City · LA · #239 nationally
Lafayette, Louisiana population is 123,311 as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau Vintage 2025 estimate), ranking #239 nationally and #4 in Louisiana. Cost of living runs 13% below the U.S. average (BEA RPP 2024); a family of four needs roughly $78,728/yr to break even (2025 modeled). This profile draws on 13 federal datasets covering population, housing, income, employment, climate, and risk.
2025 population
123,311
+623 in the last year
Top 2% of 19,483 U.S. cities
Census Vintage 2025
Cost of living
RPP 87.2
−13% vs US
Lafayette, LA metro · BEA 2024
Family-of-4 budget
$78,728/yr
−1.7% vs US
Modeled 2025 · federal sources
Median HH income
$61,915
−20% vs US
ACS 2020–2024 5-yr
Median home value
$257,000
−15% vs US
ACS 2020–2024 5-yr
2-BR fair-market rent
$1,019/mo
HUD FY2026 · 40th pct
Avg July high
91°F
NOAA 1991–2020
Gigabit broadband
90%
ISP-reported, FCC BDC
Explore Lafayette, LA demographics, including age, race and ethnicity, households, origins, language, and education.
123,311 people live in Lafayette as of July 1, 2025 (U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025), the #239 largest U.S. city.
Lafayette covers 56.4 square miles of land and 0.1 square miles of water. Its population density is about 2,185 residents per square mile of land. Compare U.S. cities by land area →
2025 population
Known limit: Annual estimate, not a decennial count; each new PEP vintage can revise the prior series.
Population grew 1.6% from the April 2020 base to mid-2025.
Vintage 2025 · annual estimates
2020 base: 121,393 → 2025: 123,311 (+1.6%)
| Year | Population | Reference date |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 base | 121,393 | April 1, 2020 |
| 2020 | 121,457 | July 1, 2020 |
| 2021 | 121,536 | July 1, 2021 |
| 2022 | 121,736 | July 1, 2022 |
| 2023 | 122,020 | July 1, 2023 |
| 2024 | 122,688 | July 1, 2024 |
| 2025 | 123,311 | July 1, 2025 |
These figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Vintage 2019 release — a separate, earlier methodology. They’re shown here as historical context only; the 2010 and 2019 values aren’t directly comparable to the 2020–2025 series above.
Population grew 3.6% from the July 2010 estimate to 2019 (V2019 — see seam note below).
2010 base: 121,667 → 2019: 126,185 (+3.6%)
| Year | Population | Reference date |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 base | 121,667 | April 1, 2010 |
| 2010 | 121,836 | July 1, 2010 |
| 2011 | 122,674 | July 1, 2011 |
| 2012 | 123,587 | July 1, 2012 |
| 2013 | 124,873 | July 1, 2013 |
| 2014 | 126,036 | July 1, 2014 |
| 2015 | 126,922 | July 1, 2015 |
| 2016 | 127,221 | July 1, 2016 |
| 2017 | 126,526 | July 1, 2017 |
| 2018 | 126,371 | July 1, 2018 |
| 2019 | 126,185 | July 1, 2019 |
Lafayette is the #239 largest of 19,483 U.S. cities and #4 in Louisiana.
| Measure | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 base | 121,393 | April 1, 2020 census base |
| 5-yr change | +1,918 | 2020 base → 2025; within V2025 |
| 5-yr change % | +1.6% | within V2025 only |
| 1-yr change | +623 | 2024 → 2025 estimate |
| 1-yr change % | +0.5% | within V2025 only |
| Density | 2,185 | people per sq mi, land only |
| Land area | 56.4 | sq mi (2025 Gazetteer) |
| U.S. rank by population | #239 | of 19,483 cities |
| State rank by population | #4 | of 305 in Louisiana |
Place type · partially_consolidated
Lafayette is a partially consolidated city-parish government. The population shown reflects the Census Bureau's published estimate for the place, not the surrounding parish/county total. See the methodology for inclusion rules.
Median household income is 20% below the U.S. median ($61,915 vs $77,719); 18.3% live in poverty — 5.8 points above the 12.5% U.S. rate.
