Jobs, pay and daily life in Lafayette, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Lafayette is a city in Louisiana with 121,715 residents. The median household earns $61,915 a year and the median rent is $1,100 a month, which is 21.3% of the median household income. It is part of the Lafayette, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 179,570 jobs.
How Lafayette compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, Lafayette is #5 by population, #10 for college degrees (#1 = most), #15 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #21 for remote work (#1 = most). Its county, Lafayette Parish, is #20 of 64 counties for average pay ($58,120).
Lafayette has 121,715 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 2.6% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 56 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 2,166 people per square mile. The median age is 36.9, about the same as the state median (36.9 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $1,100 a month (rent plus utilities), 3% above the state median ($1,100 against $1,064). Over a year that is 21.3% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $257,000, which is 4.2 times the median household income ($61,915). 53.1% of households own their home, 21% below the state average (53.1% against 67.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Lafayette, LA metropolitan area has 179,570 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $41,780 a year, 18% below the national median ($41,780 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (22,570 jobs, median $38,290); food preparation and serving related (18,440 jobs, median $22,630); transportation and material moving (17,350 jobs, median $36,730). The area is most specialised in installation, maintenance, and repair (1.4 times) and construction and extraction (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($96,850) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($68,150). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Lafayette Parish was 3.3%. 62.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Lafayette Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 80.4% drive alone, 0.5% use public transit, 2.0% walk, 9.9% work from home. 7.6% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 50% below the state average (7.6% against 15.2%).
41.1% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 52% above the state share (41.1% against 27.0%). 7.0% of residents were born outside the United States, 44% above the state share (7.0% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 18.3%, 3% below the state rate (18.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (28.0°C), and the coolest is Jan at 51°F (10.7°C). About 1,583 mm (62 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (187 mm) and Mar the driest (93 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Scott (5 miles, rent 4% lower); Broussard (6 miles, rent 8% lower); Carencro (7 miles, rent 14% lower); Youngsville (8 miles, rent 16% higher). Rent differences are against Lafayette; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (778) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideLafayette ParishLouisiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 778 federal postings open in Louisiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Louisiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 5,200 | 1.05 | $21,400 | $18,440 | $30,410 | -40% |
| Retail Salespersons | 5,010 | 1.11 | $28,600 | $21,770 | $41,730 | -19% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,930 | 1.26 | $81,960 | $63,490 | $105,300 | -16% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,590 | 1.13 | $99,510 | $49,750 | $215,720 | -6% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 4,500 | 1.32 | $32,600 | $26,510 | $44,180 | -19% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 4,480 | 1.01 | $22,320 | $18,040 | $30,800 | -28% |
| Cashiers | 4,480 | 1.26 | $24,920 | $18,490 | $33,130 | -24% |
| Office Clerks, General | 4,240 | 1.49 | $34,510 | $21,340 | $47,970 | -23% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 3,410 | 1.30 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $36,320 | -57% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 3,260 | 3.16 | $22,920 | $17,380 | $30,840 | -35% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 3,170 | 0.97 | $31,310 | $26,970 | $44,800 | -16% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 2,920 | 1.23 | $49,450 | $36,730 | $70,570 | -16% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 2,430 | 1.70 | $62,800 | $33,900 | $120,810 | -13% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 2,210 | 1.12 | $38,060 | $26,310 | $53,230 | -20% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 2,200 | 0.86 | $28,460 | $21,100 | $39,590 | -23% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 2,140 | 0.72 | $36,820 | $25,360 | $50,070 | -18% |
| Bookkeeping, Accounting, and Auditing Clerks | 2,130 | 1.34 | $38,910 | $27,440 | $60,160 | -23% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 2,100 | 1.19 | $40,930 | $22,190 | $66,260 | -17% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 2,100 | 2.81 | $51,580 | $41,710 | $62,270 | -20% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,990 | 1.19 | $29,960 | $27,260 | $36,630 | -29% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pharmacists | 540 | 1.45 | $132,130 | $108,070 | $156,350 | -6% |
| Financial Managers | 570 | 0.58 | $120,450 | $74,880 | $198,670 | -28% |
| Lawyers | 650 | 0.74 | $111,160 | $60,160 | $221,890 | -30% |
| Software Developers | 660 | 0.34 | $109,010 | $68,050 | $136,710 | -20% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 580 | 0.84 | $103,270 | $62,960 | $174,240 | -17% |
