Louisiana

State

Add Comparison

2019 Population

4.65M

0.24% 1-year decline

US Senator

Bill Cassidy

Republican Party

US Senator

John Kennedy

Republican Party

2019 Median Age

37.7

1.07% 1-year increase

2019 Poverty Rate

19.2%

0.813% 1-year decrease

2019 Median Household Income

$51,073

6.61% 1-year growth

2019 Median Property Value

$172,100

2.87% 1-year growth

2019 Employed Population

1.94M

0.675% 1-year growth

About

In 2019, Louisiana had a population of 4.65M people with a median age of 37.7 and a median household income of $51,073. Between 2018 and 2019 the population of Louisiana declined from 4.66M to 4.65M, a −0.24% decrease and its median household income grew from $47,905 to $51,073, a 6.61% increase.

The 5 largest ethnic groups in Louisiana are White (Non-Hispanic) (58.2%), Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) (32.1%), White (Hispanic) (3.59%), Asian (Non-Hispanic) (1.74%), and Two+ (Non-Hispanic) (1.7%). 7.77% of the households in Louisiana speak a non-English language at home as their primary language.

97.5% of the residents in Louisiana are U.S. citizens.

The largest universities in Louisiana are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (7,127 degrees awarded in 2020), Tulane University of Louisiana (4,889 degrees), and University of Louisiana at Lafayette (3,653 degrees).

In 2019, the median property value in Louisiana was $172,100, and the homeownership rate was 66.5%. Most people in Louisiana drove alone to work, and the average commute time was 25.5 minutes. The average car ownership in Louisiana was 2 cars per household.

Louisiana borders Arkansas, Mississippi, and Texas.

Photo by Ka!zen

United States

Diversity

Louisiana is home to a population of 4.65M people, from which 97.5% are citizens. As of 2019, 4.18% of Louisiana residents were born outside of the country (194k people).

In 2019, there were 1.81 times more White (Non-Hispanic) residents (2.71M people) in Louisiana than any other race or ethnicity. There were 1.49M Black or African American (Non-Hispanic) and 167k White (Hispanic) residents, the second and third most common ethnic groups.

The most common foreign languages spoken in Louisiana are Spanish (169,454 speakers), French (Incl. Cajun) (72,567 speakers), and Vietnamese (27,216 speakers).

Race and Ethnicity

The 3 largest ethnic groups in Louisiana

White (Non-Hispanic)
2.71M ± 2.98k
Black or African American (Non-Hispanic)
1.49M ± 8.57k
White (Hispanic)
167k ± 7.59k

5.38%

Hispanic Population

250k people

5.38% of the people in Louisiana are hispanic (250k people).

The following chart shows the 7 races represented in Louisiana as a share of the total population.

Non-English Speakers

Most Common Languages

Spanish
169,454 speakers (3.89%)
French (Incl. Cajun)
72,567 speakers (1.67%)
Vietnamese
27,216 speakers (0.625%)

7.77% of Louisiana citizens are speakers of a non-English language, which is lower than the national average of 22%.

In 2019, the most common non-English language spoken in Louisiana was Spanish. 3.89% of the overall population of Louisiana are native Spanish speakers. 1.67% speak French (Incl. Cajun) and 0.625% speak Vietnamese, the next two most common languages.

Heritage

Foreign-Born Population

4.18%

2019 Foreign-Born Population

194k people

4.15%

2018 Foreign-Born Population

193k people

As of 2019, 4.18% of Louisiana residents (194k people) were born outside of the United States, which is lower than the national average of 13.7%. In 2018, the percentage of foreign-born citizens in Louisiana was 4.15%, meaning that the rate has been increasing.

The following chart shows the percentage of foreign-born residents in Louisiana compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Age by Nativity

Median Native-Born Age

± 0.2

Median Foreign-Born Age

± 1

In 2019, the median age of all people in Louisiana was 37.7. Native-born citizens, with a median age of 38, were generally younger than foreign-born citizens, with a median age of 41. But people in Louisiana are getting getting older. In 2018, the average age of all Louisiana residents was 37.

