1st Advantage MortgageThe median Concordia Parish household earns $39,943, and 32% of residents live below the poverty line. Your income, debts and credit decide what you qualify for. Get offers in writing, compare the total repaid, and never pay a fee up front.
On this page
- Who lives in Concordia Parish
- Income in Concordia Parish compared with Louisiana
- Employment and commuting in Concordia Parish
- What it costs to live in Concordia Parish
- Towns and communities in Concordia Parish
- Counties near Concordia Parish
- What a median Concordia Parish budget can carry
- Local borrowing considerations for Concordia Parish
- Concordia Parish residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Lender oversight for Concordia Parish
- Checklist for Concordia Parish applicants
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
Who lives in Concordia Parish
Concordia Parish is home to about 18,174 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 49th most populous of 64 county-level areas in Louisiana. Spread over 696 square miles, that works out to roughly 26.1 residents per square mile. It sits outside every metropolitan statistical area in the July 2023 OMB delineation. The Census Bureau counts 7 places in the county (4 incorporated, 3 census-designated); the largest is Vidalia, with about 3,928 residents, or 22% of the county.
Income in Concordia Parish compared with Louisiana
The median household income in Concordia Parish is $39,943; statewide it is $60,756, so Concordia Parish runs 34% below Louisiana as a whole.
| Yearly household income | Concordia Parish | Gap to Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 43.9% | +13.1 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.7% | +0.3 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 12.0% | -10.1 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 4.5% | -3.3 pts |
The spread is wide: 16% of Concordia Parish households make $100,000 or more, and 44% make less than $35,000. Census counts 31.8% of Concordia Parish residents in poverty, against 18.9% across Louisiana. If your income is irregular, as it often is with tips, gig work or seasonal jobs, plan around your leaner months rather than the Concordia Parish median.
Employment and commuting in Concordia Parish
The biggest employer of Concordia Parish residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by construction (9%). The sharpest difference from the state is in agriculture, forestry and mining, at 7% locally and 3% for Louisiana. The survey's unemployment rate for Concordia Parish averages 11.7% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.3%). About 88% drive to work alone and 10% have trips of 45 minutes or more.
| Industry | Share of Concordia Parish workers | vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 24.7% | -0.8 pts |
| Construction | 9.3% | +0.9 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.3% | -0.5 pts |
| Public administration | 9.0% | +3.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 7.7% | -3.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 7.3% | +1.4 pts |
If your hours swing with the season or with overtime, size a loan payment against your base pay, not your best month.
What it costs to live in Concordia Parish
Renters in Concordia Parish pay a median of $771 a month, 28% below the Louisiana figure of $1,064. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 57% of renter households here. Home values center on $103,800, or 2.6 years of median income. 74% of Concordia Parish households own their home and 26% rent. Median construction year: 1977.
| Concordia Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $771/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $103,800 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 74% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 57% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 34% | 28% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 23.2% | 12.6% | n/a |
Owners with equity have a second option. Weigh a secured line against an unsecured loan by risk as well as cost before you choose (how they compare). Rent pressure is real here, so run any payment through the debt-to-income calculator before you apply.
Towns and communities in Concordia Parish
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in Concordia Parish, by population. Together all 7 hold about 10,503 people, so roughly 42% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $28,467 in Ferriday to $48,250 in Vidalia. None of the 7 has its own city guide, so this page covers all of them.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vidalia | town | 3,928 | $48,250 | $1,127 | 13 mi |
| Ferriday | town | 3,098 | $28,467 | $765 | 12 mi |
| Minorca | CDP | 1,430 | $36,113 | $470 | 11 mi |
| Ridgecrest | town | 1,007 | $41,910 | $971 | 11 mi |
| Spokane | CDP | 442 | $97,361 | n/a | 19 mi |
| Monterey | CDP | 326 | $139,519 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Clayton | town | 272 | $30,962 | $442 | 18 mi |
Counties near Concordia Parish
Distances run center to center, from Adams County at 16 miles out to Jefferson County at 39. Income ranges from $35,311 in Wilkinson County to $68,497 in LaSalle Parish; 3 of these neighbors top Concordia Parish's median. The list crosses into Mississippi, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Concordia Parish | - | $39,943 | $771/mo | 74% |
| Adams County, MS | 16 mi | $43,644 | $734/mo | 68% |
| Catahoula Parish, LA | 19 mi | $50,275 | $821/mo | 78% |
| Wilkinson County, MS | 28 mi | $35,311 | $686/mo | 78% |
| Avoyelles Parish, LA | 34 mi | $39,325 | $757/mo | 70% |
| LaSalle Parish, LA | 35 mi | $68,497 | $657/mo | 81% |
| Jefferson County, MS | 39 mi | $38,305 | $448/mo | 83% |
What a median Concordia Parish budget can carry
Concordia Parish at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- Start: $3,329 gross per month ($39,943 / 12)
- Less median rent of $771, which is 23% of it
- 36% debt-to-income limit: $427 left for all other debt payments
- 43% debt-to-income limit: $660 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Concordia Parish's.
Local borrowing considerations for Concordia Parish
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for Concordia Parish borrowers.
- Manufactured homes. 23% of Concordia Parish housing units are mobile homes, and their repairs are often paid with unsecured loans. Get the quote in writing.
- 32% below poverty. Emergency aid, payment plans and counseling (list) come first.
- 57% rent-burdened. A payment on top of high rent needs a cushion; size it with the calculator.
Concordia Parish residents: age, schooling, coverage
17% of Concordia Parish adults 25 and older hold a bachelor's degree or more. The uninsured rate is 9.8%, against 7.8% for Louisiana.
| Measure | Concordia Parish | Louisiana statewide | Typical U.S. county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 38.4 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 17.2% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.8% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 9.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 10.4% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 3.9% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 31.8% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 11.7% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Minutes to work | Concordia Parish workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 39.9% |
| 15 to 29 min | 39.1% |
| 30 to 44 min | 11.6% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.2% |
| 60+ min | 6.4% |
Lender oversight for Concordia Parish
Concordia Parish borrowers fall under statewide rules, enforced by the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Louisiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Checklist for Concordia Parish applicants
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Concordia Parish.
- Line up offers side by side: APR, fees in dollars, total cost.
- Look the lender up with the state regulator first.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Related local guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Louisiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in Concordia Parish earn?
The median is $39,943; 16% earn $100,000 or more and 44% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How much is rent in Concordia Parish?
Median gross rent, utilities included, is $771 a month; 57% of renters spend 30% or more of income on it.
I own my home in Concordia Parish. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 74% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Does this page cover Vidalia?
Yes, along with the other 6 Census places in Concordia Parish, such as Ferriday, Minorca, Ridgecrest.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in Concordia Parish or elsewhere in Louisiana, the same rules apply.