Lafayette: $61,915 — 20% below the US median of $77,719.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with ACS income data
Income and poverty estimates for Lafayette from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year estimates (window 2020–2024). Every figure is shown with its 90% margin of error (MOE). Cells where the ± margin exceeds half the estimate are flagged "low precision." See methodology §12.
| Measure | Estimate | ± margin / note |
|---|---|---|
| Median household income | 61,915-20.3% vs US | ±2,564 |
| Per capita income | 40,517-6.4% vs US | ±1,703 |
| Population in poverty | 18.3% | share of population for whom poverty status is determined |
Source: ACS 5-Year 2020–2024 · ACS 5-Year Estimates 2020-2024 (released 2026-01-29) · methodology →
Median home value is 15% below the U.S. median ($257,000 vs $303,400); median rent is 18% below ($1,100 vs $1,348); price-to-income ratio (4.2×) is roughly in line with the U.S. median (3.9×).
Lafayette: $257,000 — 15% below the US median of $303,400.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with ACS home-value data
Lafayette: $1,019/mo — 5% below the US median of $1,077/mo.
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of cities with a HUD Fair Market Rent
Owner-occupied home values, renter costs, and tenure split from the ACS 5-Year (2020–2024). All figures inflation-adjusted to 2024 dollars by Census.
| Measure | Estimate | ± margin / note |
|---|---|---|
| Median value, owner-occupied units | 257,000-15.3% vs US | ±8,693 |
| Median gross rent | 1,100-18.4% vs US | ±27 |
| HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-BR (FY2026) | $1,019+7.9% vs US | Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area· 40th-percentile gross rent · HUD methodology |
| Owner-occupied share | 53.1% | of occupied housing units |
| Price-to-income ratio | 4.2x+6.3% vs US | median home value ÷ median household income · U.S. median: 3.9x |
| Rent-burdened (≥30% of income) | 46.6%+1.4% vs US | share of renter households · U.S. median: 46% |
| Severely rent-burdened (≥50%) | 25.7%+17.0% vs US | share of renter households · U.S. median: 22% |
Source: ACS 5-Year 2020–2024 · methodology →
Spans 1 county; 16.5% poverty rate; 3.6% unemployment.
Poverty (Census SAIPE 2024, model-based), unemployment (BLS LAUS 2024 annual averages), and remote-work share (ACS 2020–2024) for Lafayette. Numbers are labeled at their native grain — place-grain when BLS publishes it, otherwise per-county. We do not compute population-weighted county averages. See methodology §13.
| Measure | Value | Grain |
|---|---|---|
| Unemployment rate (annual avg) | 3.8% | Lafayette (BLS sub-state LAUS) |
| Civilian labor force | 61,479 | 2024 annual avg |
| Worked from home | 9.9%-29.3% vs US | share of workers 16+ commuting from home · U.S. median: 14% · ACS |
County context — Lafayette sits in Lafayette Parish:
| County | Poverty rate | Median HH income | Unemployment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | 16.5% | $66,072 | 3.6% |
Top industries by private employment — NAICS supersectors rolled up from Lafayette's linked county in the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW, 2024 annual averages). See methodology §11.
| # | Industry (NAICS supersector) | Private employment | Avg weekly wage |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Health care and social assistance (62) | 25,942 | $1,085 / wk |
| #2 | Retail trade (44-45) | 16,848 | $713 / wk |
| #3 | Accommodation and food services (72) | 14,784 | $417 / wk |
| #4 | Manufacturing (31-33) | 9,820 | $1,287 / wk |
| #5 | Professional and technical services (54) | 9,188 | $1,557 / wk |
What workers earn in the Lafayette, LA metro — top occupations by employment plus six curated benchmarks (registered nurse, software developer, elementary teacher, general manager, retail salesperson, truck driver). Wages are metro-area medians from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025). See methodology §25.