Global Diversity

Most Common Origin

Honduras
36,641 ± 4,681 people
Mexico
26,524 ± 3,987 people
Vietnam
21,986 ± 3,632 people

In 2019, the most common birthplace for the foreign-born residents of Louisiana was Honduras, the natal country of 36,641 Louisiana residents, followed by Mexico with 26,524 and Vietnam with 21,986.

Citizenship

97.5%

2019 Citizenship

97.5%

2018 Citizenship

As of 2019, 97.5% of Louisiana residents were US citizens, which is higher than the national average of 93.4%. In 2018, the percentage of US citizens in Louisiana was 97.5%, meaning that the rate of citizenship has been increasing.

The following chart shows US citizenship percentages in Louisiana compared to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Military

Veterans

Most Common Service Period

Vietnam
79,947 ± 4,382
Gulf War (2001-)
49,732 ± 4,572
Gulf War (1990s)
36,892 ± 3,666

Louisiana has a large population of military personnel who served in Vietnam, 1.61 times greater than any other conflict.

COVID-19

Daily New Cases by Date

Hospitalization data for some states may be delayed or not reported.

Y-Axis

This chart shows the number of COVID-19 daily new cases by date in Louisiana, as a 7-day rolling average, compared with the four states with the most similar number of confirmed cases.

View Full Dashboard

Unemployment Insurance Claims

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

This chart shows weekly unemployment insurance claims in Louisiana (not-seasonally adjusted) compared with the four states with the most similar impact.

The most recent data point uses Advance State Claims data, which can be revised in subsequent weeks.

View Full Dashboard

Employment by Industry Sector

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

Y-Axis

8.45%

Year-over-year growth

Employment change between May 2020 and May 2021

As of May 2021, there are 145M people employed in Louisiana. This represents a 8.45% increase in employment when compared to May 2020.

The following chart shows monthly employment numbers for each industry sector in Louisiana.

View Full Dashboard

Community Mobility

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

This chart presents movement trends over time in the state of Louisiana across different categories of places such as retail and recreation, groceries and pharmacies, parks, transit stations, workplaces, and residential.

View Full Dashboard

Economy

Median household income in Louisiana is $51,073. In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income in Louisiana was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $85,425, followed by St. Tammany Parish, LA and Livingston Parish, LA, with respective values of $69,076 and $62,187.

Males in Louisiana have an average income that is 1.49 times higher than the average income of females, which is $43,948. The income inequality in Louisiana (measured using the Gini index) is 0.466, which is lower than than the national average.

The economy of Louisiana employs 1.94M people. The largest industries in Louisiana are Construction (147,475 people), Elementary & secondary schools (136,944 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (132,176 people), and the highest paying industries are Oil & gas extraction ($132,620), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($105,437), and Natural gas distribution ($102,503).

Wages

Median Household Income

$51,073

2019 value

± $586

6.61%

1 Year Growth

± 1.8%

Households in Louisiana have a median annual income of $51,073, which is less than the median annual income of $65,712 across the entire United States. This is in comparison to a median income of $47,905 in 2018, which represents a 6.61% annual growth.

The following chart shows how the median household income in Louisiana compares to that of its neighboring and parent geographies.

Wage by Sex in Common Jobs

$65,353

Average Male Salary in Louisiana

± $1,612

$43,948

Average Female Salary in Louisiana

± $1,134

In 2019, full-time male employees in Louisiana made 1.49 times more than female employees.

This chart shows the sex-based wage disparity in the 5 most common occupations in Louisiana by number of full-time employees.

Wage by Race and Ethnicity in Common Jobs

Highest Average Salaries by Race & Ethnicity in Louisiana

American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races
$59,113 ± $31,409
Asian
$58,218 ± $9,931
White
$54,419 ± $1,244

In 2019 the highest paid race/ethnicity of Louisiana workers was American Indian and Alaska Native tribes specified; or American Indian or Alaska Native, not specified and no other races. These workers were paid 1.02 times more than Asian workers, who made the second highest salary of any race/ethnicity in Louisiana.

