Overview
Lafayette Parish has 245,075 residents (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), the cultural and commercial center of Acadiana. It's the largest parish in the southern Louisiana metro region outside the New Orleans area. Median household income is $67,660 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 61% of U.S. counties. The poverty rate of 17.1% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is elevated. At 36.4 years, the median age is younger than 87% of U.S. counties (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023).
Demographics
The population is 62.5% white, 25.3% Black, 6.5% Hispanic or Latino, 1.9% Asian, and 0.1% Native American (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The Black share sits above about 88% of U.S. counties. Lafayette has a higher share of educated adults than most Louisiana parishes.
That young median age of 36.4 years (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is shaped by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and a services and energy economy that draws younger workers.
Education
Lafayette Parish schools enrolled 33,988 students (Education Data Portal, 2021). Per-pupil spending was $13,177 (Education Data Portal, 2020), below the national average and in the bottom 33% of counties. The student-teacher ratio of 18.6:1 (Education Data Portal, 2021) is above average nationally but manageable.
The graduation rate of 82.2% (Education Data Portal, 2019) is below the national average and ranks in the bottom 27% in Louisiana. Given the relatively low spending per student, the outcome isn't surprising, but it remains a gap in a parish that otherwise performs above average on economic indicators.
Economy & Employment
Median household income of $67,660 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) sits above 61% of U.S. counties. Per capita income of $39,092 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) is above 76% of counties. IRS data shows 114,080 tax returns with average AGI of $80,149 (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021), above 83% of counties nationally.
The labor force is 127,479, with 123,096 employed and an unemployment rate of 3.4% (BLS LAUS, Annual 2025). That rate is below most of Louisiana and below the national average, a genuine strength. Average commute is 20.8 minutes (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). The poverty rate of 17.1% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023) sits well above the national median despite decent income levels.
Housing & Cost of Living
Median home value is $234,200 (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), above 72% of U.S. counties. Median gross rent is $1,022 per month (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023). With a median household income of $67,660, the median home costs about 3.5 times annual income.
HUD Fair Market Rents for 2026 (HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026):
- Studio: $779
- One-bedroom: $898
- Two-bedroom: $1,019
- Three-bedroom: $1,301
- Four-bedroom: $1,581
Rent consumes roughly 18.1% of median monthly household income. That's a manageable ratio. The vacancy rate is 10% (Census ACS 5-Year, 2023), standard for this size market. The 43 disaster declarations in the FEMA record (detailed below) have influenced the local insurance market more than the rent figures suggest.
Health & Wellness
Lafayette Parish runs against the Louisiana grain on several health measures. Obesity affects 34.3% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), lower than 80% of U.S. counties. Diabetes prevalence is 11.9% (CDC PLACES, 2023), in the bottom third nationally. High blood pressure affects 37.1% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023), above 78% of counties.
The uninsured rate of 8% (CDC PLACES, 2023) is below 84% of counties. Annual checkup rates reach 81% (CDC PLACES, 2023), ranking in the top 2% nationally. Cholesterol screening is at 86.1% (CDC PLACES, 2023).
Depression at 26.2% (CDC PLACES, 2023) is above 73% of counties. Poor mental health days affect 18.7% of adults (CDC PLACES, 2023). The health picture here is better than most Louisiana parishes on chronic disease but carries real mental health burden.
Climate & Natural Disasters
Lafayette Parish averages 70.1°F annually, with highs around 79.8°F and lows near 60.4°F (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025). Annual precipitation totals 68.5 inches (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025), more than 99% of U.S. counties. No snowfall data was available for the parish (NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025).
FEMA records show 43 declared disasters (FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026), ranking in the top 2% nationally. The most recent was a winter storm emergency declaration on January 24, 2026. By type: 24 hurricanes, 7 floods, 4 coastal storms, 2 severe ice storms, 2 biological emergencies, 1 winter storm, 1 severe storm, 1 snowstorm, and 1 other.
Lafayette is squarely within the Gulf hurricane corridor. The 24 hurricane declarations span from 1965 to 2024, with 20 of the 43 total declarations occurring since 2018. The annual precipitation of 68.5 inches is one of the highest in the country, and flooding follows heavy rainfall consistently. These numbers matter for insurance premiums and long-term property costs.
Financial Profile
Total adjusted gross income across Lafayette Parish reached $9.14 billion from 114,080 tax returns (IRS Statistics of Income, 2021). Average AGI was $80,149 per return, ranking in the top 17% of counties nationally and 8th highest in Louisiana.
The parish has 43 FDIC-insured bank branches holding $2.56 billion in deposits (FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023), a healthy banking presence for a regional commercial center.
Social Security beneficiaries total 46,040 (SSA OASDI, 2024), about 18.8% of the population. That share is near the national middle, consistent with the younger age structure.
Key Comparisons
Lafayette Parish's strongest position is its labor market. Unemployment at 3.4% is among the lowest in Louisiana and below the national average. Per capita income and average AGI both sit well above most Louisiana parishes. The average AGI of $80,149 ranks in the top 17% of counties nationally.
The disaster record is the most significant risk factor. At 43 declarations, it's in the top 2% nationally. The annual precipitation of 68.5 inches compounds storm risk with routine flooding pressure.
Within Louisiana, Lafayette ranks near the top for income, higher than about 92% of parishes. Education spending is lower than the state's better-resourced parishes, and the graduation rate hasn't kept pace with the income profile. That's the clearest internal tension in the data.
The obesity rate of 34.3%, while still present, is below the national average, lower than about 80% of U.S. counties. The uninsured rate and preventive care engagement are genuine bright spots in a state that typically posts worse numbers on both.
Data Sources
- Census ACS 5-Year, 2023: Population, income, housing, demographics, education attainment, commute times, poverty
- BLS LAUS, Annual 2025: Employment and unemployment
- CDC PLACES, 2023: Health outcomes and preventive care
- HUD Fair Market Rents, 2026: Rental cost benchmarks
- FEMA OpenFEMA, 2026: Disaster declarations
- IRS Statistics of Income, 2021: Tax return data and income
- FDIC Summary of Deposits, 2023: Bank branches and deposits
- NOAA Climate Data Online, 2025: Temperature and precipitation
- SSA OASDI, 2024: Social Security beneficiaries
- Education Data Portal, 2019/2020/2021: School enrollment, spending, staffing, graduation rates