| General and Operations Managers | 4,590 | 1.13 | $99,510 | $49,750 | $215,720 | -6% |
| Managers, All Other | 1,670 | 2.32 | $88,370 | $51,580 | $167,610 | -38% |
| Registered Nurses | 4,930 | 1.26 | $81,960 | $63,490 | $105,300 | -16% |
| Project Management Specialists | 660 | 0.53 | $80,720 | $52,850 | $132,480 | -21% |
| Engineers, All Other | 520 | 2.91 | $80,650 | $57,190 | $128,580 | -34% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Construction Trades and Extraction Workers | 1,230 | 1.31 | $71,980 | $45,360 | $119,470 | -10% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | 820 | 1.05 | $69,720 | $43,470 | $101,420 | -6% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Mechanics, Installers, and Repairers | 830 | 1.16 | $68,620 | $42,630 | $111,940 | -14% |
| Accountants and Auditors | 1,100 | 0.65 | $67,630 | $47,380 | $103,090 | -19% |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | 530 | 0.33 | $64,950 | $34,780 | $139,380 | +45% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Except Technical and Scientific Products | 2,430 | 1.70 | $62,800 | $33,900 | $120,810 | -13% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 1,360 | 1.08 | $61,270 | $34,670 | $102,230 | -26% |
| Insurance Sales Agents | 760 | 1.38 | $60,490 | $35,800 | $98,920 | -3% |
| Machinists | 980 | 2.94 | $59,830 | $39,470 | $80,970 | +2% |
| Electricians | 730 | 0.83 | $59,820 | $37,270 | $79,490 | -5% |
These figures are for the whole Lafayette, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $41,780 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.8% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 14.6% |
| Retail trade | 12.2% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.3% |
| Construction | 5.7% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 5.0% |
| Other services | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 4.3% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 4.0% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 3.6% |
| Public administration | 3.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.2% |
| Information | 2.1% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Lafayette lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish | 247,997 | $19,778 million | $79,752 | 137,173 | 11,990 | $58,120 | +1.8% | 3.3% | 128,819 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 25,942 | 20.9% | $56,414 | 1.32 |
| Retail trade | 16,848 | 13.6% | $37,053 | 1.23 |
| Accommodation and food services | 14,784 | 11.9% | $21,675 | 1.19 |
| Manufacturing | 9,820 | 7.9% | $66,936 | 0.87 |
| Professional and technical services | 9,188 | 7.4% | $80,978 | 0.96 |
| Construction | 6,947 | 5.6% | $73,568 | 0.96 |
| Administrative and waste services | 6,941 | 5.6% | $51,110 | 0.86 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 6,514 | 5.3% | $110,477 | 12.55 |
| Wholesale trade | 5,819 | 4.7% | $77,274 | 1.08 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 3,872 | 3.1% | $66,266 | 0.67 |
| Finance and insurance | 3,638 | 2.9% | $87,248 | 0.65 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 3,449 | 2.8% | $50,866 | 0.84 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,064 | 2.5% | $75,725 | 1.44 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 2,148 | 1.7% | $19,310 | 0.93 |
| Management of companies | 2,025 | 1.6% | $84,041 | 0.88 |
| Educational services | 1,442 | 1.2% | $42,421 | 0.51 |
| Information | 1,217 | 1.0% | $75,155 | 0.47 |
| Utilities | 147 | 0.1% | $105,052 | 0.28 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 49 | 0.0% | $46,874 | 0.04 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 80.4% |
| Public transit | 0.5% |
| Walk | 2.0% |
| Work from home | 9.9% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 7.6% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $61,915 |
| Income per person | $40,517 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,100 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.3% |
| Median home value | $257,000 |
| Homeowners | 53.1% |
| Poverty rate | 18.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 87.2 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $41,780 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 36.9 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 90.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 41.1% |
| Born abroad | 7.0% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 62.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.7 | 51 | 122 |
| Feb | 12.9 | 55 | 102 |
| Mar | 16.6 | 62 | 93 |
| Apr | 20.4 | 69 | 115 |
| May | 24.3 | 76 | 127 |
| Jun | 27.5 | 82 | 177 |
| Jul | 28.0 | 82 | 174 |
| Aug | 28.0 | 82 | 187 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 140 |
| Oct | 21.4 | 71 | 125 |
| Nov | 16.0 | 61 | 96 |
| Dec | 12.3 | 54 | 125 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scott | LA | 5 mi | 8,609 | $56,299 | $1,052 |
| Broussard | LA | 6 mi | 14,322 | $116,179 | $1,010 |
| Carencro | LA | 7 mi | 11,619 | $63,401 | $944 |
| Youngsville | LA | 8 mi | 17,427 | $105,876 | $1,278 |
| Breaux Bridge | LA | 9 mi | 7,501 | $47,806 | $891 |
| Abbeville | LA | 17 mi | 11,003 | $33,015 | $829 |
| New Iberia | LA | 19 mi | 27,571 | $47,087 | $894 |
| Crowley | LA | 21 mi | 11,422 | $28,642 | $594 |
| Opelousas | LA | 22 mi | 15,495 | $32,964 | $717 |
| Eunice | LA | 31 mi | 9,239 | $35,436 | $799 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
121,715 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,100 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.3% of the median household income.
$61,915 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.3% (BLS county, Lafayette Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.