This chart shows the race- and ethnicity-based wage disparities in the 5 most common occupations in Louisiana by number of full-time employees.

Wage Distribution

0.466

2019 Wage GINI in Louisiana

0.466

2018 Wage GINI in Louisiana

In 2019, the income inequality in Louisiana was 0.466 according to the GINI calculation of the wage distribution. Income inequality had a 0.0926% decline from 2018 to 2019, which means that wage distribution grew somewhat more even. The GINI for Louisiana was lower than than the national average of 0.478. In other words, wages are distributed more evenly in Louisiana in comparison to the national average.

This chart shows the number of workers in Louisiana across various wage buckets compared to the national average.

Income by Location

Use the dropdown to filter by race/ethnicity.

Race/Ethnicity

Highest Median Household Income (Total)

In 2019, the county with the highest Median Household Income (Total) in Louisiana was Ascension Parish, LA with a value of $85,425, followed by St. Tammany Parish, LA and Livingston Parish, LA, with respective values of $69,076 and $62,187.

The following map shows all of the counties in Louisiana colored by their Median Household Income (Total).

Poverty by Age and Sex

Females 25 - 34

Largest Demographic Living in Poverty

19.2% of the population for whom poverty status is determined in Louisiana (871k out of 4.53M people) live below the poverty line, a number that is higher than the national average of 12.3%. The largest demographic living in poverty are Females 25 - 34, followed by Females 18 - 24 and then Females 35 - 44.

The Census Bureau uses a set of money income thresholds that vary by family size and composition to determine who classifies as impoverished. If a family's total income is less than the family's threshold than that family and every individual in it is considered to be living in poverty.

Poverty by Race and Ethnicity

Largest Race or Ethnicity Living in Poverty

Black
452,290 ± 4,981
White
362,541 ± 4,916
Hispanic
54,933 ± 1,979

The most common racial or ethnic group living below the poverty line in Louisiana is Black, followed by White and Hispanic.

Occupations

Employment by Occupations

1.94M

2019 Value

0.675%

1 Year growth

± 0.675%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Louisiana grew at a rate of 0.675%, from 1.93M employees to 1.94M employees.

The most common job groups, by number of people living in Louisiana, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (49,225 people), Other managers (47,029 people), and Cashiers (46,231 people). This chart illustrates the share breakdown of the primary jobs held by residents of Louisiana.

Most Common

The most common jobs held by residents of Louisiana, by number of employees, are Driver/sales workers & truck drivers (49,225 people), Other managers (47,029 people), and Cashiers (46,231 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Louisiana has an unusually high number of residents working as Riggers (11.4 times higher than expected), Sailors & marine oilers, & ship engineers (9.7 times), and Ship & boat captains & operators (8.52 times).

Highest Paid

The highest paid jobs held by residents of Louisiana, by average salary, are Physicians ($244,745), Surgeons ($190,785), and Petroleum, mining & geological engineers, including mining safety engineers ($167,321).

Industries

Employment by Industries

1.94M

2019 Value

0.675%

1 Year growth

± 0.675%

From 2018 to 2019, employment in Louisiana grew at a rate of 0.675%, from 1.93M employees to 1.94M employees.

The most common employment sectors for those who live in Louisiana, are Construction (147,475 people), Elementary & secondary schools (136,944 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (132,176 people). This chart shows the share breakdown of the primary industries for residents of Louisiana, though some of these residents may live in Louisiana and work somewhere else. Census data is tagged to a residential address, not a work address.

Most Common

The most common industries in Louisiana, by number of employees, are Construction (147,475 people), Elementary & secondary schools (136,944 people), and Restaurants & Food Services (132,176 people).

Most Specialized

Compared to other states, Louisiana has an unusually high number of Support activities for mining (8.09 times higher than expected), Petroleum refining (7.47 times), and Military Reserves or National Guard (7.04 times) industries.

