1st Advantage MortgageSt. James Parish households have a median income of $65,531 and median rent of $903 a month (ACS 2020 to 2024). 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
- St. James Parish at a glance
- St. James Parish housing compared with Louisiana
- Household income in St. James Parish
- Jobs and commutes in St. James Parish
- Cities, towns and CDPs in St. James Parish
- Counties near St. James Parish
- Room for a loan payment in St. James Parish
- Before borrowing in St. James Parish
- More St. James Parish figures
- Before you sign
- Louisiana rules that apply in St. James Parish
- Related local guides
- Frequently asked questions
St. James Parish at a glance
With an estimated 19,528 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), St. James Parish ranks 46th of 64 in Louisiana for population. Packed into 238 square miles, that is close to 82 residents for every square mile of land. It is one of the counties that make up the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area (OMB, 2023). Lutcher is the biggest of its 13 Census places, at roughly 2,991 people (15% of the county total).
St. James Parish housing compared with Louisiana
A typical St. James Parish rental runs $903 a month including utilities, which is 15% below Louisiana. Rent takes 30% or more of income for 64% of renter households here. Home values center on $211,800, or 3.2 years of median income. The ownership rate is 84%.
| St. James Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $903/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $211,800 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 84% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 64% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 22% | 28% | n/a |
| Mobile homes | 18.6% | 12.6% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 13% | 14% | 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). 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?
Household income in St. James Parish
At $65,531, the typical St. James Parish household income sits near the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 17th among Louisiana's 64 county-level areas.
| Household income | St. James Parish | vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 28.2% | -2.5 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 38.6% | -0.7 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 22.0% | -0.2 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 11.2% | +3.4 pts |
About 28% of households earn under $35,000, while 33% clear $100,000. 11.1% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 18.9%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.473 (0 is perfect equality). Income from any regular source can count, including Social Security, pensions and disability benefits, as long as you can document it.
Jobs and commutes in St. James Parish
Manufacturing employs 22% of working residents, the largest share; education and health care is next with 22%. The sharpest difference from the state is in manufacturing, at 22% locally and 8% for Louisiana. ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.1% in St. James Parish. 19% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more each way, and 5% work from home. 5.6% of households have no vehicle.
| Industry (employed residents 16+) | St. James Parish | Gap to Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 21.7% | +14.2 pts |
| Education and health care | 21.5% | -4.0 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.2% | +1.2 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 9.9% | +0.1 pts |
| Construction | 7.0% | -1.4 pts |
| Transportation, warehousing and utilities | 6.3% | +0.4 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
Cities, towns and CDPs in St. James Parish
The table lists the 13 largest of 13 Census places in St. James Parish, by population. Together all 13 hold about 18,121 people, so roughly 7% of residents live outside any named place. Hester has the highest median household income on the list ($138,879) and North Vacherie the lowest ($37,083), counting places with at least 500 residents. Rent is cheapest in Welcome ($609) and steepest in Lutcher ($1,712). No St. James Parish place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 13.
| Town or CDP | Type | People | Median household income | Median gross rent | Miles from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lutcher | town | 2,991 | $60,375 | $1,712 | 6 mi |
| South Vacherie | CDP | 2,954 | $81,310 | $1,325 | 9 mi |
| Gramercy | town | 2,814 | $67,813 | $1,236 | 7 mi |
| Grand Point | CDP | 2,341 | $88,674 | n/a | 3 mi |
| North Vacherie | CDP | 1,905 | $37,083 | n/a | 5 mi |
| Paulina | CDP | 1,785 | $88,839 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Welcome | CDP | 796 | $56,250 | $609 | 6 mi |
| Hester | CDP | 654 | $138,879 | n/a | 1 mi |
| Convent | CDP | 637 | n/a | n/a | 2 mi |
| Union | CDP | 526 | $71,563 | n/a | 7 mi |
| St. James | CDP | 431 | n/a | n/a | 3 mi |
| Moonshine | CDP | 261 | $35,625 | n/a | 4 mi |
| Romeville | CDP | 26 | n/a | n/a | 4 mi |
Counties near St. James Parish
Distances run center to center, from Ascension Parish at 14 miles out to Iberville Parish at 38. 4 of the six report a higher median household income than St. James Parish; Ascension Parish is highest at $91,549 and Assumption Parish lowest at $51,423.
| Adjacent area | How far | HH income (median) | Rent (median) | Owner share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. James Parish | - | $65,531 | $903/mo | 84% |
| Ascension Parish, LA | 14 mi | $91,549 | $1,318/mo | 81% |
| Assumption Parish, LA | 18 mi | $51,423 | $810/mo | 85% |
| St. John the Baptist Parish, LA | 20 mi | $66,630 | $1,334/mo | 77% |
| St. Charles Parish, LA | 27 mi | $80,897 | $1,210/mo | 82% |
| Livingston Parish, LA | 29 mi | $80,122 | $1,151/mo | 81% |
| Iberville Parish, LA | 38 mi | $54,000 | $827/mo | 75% |
Room for a loan payment in St. James Parish
St. James Parish at the medians, through a lender's eyes (what DTI means):
- $5,461 a month: gross income for a household at the St. James Parish median
- Less median rent of $903, which is 17% of it
- Under a 35% cap, $1,911 total minus rent leaves $1,008
- Under a 45% cap, $2,457 total minus rent leaves $1,554
Lenders set their own limits and look beyond the ratio. The DTI calculator uses your figures instead of St. James Parish's.
Before borrowing in St. James Parish
What the St. James Parish figures suggest, and what to check first:
- Vehicle repairs. 19% of St. James Parish workers commute 45+ minutes, so a breakdown can cost a paycheck. Get two written estimates.
- Repairs on manufactured housing. With 19% of homes here, compare a personal loan with any dealer or park repair program.
- Rent squeeze. 64% of renters spend 30%+ of income on rent; borrow only if the loan cuts what you pay overall.
More St. James Parish figures
Degree holders: 19% of adults over 25. The uninsured rate is 4.7%, against 7.8% for Louisiana.
| St. James Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.8 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 19.5% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 12.2% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 4.7% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 5.6% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 5.4% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.1% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.1% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| One-way commute | Share of St. James Parish workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 23.8% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.2% |
| 45 to 59 min | 8.8% |
| 60+ min | 9.7% |
Before you sign
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Price the St. James Parish expense first and borrow that amount, no more.
- Shop at least three lenders, including one St. James Parish-area credit union.
- Verify the Louisiana license before giving out your Social Security number.
- Ask about early-payoff penalties.
Louisiana rules that apply in St. James Parish
No county office licenses personal lenders. For St. James Parish, check the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau accepts complaints nationwide. See the Louisiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Related local guides
The Louisiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
How much do households in St. James Parish earn?
The median is $65,531; 33% earn $100,000 or more and 28% under $35,000. A lender uses your own documented income, not this figure.
How does St. James Parish rent compare with Louisiana?
$903 locally versus $1,064 for the state, 15% below.
I live in a small St. James Parish town. Is this my guide?
Yes. If your town has no city guide, this county page is the local one; it covers Lutcher, South Vacherie, Gramercy, Grand Point, North Vacherie and 8 more.
Does my county matter to the questionnaire?
Only your state does. Whether you live in St. James Parish or elsewhere in Louisiana, the same rules apply.
Who regulates personal lenders for St. James Parish residents?
The Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions licenses consumer lenders in Louisiana; the CFPB takes complaints about any lender, and the FTC wants to hear about fee-first offers.