Home Health and Personal Care Aides is the largest tracked occupation in the Lafayette, LA metro (5,200 jobs, median $21,400/yr).
| Occupation | Employment | Median annual | Median hourly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,200 | $21,400 | $10.29 |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,500 | $32,600 | $15.67 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,480 | $22,320 | $10.73 |
| Cashiers | 4,480 | $24,920 | $11.98 |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,240 | $34,510 | $16.59 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,410 | $15,080 | $7.25 |
| Food Preparation Workers | 3,260 | $22,920 | $11.02 |
| Retail Salespersons · benchmark | 5,010 | $28,600 | $13.75 |
| Registered Nurses · benchmark | 4,930 | $81,960 | $39.41 |
| General and Operations Managers · benchmark | 4,590 | $99,510 | $47.84 |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers · benchmark | 2,920 | $49,450 | $23.77 |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education · benchmark | 950 | $47,770 | — |
| Software Developers · benchmark | 660 | $109,010 | $52.41 |
Source: SAIPE 2024 · BLS LAUS 2024 annual averages · BLS QCEW 2024 · BLS OEWS May 2025 · methodology →
Cost of living summary
All items run 12.8% below the U.S. average (RPP 87.2); rents run 41.2% below (RPP 58.8) — the metro's housing affordability is the main driver.
Lafayette's cost of living runs 12.8% below the U.S. average (RPP 87.2 vs 100).
Scale: 10th–90th percentile of metro/non-metro areas with a BEA price parity
| BEA Regional Price Parity (all items) | RPP 87.2 | −12.8% vs U.S. average · BEA 2024 · Lafayette, LA metro |
| HUD Fair Market Rent, 2-BR | $1,019/mo | FY2026 · Lafayette, LA HUD Metro FMR Area |
| State income tax (top marginal rate) | 3.00% | flat · TY2025 |
| Family-of-four monthly budget total | $6,561/mo | 3BR rent + food + childcare + taxes + transport · federal sources |
| Single-adult monthly budget total | $3,904/mo | 1BR rent + food + taxes + transport · federal sources |
| Local income tax | — | not applicable in Louisiana · no modeled local income tax |
Household budget figures are arithmetic floors using current federal sources at the grains documented in methodology. Not a recommended salary, not a poverty threshold, not a composite score.
Source: BEA RPP 2024 · HUD FMR · federal pipelines · methodology →
7.0% foreign-born (U.S. median 14%); Spanish is the most-spoken language at home other than English (5.3% of residents 5+).
A quick read on Lafayette's residents — nativity and languages spoken at home shown above, from the ACS 5-Year 2020–2024. The full demographic breakdown (age, race and ethnicity, household types, and educational attainment, each with its margin of error) lives on the demographics page.
Source: ACS 5-Year 2020–2024 · methodology →
Hottest month: August (92°F avg high). Coldest: January (42°F avg low). Annual precipitation: 62.7 in.
30-year climate normals (1991-2020) for Lafayette from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. See methodology §15 for the gridded vs. station source path.
Average monthly highs & lows · 30-year normal (NOAA 1991–2020). Every number on this chart is an average.
Avg July high
91°F33°C
Hottest typical month, daytime
Avg January low
42°F6°C
Coldest typical month, overnight
Annual precipitation
62.7 in1592 mm
Sum of monthly normals
Hottest / coldest month
Aug / Jan
92°F high / 42°F low33°C high / 6°C low
Months ≥90°F avg high
3
Out of 12, NOAA 1991–2020
| Month | Avg high (°F)Avg high (°C) | Avg low (°F)Avg low (°C) | Precip (in)Precip (mm) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62.016.7 | 42.25.7 | 5.92150 |
| Feb | 65.918.8 | 46.27.9 | 4.35110 |
| Mar | 72.522.5 | 51.911.1 | 3.8798 |
| Apr | 78.725.9 | 58.014.4 | 5.00127 |
| May | 85.429.7 | 65.918.8 | 5.26134 |
| Jun | 90.132.3 | 71.922.2 | 6.77172 |
| Jul | 91.433.0 | 73.823.2 | 6.02153 |
| Aug | 92.033.3 | 73.523.1 | 6.34161 |
| Sep | 88.631.4 | 69.120.6 | 5.17131 |
| Oct | 81.027.2 | 58.714.8 | 4.66118 |
| Nov | 71.321.8 | 49.29.6 | 4.59117 |
| Dec | 64.217.9 | 44.26.8 | 4.75121 |
Source: nClimGrid 1991-2020 v1.0, nearest cell at 30.1875, -92.0208 · methodology →
Composite risk score: 95.2/100 — Relatively High nationally; top hazard: Lightning (98.7).