Highest Paying

The highest paying industries in Louisiana, by average salary, are Oil & gas extraction ($132,620), Securities, commodities, funds, trusts & other financial investments ($105,437), and Natural gas distribution ($102,503).

Domestic Trade

Domestic Production & Consumption

Domestic production and consumption consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.

Top Domestic Production in Dollars

Gasoline
$49.3B
Fuel oils
$48.1B
Coal-n.e.c.
$37.7B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana product (by dollars) was Gasoline with $49.3B, followed by Fuel oils ($48.1B) and Coal-n.e.c. ($37.7B).

The following chart shows the share of these products in relation to all outbound Louisiana products.

Domestic Trade Growth

Showing data for Louisiana.

$380B

2020 Value in Louisiana

$689B

Projected 2050 Value in Louisiana

81% growth

In 2020, total outbound Louisiana trade was $380B. This is expected to increase 81% to $689B by 2050.

The following chart shows how the domestic outbound Louisiana trade is projected to change in comparison to its neighboring states.

Interstate Trade

Interstate trade consists of products and services shipped from Louisiana to other states, or from other states to Louisiana.

Most Common Trade Partners

Texas
$43.9B
Mississippi
$24.1B
Illinois
$7.47B

In 2020, the top outbound Louisiana domestic partner for goods and services (by dollars) was Texas with $43.9B, followed by Mississippi with $24.1B and Illinois and $7.47B.

The following map shows the amount of trade that Louisiana shares with each state (excluding itself).

Civics

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.01%). The most partisan county was Cameron County, LA with 90.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing the state of Louisiana. In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house, and members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms.

Presidential Popular Vote Over Time

2020 Election Results

Donald J. Trump (58.5%)
Republican Party
Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.9%)
Democratic Party
Jo Jorgensen (1.01%)
Libertarian Party

In the 2020 presidential election, the popular vote in Louisiana went to Donald J. Trump with 58.5% of the vote. The runner-up was Joseph R Biden Jr. (39.9%), followed by Jo Jorgensen (1.01%).

The following chart shows the popular vote results in Louisiana for each registered party from 1976 to 2020.

Presidential Popular Vote by County

Donald J. Trump

Popular Vote for Louisiana

58.5% for the Republican Party

Most Partisan Counties in Louisiana

Cameron County, LA
90.9% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
LaSalle County, LA
90.1% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)
Grant County, LA
86.4% for Donald J. Trump (Republican Party)

In the 2020 presidential election, the most partisan county in Louisiana was Cameron County, LA with 90.9% of the vote going to Donald J. Trump running for the Republican Party.

The following map shows the counties in Louisiana colored by their party leaning.

US Senators from Louisiana

Bill Cassidy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2015

John Kennedy

Senator from Louisiana

Assumed office on January 3, 2017

Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy are the senators currently representing Louisiana.

In the United States, senators are elected to 6-year terms with the terms for individual senators staggered.

The following chart shows elected senators in Louisiana over time, excluding special elections, colored by their political party.

US Representatives from Louisiana

Louisiana is currently represented by 6 members in the U.S. house.

Members of the House of Representives are elected to 2-year terms, and the following chart shows the how the members for Louisiana have changed over time starting in 2008.

Education

In 2020, universities in Louisiana awarded 65,978 degrees. The student population of Louisiana is skewed towards women, with 94,715 male students and 159,071 female students.

Most students graduating from Universities in Louisiana are White (36,560 and 57.3%), followed by Black or African American (17,358 and 27.2%), Hispanic or Latino (3,591 and 5.63%), and Unknown (2,201 and 3.45%).

The largest universities in Louisiana by number of degrees awarded are Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College (7,127 and 10.8%), Tulane University of Louisiana (4,889 and 7.41%), and University of Louisiana at Lafayette (3,653 and 5.54%).

The most popular majors in Louisiana are General Studies (6,174 and 9.36%), General Business Administration & Management (4,355 and 6.6%), and Registered Nursing (2,960 and 4.49%).

