1st Advantage MortgageAbout 65% of Lafayette Parish homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $67,451. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- A quick profile of Lafayette Parish
- Household income in Lafayette Parish
- Housing costs in Lafayette Parish
- Employment and commuting in Lafayette Parish
- Regional comparison for Lafayette Parish
- The communities that make up Lafayette Parish
- Debt-to-income at Lafayette Parish's medians
- Lafayette Parish residents: age, schooling, coverage
- Before borrowing in Lafayette Parish
- Before you sign
- Louisiana rules that apply in Lafayette Parish
- More guides for Lafayette Parish
- Frequently asked questions
A quick profile of Lafayette Parish
The latest five-year Census estimate puts Lafayette Parish's population at 247,997; only 4 of Louisiana's 64 county-level areas are larger. Land area is 269 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 923 per square mile. It is one of the counties that make up the Lafayette, LA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Lafayette is the biggest of its 8 Census places, at roughly 121,715 people (49% of the county total).
Household income in Lafayette Parish
The median household income in Lafayette Parish is $67,451; statewide it is $60,756, so Lafayette Parish runs 11% above Louisiana as a whole. In the state ranking that is 13th of 64.
| Band | Lafayette Parish | Compared with Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 27.4% | -3.3 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.4% | +0.1 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 24.1% | +2.0 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 9.1% | +1.3 pts |
About 27% of households earn under $35,000, while 33% clear $100,000. Census counts 17.1% of Lafayette Parish residents in poverty, against 18.9% across Louisiana. Income inequality, measured by the Gini index, comes to 0.501 here. A household earning below the $67,451 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
Housing costs in Lafayette Parish
A typical Lafayette Parish rental runs $1,057 a month including utilities. By the Census definition, 52% of Lafayette Parish renters are cost-burdened. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $242,900, about 3.6 times the median household income. Owners occupy 65% of homes. Median construction year: 1988.
| Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,057/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $242,900 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 65% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 23% | 28% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 10% | 14% | n/a |
When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Employment and commuting in Lafayette Parish
The biggest employer of Lafayette Parish residents, by industry, is education and health care at 25% of workers, followed by professional and administrative services (12%). Professional and administrative services stands out: 12% of workers here, versus 10% statewide. Averaged over the five survey years, 5.1% of the labor force was out of work and looking. Long commutes are the exception here: 9% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Only 6.6% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | Lafayette Parish | Gap to Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.5% | -0.1 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 12.1% | +2.3 pts |
| Retail trade | 11.3% | +0.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 9.2% | -0.1 pts |
| Construction | 7.2% | -1.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 6.1% | +0.9 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Regional comparison for Lafayette Parish
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (22 to 42 miles). Income ranges from $41,915 in Evangeline Parish to $55,960 in St. Martin Parish; none of these neighbors top Lafayette Parish's median.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | - | $67,451 | $1,057/mo | 65% |
| Acadia Parish, LA | 22 mi | $45,562 | $681/mo | 67% |
| St. Landry Parish, LA | 26 mi | $44,462 | $748/mo | 70% |
| St. Martin Parish, LA | 28 mi | $55,960 | $870/mo | 78% |
| Vermilion Parish, LA | 32 mi | $55,707 | $848/mo | 73% |
| Evangeline Parish, LA | 41 mi | $41,915 | $681/mo | 66% |
| Iberville Parish, LA | 42 mi | $54,000 | $827/mo | 75% |
The communities that make up Lafayette Parish
8 Census places fall mainly inside Lafayette Parish; the 8 biggest are below. They account for 180,038 residents, leaving about 27% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Broussard has the highest median household income on the list ($116,179) and Duson the lowest ($25,054), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Duson ($743) and steepest in Ossun ($1,296). No Lafayette Parish place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 8.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette | city | 121,715 | $61,915 | $1,100 | 2 mi |
| Youngsville | city | 17,427 | $105,876 | $1,278 | 9 mi |
| Broussard | city | 14,322 | $116,179 | $1,010 | 8 mi |
| Carencro | city | 11,619 | $63,401 | $944 | 7 mi |
| Scott | city | 8,609 | $56,299 | $1,052 | 3 mi |
| Milton | CDP | 2,793 | $105,625 | n/a | 6 mi |
| Ossun | CDP | 2,271 | $40,810 | $1,296 | 6 mi |
| Duson | town | 1,282 | $25,054 | $743 | 8 mi |
Debt-to-income at Lafayette Parish's medians
How much room does a median Lafayette Parish budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Median income divided by twelve: $5,621 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $1,057, takes 19% of that
- $910: what a 35% ratio leaves once rent is paid
- 45% debt-to-income limit: $1,472 left for all other debt payments
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of Lafayette Parish's.
Lafayette Parish residents: age, schooling, coverage
Degree holders: 35% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 8.7%, against 7.8% for Louisiana.
| Lafayette Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 36.5 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 35.3% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 9.8% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 8.7% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 6.6% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 10.4% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 17.1% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 5.1% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 30.3% |
| 15 to 29 min | 43.7% |
| 30 to 44 min | 16.7% |
| 45 to 59 min | 3.3% |
| 60+ min | 5.9% |
Before borrowing in Lafayette Parish
A few patterns in the Lafayette Parish data, and the practical point behind each:
- Rent squeeze. 52% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
- Requirements. Lenders weigh credit history, documented income and existing debt (what to gather).
- Check your file. An error fixed before you apply can change the offers a Lafayette Parish borrower sees (free reports).
Before you sign
Before you apply, wherever you live in Lafayette Parish:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in Lafayette Parish.
- Compare the total repaid on every offer, not just the payment.
- Confirm the lender is licensed in Louisiana.
- Read the final agreement; it must match the offer.
Louisiana rules that apply in Lafayette Parish
Consumer lenders serving Lafayette Parish are licensed by the state, not the county; in Louisiana that is 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.
More guides for Lafayette Parish
The Louisiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median household income in Lafayette Parish?
$67,451 a year in the 2020 to 2024 Census survey, versus $60,756 for Louisiana. It ranks 13th of 64 in the state.
How does Lafayette Parish rent compare with Louisiana?
$1,057 locally, close to the state figure.
Does this page cover Lafayette?
Yes, along with the other 7 Census places in Lafayette Parish, such as Youngsville, Broussard, Carencro.
Is the fit check different in Lafayette Parish?
No. It is identical everywhere, and it never looks at your neighborhood.
Where can someone in Lafayette Parish check a lender's license?
With the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. If a lender is unlicensed or asks for a fee before funding, walk away.