1st Advantage MortgageThe median St. Martin Parish household earns $55,960, and 15% of residents live below the poverty line. A loan makes sense only if its total cost beats your alternatives and the payment fits your budget. Check the lender's Louisiana license first.
On this page
- St. Martin Parish at a glance
- Paychecks and income spread in St. Martin Parish
- St. Martin Parish housing compared with Louisiana
- Jobs and commutes in St. Martin Parish
- St. Martin Parish next to its neighbors
- The communities that make up St. Martin Parish
- Room for a loan payment in St. Martin Parish
- Borrowing situations common in St. Martin Parish
- People and households in St. Martin Parish
- Lender oversight for St. Martin Parish
- Before you sign
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
St. Martin Parish at a glance
With an estimated 51,353 residents (ACS 2020 to 2024), St. Martin Parish ranks 21st of 64 in Louisiana for population. Packed into 738 square miles, that is close to 70 residents for every square mile of land. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Lafayette, LA metropolitan area. Breaux Bridge is the biggest of its 7 Census places, at roughly 7,501 people (15% of the county total).
Paychecks and income spread in St. Martin Parish
Half of St. Martin Parish households take in less than $55,960 a year and half take in more, 8% below the Louisiana median of $60,756. That places it 29th among Louisiana's 64 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | St. Martin Parish | Gap to Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 31.7% | +1.0 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 41.8% | +2.5 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 21.4% | -0.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 5.0% | -2.8 pts |
Some 32% of households here live on less than $35,000 a year; 26% have six-figure incomes. The poverty rate is 15.3%, 4 points lower than the state's 18.9%. The Gini index of income inequality is 0.465 (0 is perfect equality). A household earning below the $55,960 median should test any payment carefully; one earning above it should still pick the shortest term it can manage.
St. Martin Parish housing compared with Louisiana
Median gross rent, utilities included, comes to $870 in St. Martin Parish versus $1,064 statewide. By the Census definition, 45% of St. Martin Parish renters are cost-burdened. Home values center on $164,200, or 2.9 years of median income. 78% of St. Martin Parish households own their home and 22% rent. Half the housing stock was built before 1986.
| St. Martin Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $870/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $164,200 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 78% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 45% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 20% | 28% | n/a |
| Vacant units | 18% | 14% | n/a |
In an owner-heavy county like St. Martin Parish, many borrowers can also choose a home equity loan or line of credit. Those can price lower but put the house on the line, so compare the two in writing; our personal loan vs. HELOC guide walks through it.
Jobs and commutes in St. Martin Parish
By the Census industry count, 23% of employed St. Martin Parish residents work in education and health care and 13% in retail trade. 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 St. Martin Parish averages 4.0% over 2020 to 2024 (state: 6.3%). Long commutes are the exception here: 14% of workers spend 45 minutes or longer getting to work. Households without a car make up 9.4% of the total (8.4% statewide).
| Sector | St. Martin Parish | Compared with Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 23.1% | -2.5 pts |
| Retail trade | 12.8% | +1.7 pts |
| Construction | 10.5% | +2.1 pts |
| Manufacturing | 8.9% | +1.3 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 7.6% | -2.2 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 6.9% | -2.3 pts |
A lender verifies what your own job pays. The county's industry mix tells you about the local economy, not about your application.
St. Martin Parish next to its neighbors
Nearest neighbors first, measured between county centers (18 to 38 miles). West Baton Rouge Parish leads the group on income ($87,299), Assumption Parish trails ($51,423), and St. Martin Parish out-earns 3 of the six.
| County | Miles | Median household income | Median rent | Homeownership |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Martin Parish | - | $55,960 | $870/mo | 78% |
| Iberville Parish, LA | 18 mi | $54,000 | $827/mo | 75% |
| Lafayette Parish, LA | 28 mi | $67,451 | $1,057/mo | 65% |
| West Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 30 mi | $87,299 | $973/mo | 77% |
| St. Mary Parish, LA | 35 mi | $52,576 | $848/mo | 69% |
| Assumption Parish, LA | 36 mi | $51,423 | $810/mo | 85% |
| Iberia Parish, LA | 38 mi | $56,961 | $897/mo | 67% |
The communities that make up St. Martin Parish
The table lists the 7 largest of 7 Census places in St. Martin Parish, by population. Together all 7 hold about 19,586 people, so roughly 62% of residents live outside any named place. Among places of 500 or more people, median income runs from $36,130 in St. Martinville to $86,458 in Parks. Median rent ranges from $736 in Henderson to $891 in Breaux Bridge. No St. Martin Parish place has a separate guide yet; this county page serves all 7.
| Place | Type | Population | Median income | Median rent | From county center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Breaux Bridge | city | 7,501 | $47,806 | $891 | 21 mi |
| St. Martinville | city | 5,297 | $36,130 | $765 | 13 mi |
| Henderson | town | 1,779 | $48,750 | $736 | 18 mi |
| Cecilia | CDP | 1,742 | $67,109 | $804 | 20 mi |
| Cade | CDP | 1,710 | $72,839 | n/a | 17 mi |
| Parks | village | 963 | $86,458 | n/a | 15 mi |
| Catahoula | CDP | 594 | $44,539 | n/a | 9 mi |
CDP: census-designated place, an unincorporated community mapped for statistics.
Room for a loan payment in St. Martin Parish
How much room does a median St. Martin 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: $4,663 before taxes
- Rent at the median, $870, takes 19% of that
- At 36%, room after rent is $809 a month
- At 43%, room after rent is $1,135 a month
Subtract what you already pay on other debts. A new payment should fit in what remains, with some to spare.
Borrowing situations common in St. Martin Parish
Where the St. Martin Parish numbers stand out, and why it matters for a loan:
- 25% mobile homes. Many are not titled as real estate, so home-equity options may not apply; an unsecured loan is the usual route.
- Getting ready. Gather pay stubs or benefit letters before you apply (checklist).
- Know your credit. Review all three bureau reports for free (AnnualCreditReport.com).
People and households in St. Martin Parish
Degree holders: 17% of adults over 25. 6.1% of residents have no health coverage.
| St. Martin Parish | Louisiana | U.S. county median | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.1 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 16.8% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 16.8% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.1% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 9.4% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 8.1% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 15.3% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.0% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Travel time to work | Workers |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 27.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.5% |
| 30 to 44 min | 26.8% |
| 45 to 59 min | 6.1% |
| 60+ min | 8.1% |
Lender oversight for St. Martin Parish
The Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions is the place to verify any lender's Louisiana license. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. Statewide data and rules: Louisiana guide.
Before you sign
Quick steps for St. Martin Parish:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in St. Martin Parish.
- Collect three written offers and compare APR and total repaid.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Pick the shortest term whose payment still fits.
Nearby and statewide guides
The Louisiana guide covers the whole state.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical St. Martin Parish household make?
About $55,960 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 8% below the Louisiana median.
Is St. Martin Parish expensive for renters?
Median rent is $870 against $1,064 statewide, and 45% of renter households are cost-burdened.
Should St. Martin Parish homeowners use home equity instead?
Maybe, but weigh the risk: 78% of St. Martin Parish homes are owner-occupied, and a home-equity loan or line is secured by the house while a personal loan usually is not.
What are the biggest places in St. Martin Parish?
By population: Breaux Bridge, St. Martinville, Henderson, Cecilia, Cade. The county has 7 Census places in all.
Does living in St. Martin Parish change what I qualify for?
Not in our fit check, which uses only the amount, credit range, income and payments you enter, the same for a St. Martin Parish resident as anyone. Lenders decide under fair-lending law.