The median tuition costs in Louisiana are $17,455 for private four year colleges, and $5,532 and $13,164 respectively, for public four year colleges for in-state students and out-of-state students.

Concentrations

Most Common

General Business Administration & Management
1,683 degree-majorss awarded
General Biological Sciences
1,398 degree-majorss awarded
Registered Nursing
1,847 degree-majorss awarded

In 2020, the most common concentation for Bachelors Degree recipients in Louisiana was General Business Administration & Management with 1,683 degrees awarded.

This visualization illustrates the percentage of students graduating with a Bachelors Degree from schools in Louisiana according to their major.

Universities

Largest Universities by degrees awarded

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College
7,127 degrees awarded
Tulane University of Louisiana
4,889 degrees awarded
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
3,653 degrees awarded

$5,532

Median In-State Public

$17,455

Median Private

In 2020, the Louisiana institution with the largest number of graduating students was Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College with 7,127 degrees awarded.

Student Sex for Common Institutions

26,066

Degrees Awarded to Men

39,912

Degrees Awarded to Women

In 2020, 26,066 men were awarded degrees from institutions in Louisiana, which is 0.653 times less than the 39,912 female students who received degrees in the same year.

This chart displays the sex disparity between the institutions in Louisiana by degrees awarded.

Student Race and Ethnicity

Most Common Student Race or Ethnicity

White
36,560 degrees awarded
Black or African American
17,358 degrees awarded
Hispanic or Latino
3,591 degrees awarded

In 2020 the most common race/ethnicity group awarded degrees at institutions in Louisiana was White students. These 36,560 degrees mean that there were 2.11 times more degrees awarded to White students then the next closest race/ethnicity group, Black or African American, with 17,358 degrees awarded.

Housing & Living

The median property value in Louisiana was $172,100 in 2019, which is 0.716 times smaller than the national average of $240,500. Between 2018 and 2019 the median property value increased from $167,300 to $172,100, a 2.87% increase. The homeownership rate in Louisiana is 66.5%, which is higher than the national average of 64.1%. People in Louisiana have an average commute time of 25.5 minutes, and they drove alone to work. Car ownership in Louisiana is approximately the same as the national average, with an average of 2 cars per household.

Housing

Property Value

$172,100

2019 Median

± $1,937

$167,300

2018 Median

± $1,737

In 2019, the median property value in Louisiana grew to to $172,100 from the previous year's value of $167,300.

The following charts display, first, the property values in Louisiana compared to it's parent and neighbor geographies and, second, owner-occupied housing units distributed between a series of property value buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Louisiana the largest share of households have a property value in the $200k - $250k range.

Household Income

Please note that the buckets used in this visualization were not evenly distributed by ACS when publishing the data.

$51,073

Median Household Income

± $586

1.74M

Number of Households

± 23,458

In 2019, the median household income of the 1.74M households in Louisiana grew to $51,073 from the previous year's value of $47,905.

The following chart displays the households in Louisiana distributed between a series of income buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households have an income in the $75k - $100k range.

Property Taxes

< $800

Average Range

This chart shows the households in Louisiana distributed between a series of property tax buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. In Louisiana the largest share of households pay taxes in the < $800 range.

Rent vs Own

66.5%

2019 Homeownership

65.5%

2018 Homeownership

In 2019, 66.5% of the housing units in Louisiana were occupied by their owner. This percentage grew from the previous year's rate of 65.5%.

This percentage of owner-occupation is higher than the national average of 64.1%. This chart shows the ownership percentage in Louisiana compared it's parent and neighboring geographies.

Commute Time

25.5 minutes

Average Travel Time

Using averages, employees in Louisiana have a shorter commute time (25.5 minutes) than the normal US worker (26 minutes). Additionally, 3.43% of the workforce in Louisiana have "super commutes" in excess of 90 minutes.

The chart below shows how the median household income in Louisiana compares to that of it's neighboring and parent geographies.

