Get to Know the Parishes Within Acadiana

Lafayette

Lafayette Parish was named for Marquis de la Fayette. You can tour the Hilliard Art Museum and the Acadian Village, a living museum of 19th-century Cajun life here.

Read more info here.

Population Demographics

As of 2023 the population of Lafayette is 249,400. The population is expected to grow to 256,518 by 2028 - a growth rate of 0.56%.

The median age of Lafayette residents is 37.

The diversity index of Lafayette is 59.8, meaning that there is a 60% chance that any two people selected out of 100 residents will be of different race or ethnicity from one another.

Housing and Income

The average household income in Lafayette is $91,431 and projected to be $104,013 in 2028. Per capita income is $36,987, projected to be $42,235 in 2028. 3.13% of households – 7,816 – have an income of $200,000 or higher.

There are 112,816 housing units in Lafayette; 66,833 are owner-occupied, 33,947 are rented, and 12,036 are vacant. The average home value is $262,522, with 18,151 homes built in 2010 or later, and 2,472 built in 1939 or earlier.

Business and Workforce

There are 14,375 businesses in Lafayette, employing 162,683 workers and pulling from a labor force of 116,448 age 16 and above. 16,272 workers commute into Lafayette from outside the county or state. Key industries for the area include:

98,688 residents both live and work in/around Lafayette. The average travel time is 24.2 minutes. 2.96% people have a commute of less than 5 minutes while 3.86% commute 90 minutes or more each way. Of commuters, 97,920 drive alone, 6,307 carpool, and 769 take public transportation. 3,327 use other modes of transport such as motorcycle, bicycle, walking, etc. 7,941 residents work from home.

50,906 members of the workforce hold a high school diploma or GED. 10,763 have associates degrees, 41,036 have bachelor’s degrees, and 19,872 hold a graduate or professional degree.