Natural-hazard exposure for Lafayette from the U.S. Federal Emergency Management Agency's National Risk Index (FEMA NRI December 2025 v1.20.0). NRI is an expected-annual-loss composite calibrated on 1996–2019 historical losses, published at the U.S. county grain. See methodology §17.
| County | NRI composite | Rating | Top hazards |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | 95.2 | Relatively High | Lightning 98.7 Very HighHurricane 98.4 Very HighCold Wave 97.6 Relatively High |
Source: FEMA National Risk Index · FEMA NRI December 2025 v1.20.0 · methodology →
11 non-satellite ISPs serve the area; 90% of locations have gigabit-capable service per ISP filings.
Fixed broadband availability for Lafayette from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission's Broadband Data Collection (BDC), as of June 30, 2025. Every speed and provider count below is an ISP-reported advertised maximum — not measured throughput. Actual delivered speeds typically run 60–80% of advertised. See methodology §16.
| Measure | Value | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Providers serving this city | 11 + satellite | distinct ISPs, excluding satellite-only |
| Fiber providers | 9 | offer fiber-to-the-premises somewhere in the BDC |
| Units with ≥100/20 Mbps fixed | 100.0% | share of broadband-serviceable units, ISP-reported max |
| Locations with ≥100 Mbps upload | 89.9% | derived: max(fiber ≥100/20, gigabit). Fiber is symmetric; gigabit is ≥100 up by definition |
| Units with ≥1 Gbps fixed | 89.9% | share of broadband-serviceable units, ISP-reported max |
| Total broadband-serviceable units | 70,748 | residential locations in the FCC Fabric (not households) |
Source: FCC BDC · as of June 30, 2025 · methodology →
Lafayette sits at state rank #4 among 305 cities in Louisiana. Nearby in the state ranking:
| State rank | City | 2025 population |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | New Orleans | 362,154 |
| #2 | Baton Rouge | 222,795 |
| #3 | Shreveport | 175,902 |
| #5 | Lake Charles | 82,676 |
| #6 | St. George | 78,536 |
| #7 | Kenner | 65,136 |
See the full ranking: every city in Louisiana →
Lafayette is ranked #239 of 19,483 U.S. cities by 2025 population.
Nearby in the rankings
Just above in the profiled set: Rochester, MN · #238 · 124,292 residents.
Just below in the profiled set: Vallejo, CA · #240 · 123,287 residents.
Sources: elevation from USGS Elevation Point Query Service (3DEP) · nearest airport from OurAirports CSV (FAA-aligned, type=large/medium, scheduled_service=yes) · best months derived from NOAA 1991-2020 normals · methodology →
Lafayette has 123,311 residents as of July 1, 2025, making it the #239 largest city in the United States and #4 in Louisiana. Source: U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2025.
Lafayette has grown 1.6% since the April 2020 census baseline, adding 1,918 residents, including a 0.5% increase from 2024 to 2025. Source: Census PEP Vintage 2025.
121,393 at the April 1, 2020 estimates base. Source: Census PEP Vintage 2025.
Lafayette is in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana.
Lafayette covers 56.4 square miles of land, with a population density of about 2,185 residents per square mile. Source: Census Gazetteer 2025.
$61,915, about 20% below the U.S. median. Source: ACS 5-year estimates, 2020–2024.
Sources · provenance
The GEOID for Lafayette is 2240735. These are the official datasets used by this profile's main data modules; click "methodology" for inclusion rules and the V2019 ↔ V2025 seam, or "source" for the raw publisher page. The headline population value above includes a source-detail disclosure with publisher, dataset, vintage, native geography, transformation, and caveat.
Full per-dataset detail: /sources/.
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