Commuter Transportation

Most Common Commute in 2019

Drove Alone (82.1%)
Carpooled (8.78%)
Worked At Home (3.94%)

In 2019, 82.1% of workers in Louisiana drove alone to work, followed by those who carpooled to work (8.78%) and those who worked at home (3.94%).

The following chart shows the number of households using each mode of transportation over time, using a logarithmic scale on the y-axis to help better show variations in the smaller means of commuting.

Transportation

Car Ownership

2 cars

Average Number

The following chart displays the households in Louisiana distributed between a series of car ownership buckets compared to the national averages for each bucket. The largest share of households in Louisiana have 2 cars, followed by false.

Health

91.1% of the population of Louisiana has health coverage, with 40.6% on employee plans, 25.8% on Medicaid, 11.9% on Medicare, 11.1% on non-group plans, and 1.66% on military or VA plans.

Per capita personal health care spending in Louisiana was $7,815 in 2014. This is a 4.38% increase from the previous year ($7,487).

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see 1466 patients per year on average, which represents a 2.01% decrease from the previous year (1496 patients). Compare this to dentists who see 1778 patients per year, and mental health providers who see 329 patients per year.

Comparing across all counties in the state, Claiborne Parish has the highest prevalence of diabetes (25.4%). Additionally, Sabine Parish has the highest prevalence of adult obesity (50.8%)

Patient to Clinician Ratios

1,466 to 1

Patient to Primary Care Physician Ratio in Louisiana

Primary care physicians in Louisiana see an average of 1,466 patients per year. This represents a 2.01% decrease from the previous year (1,496 patients).

The following chart shows how the number of patients seen by primary care physicians has been changing over time in Louisiana in comparison to its neighboring geographies.

Behavioral Health Conditions

Data only available at the state level.

State with the Highest Prevalence

West Virginia
8.26% of the population affected
Arkansas
8.13% of the population affected
New Hampshire
7.98% of the population affected

In 2016, West Virginia had the highest prevalence of adults with major depressive episode, with 8.26% of the population affected. The second highest is Arkansas (8.13%), followed by New Hampshire (7.98%).

The following map shows the percent of individuals with major depressive episode by state over multiple years.

Social Needs

Data only available at the state level.

Most prevalent states

California
35,798 individuals
New York
5,087 individuals
Florida
4,915 individuals

In 2017, California had the highest estimated number of chronically homeless individuals in the nation, at 35,798. New York has the second highest (5,087), followed by Florida (4,915).

The following map shows the estimated number of chronically homeless individuals by state over multiple years.

Access and Quality

Data only available at state level.

Most prevalent states

Mississippi
19.2% of adults
Texas
17.9% of adults
Louisiana
17.6% of adults

In 2016, Mississippi had the highest prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost, at 19.2%. It is followed by Texas (17.9%) and Louisiana (17.6%).

The following map shows the prevalence of adults who haven't seen a doctor in the past 12 months due to cost by state over multiple years.

Health Care Spending

Data is only available at the state level. Showing data for Louisiana.

$7,815

Total Per Capita Spending on Personal Health Care in Louisiana

$4,420

Per Enrollee Private Health Insurance Spending on Personal Health Care

$6,281

Per Enrollee Medicaid Spending on Personal Health Care

$11,811

Per Enrollee Medicare Spending on Personal Health Care

Between 2013 and 2014, all personal health care spending per capita in Louisiana (including private, Medicare, and Medicaid) grew 4.38%, from $7,487 to $7,815.

The following chart shows how this spending changed over time in comparison to Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance spending, per enrollee.

Health Care Coverage

8.9%

Uninsured

40.6%

Employer Coverage

25.8%

Medicaid

11.9%

Medicare

11.1%

Non-Group

1.66%

Military or VA

Between 2018 and 2019, the percent of uninsured citizens in Louisiana grew by 11.7% from 7.98% to 8.9%.

The following chart shows how the percent of uninsured individuals in Louisiana changed over time compared with the percent of individuals enrolled in various types of health insurance.