below the poverty threshold.

The table below shows the latest poverty thresholds in Lafayette Parish:

Household Size Poverty Threshold
1 Person $14,580.00
2 People $19,720.00
3 People $24,860.00
4 People $30,000.00
5 People $35,140.00
6 People $40,280.00
7 People $45,420.00
8 People $50,560.00

Housing

There are 106,978 housing units in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.

The table below shows the split between occupied and vacant units:

Total Percentage
Occupied 95,607 89.37%
Vacant 11,371 10.63%

27.53% of the total 106,978 housing units in Lafayette Parish are rental units. This is approximately 29,455 properties.

For owner-occupied housing units, a total of 63,522 are occupied by the owner - or 59.38% of the total.

Rental Rates

The median rent for a property in Lafayette Parish is $919.00.

In the chart below, we can look at the number of rental properties in Lafayette Parish that fall into a particular rent range. These can then be used to compare with other areas, or to see how they have changed over time.

  • No rent paid
    2,630
  • Less than $500
    2,373
  • $500 to $999
    15,407
  • $1,000 to $1,499
    8,889
  • $1,500 to $1,999
    2,152
  • $2,000 to $2,499
    469
  • $2,500 to $2,999
    48
  • $3,000 or more
    117

Property Value

The median value of a property in Lafayette Parish is $195,300.00.

Just like with rental rates, we can look at the number of properties in Lafayette Parish that fall into a particular value range.

  • Less than $50,000
    5,033
  • $50,000 to $99,999
    5,786
  • $100,000 to $149,999
    8,110
  • $150,000 to $199,999
    14,126
  • $200,000 to $299,999
    16,442
  • $300,000 to $499,999
    10,313
  • $500,000 to $999,999
    2,975
  • $1,000,000 or more
    737

Property Age

We can also look at the age of properties in Lafayette Parish. The chart below shows the number of properties in Lafayette Parish that fall into a particular age range.

  • 1939 or earlier
    2,472
  • 1940 to 1949
    2,717
  • 1950 to 1959
    7,541
  • 1960 to 1969
    9,838
  • 1970 to 1979
    18,240
  • 1980 to 1989
    19,361
  • 1990 to 1999
    13,243
  • 2000 to 2009
    15,415
  • 2010 to 2013
    17,922
  • 2014 or later
    229

Vehicles per Household

The number of vehicles available per household can be a good indicator of the level of affluence in an area. The chart below shows the number of households in Lafayette Parish that have a particular number of vehicles available.

  • No vehicles available
    6,729
  • 1 vehicle available
    33,879
  • 2 vehicles available
    40,465
  • 3 or more vehicles available
    14,534

Commuting to Work

In this section, we can also look at how people in Lafayette Parish get to work. The chart below shows the number of people in Lafayette Parish that commute to work in a particular way.

24.2 minutes is the average travel time to work for people in Lafayette Parish.

These commute times can be compared to other date like income and educational levels to see how they relate to each other and if there are any trends in the data that might suggest a correlation.

  • Less than 5 minutes
    2,919
  • 5 to 9 minutes
    9,822
  • 10 to 14 minutes
    19,827
  • 15 to 19 minutes
    21,920
  • 20 to 24 minutes
    16,695
  • 25 to 29 minutes
    7,127
  • 30 to 34 minutes
    14,370
  • 35 to 39 minutes
    1,854
  • 40 to 44 minutes
    2,220
  • 45 to 59 minutes
    4,259
  • 60 to 89 minutes
    3,684
  • 90 or more minutes
    3,810

Summary

We've covered a LOT of demographic and population data for Lafayette Parish, Louisiana in this article! Hopefully you have found it very useful in your research of the area.

If you use any of the data found on this page, please consider linking back to USPopulation.org as the source and if you have any feedback or data requests, click here to contact us.

Places in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

We have data for 14 places in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana. Click on a place below to see more information about the demographics of that place.