by Kristen Carney
Updated: June 20, 2024
The richest county in Louisiana is Ascension Parish with an average household income of $112,217 as of 2022 and 131,632 people as of 2023 according to the most current Census data available (citation).
Rank | County | Population | Average Income | Median Income |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Ascension Parish | 131,632 | $112,217 | $93,800 |
2 | St. Tammany Parish | 275,583 | $103,990 | $76,914 |
3 | St. Charles Parish | 50,620 | $103,356 | $79,191 |
4 | West Feliciana Parish | 15,371 | $102,485 | $71,985 |
5 | Plaquemines Parish | 22,386 | $98,008 | $77,996 |
6 | East Baton Rouge Parish | 448,467 | $93,990 | $62,083 |
7 | Lafayette Parish | 249,750 | $93,264 | $66,617 |
8 | Livingston Parish | 150,145 | $93,117 | $77,978 |
9 | East Feliciana Parish | 19,229 | $92,942 | $64,709 |
10 | West Baton Rouge Parish | 28,266 | $88,670 | $80,510 |
11 | Calcasieu Parish | 203,761 | $88,202 | $64,370 |
12 | Jefferson Parish | 421,777 | $87,728 | $63,257 |
13 | Cameron Parish | 4,768 | $87,243 | $69,847 |
14 | Beauregard Parish | 36,827 | $85,994 | $68,525 |
15 | St. James Parish | 19,191 | $85,748 | $62,946 |
16 | Bossier Parish | 129,795 | $85,431 | $64,598 |
17 | Orleans Parish | 364,136 | $84,158 | $51,116 |
18 | Terrebonne Parish | 103,616 | $83,074 | $63,088 |
19 | Lafourche Parish | 95,056 | $83,072 | $61,381 |
20 | St. John the Baptist Parish | 39,592 | $82,424 | $65,114 |
We usually suggest using median income data – either instead of or in addition to – average income data as a true indicator of wealth. If you haven’t thought about median versus average since your last standardized test, you aren’t alone. Here’s what they are:
Now let’s say you had the following simplified set of income data.
Household 1: $30,000
Household 2: $50,000
Household 3: $1,000,000
The average income for this set is $360,000. The outlier data point ($1,000,000) skews the average WAY up. Conversely, the average income would be skewed WAY down if someone had an income of $500. The median income for the same data set is $50,000. Outlier data doesn’t skew the median.
So most business owners should use the median income as a true indicator of wealth, because it provides a more accurate representation of a typical income, especially in areas with significant income disparity.
If your target market is high-income households, the average income may be more relevant. This is because the average income can highlight the presence of a higher concentration of wealthy individuals, which is beneficial for luxury goods and services marketing. We’re using average income on this page because using the Census’s highest reported median value of $250,001 could result in multiple ties for the richest geography.
The Census' American Community Survey uses $250,000+ as a jam value for median income estimates to protect privacy, ensure data consistency, and simplify reporting. A "jam value" in survey data refers to a placeholder or default value used when actual data points are unavailable, incomplete, or exceed certain thresholds. We represent this jam value as $250,001 to make it easy for you to sort.
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United States Census Bureau. Annual Estimates of the Resident Population: April 1, 2020 to July 1, 2023. U.S. Census Bureau, Population Division. Web. May 2024. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B01001 SEX BY AGE, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. B19013 Median Household Income, 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 7 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
United States Census Bureau. “DP03 SELECTED ECONOMIC CHARACTERISTICS.” 2022 American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey Office. Web. 07 December 2023. http://www.census.gov/.
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