Lafayette Parish, Louisiana: commercial real estate data.
Lafayette Parish, Louisiana has a population of 247,997 across 269 square miles, up 5.2 percent since the 2020 census base. County output reached $19.78 bn in 2024, 8,844 establishments operate here, and the SBA record carries 279 7(a) approvals worth $193.5 m.
123 sourced county values · tier FULL · 11 sections
Lafayette Parish
How many people live in Lafayette Parish
- Population247,997
- Households100,903
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$67,451
- Median age36.5
- Median gross rent$1,057 per month
- Median owner-occupied home value$242,900
- Home value to household income3.6 times
- Annual rent as a share of median income18.8 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a bachelor degree or higher35.3 percent
- Adults 25 and over with a graduate degree11.1 percent
- Adults 25 and over167,840
- Population under 1859,948
- Share under 1824.2 percent
- Population 65 and over36,468
- Share 65 and over14.7 percent
- Working age population, 18 to 64151,581
- Civilian labor force126,631
- Unemployment rate5.1 percent
- Labor force participation, adults 18 and over67.3 percent
- Rank by population among Louisiana parishes5th of 64
- Rank by population among US county-equivalents290th
Lafayette Parish is the 5th largest of 64 Louisiana parishes by population. A median home costs 3.6 times median household income, which is an affordable ownership market by national standards. Residents under 18 outnumber those 65 and over, at 24.2 percent against 14.7 percent, a household formation profile rather than a retirement one.
US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Lafayette Parish
Is Lafayette Parish growing
- Population change since the 2020 census base5.16 percent
- Census 2020 base population241,759
- Births, 20243,195
- Deaths, 20241,987
- Natural change, 20241,208
- Net domestic migration, 20241,119
- Net international migration, 20241,417
- Total net migration, 20242,536
- Cumulative net domestic migration, 2021 to 20243,859
- Rank by growth among US county-equivalents508th
The county has grown 5.16 percent since the 2020 census base. Migration contributed more to 2024 change than births over deaths, so demand here follows people arriving rather than families forming.
US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
Lafayette Parish
Where people moving to Lafayette Parish come from
- Tax returns filed by households arriving6,258
- People arriving, from those returns11,512
- Adjusted gross income arriving$338.0 m
- Net adjusted gross income movement$0
- Average income of an arriving household$54,015
- Largest single originLafayette Parish Non-migrants (87,261 households)
- Largest single destination (87,261 households)
| Origin | Households | People | Adjusted gross income |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lafayette Parish Non-migrants | 87,261 | 179,017 | $7.53 bn |
| Other flows - Different State | 1,340 | 2,386 | $90.4 m |
| Other flows - South | 764 | 1,384 | $51.9 m |
| St. Martin Parish | 586 | 1,150 | $24.1 m |
| Iberia Parish | 563 | 1,086 | $27.8 m |
| St. Landry Parish | 543 | 1,038 | $25.6 m |
| Vermilion Parish | 450 | 844 | $22.8 m |
| Acadia Parish | 412 | 850 | $17.5 m |
The largest single source of arrivals is Lafayette Parish Non-migrants, which is the catchment a retail or multifamily study should look at first.
US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Lafayette Parish
What the Lafayette Parish economy runs on
- County GDP, 2024$19.78 bn
- County GDP, 2023$18.87 bn
- GDP change, 2023 to 20244.8 percent
- GDP change over five years37.8 percent
- Rank by GDP among Louisiana parishes4th
- Rank by GDP among US county-equivalents262nd
- GDP per resident$79,752
Output grew 4.8 percent in the latest year and 37.8 percent over five, which is the trend line a lender will read behind any single year figure.
US Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional, table CAGDP2, CAGDP2, through 2024.
Lafayette Parish
Who employs people in Lafayette Parish
- Covered employment, annual average137,173
- Establishments reporting11,990
- Average annual pay$58,120
- Average weekly wage$1,118
- Sector 62, employment25,942
- Sector 62, average annual pay$56,414
- Sector 44-45, employment16,848
- Sector 44-45, average annual pay$37,053
- Sector 72, employment14,784
- Sector 72, average annual pay$21,675
- Sector 31-33, employment9,820
- Sector 31-33, average annual pay$66,936
- Sector 54, employment9,188
- Sector 23, employment6,947
| Sector | Employment | Establishments | Average annual pay |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sector 62 | 25,942 | 1,618 | $56,414 |
| Sector 44-45 | 16,848 | 1,314 | $37,053 |
| Sector 72 | 14,784 | 845 | $21,675 |
| Sector 31-33 | 9,820 | 426 | $66,936 |
| Sector 54 | 9,188 | 2,062 | $80,978 |
| Sector 23 | 6,947 | 870 | $73,568 |
| Sector 56 | 6,941 | 740 | $51,110 |
| Sector 21 | 6,514 | 271 | $110,477 |
The largest sector is the biggest private employer group at 25,942 jobs, 18.9 percent of covered employment. Average pay per job sits below median household income, so households here typically need more than one earner.
US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
Lafayette Parish
What businesses operate in Lafayette Parish
- Establishments, all industries8,844
- Employment at those establishments132,799
- Annual payroll$7.55 bn
- Establishments per 1,000 residents35.7
These are counts of establishments physically operating in the county, not listings, so they are the supply side a feasibility study measures demand against.
US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Lafayette Parish
What is being built in Lafayette Parish
- Housing units authorised by permit, 20241,592
- Declared construction value permitted$384.6 m
- Single family units authorised1,574
- Multifamily units authorised18
- Multifamily share of units1.1 percent
- Average declared value per unit$241,568
- Units authorised per 1,000 households15.8
Multifamily is 1.1 percent of units authorised, so the pipeline is predominantly for sale product.
US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
Lafayette Parish
How much SBA lending happens in Lafayette Parish
- 7(a) approvals recorded279
- 7(a) gross approval dollars$193.5 m
- Average 7(a) approval$693,462
- Median 7(a) approval$250,000
- 10th percentile approval$50,000
- 90th percentile approval$2,072,000
- Largest single approval$5,000,000
- Jobs reported supported, 7(a)4,214
- Jobs per approval15.1
- Distinct 7(a) lenders active49
- Distinct industries receiving approvals133
- Median 7(a) term120 months
- Share of loans on real estate terms, 240 months or longer13.6 percent
- Loans on real estate terms38
- Loans on working capital terms, 120 months or shorter202
- Franchise loans58
- Franchise share of approvals20.8 percent
- Leading industry by approval countHotels (except Casino Hotels) and Motels (11)
- Most active lenderGulf Coast Bank (54)
- 504 approvals recorded122
- 504 gross approval dollars$76.0 m
- Average 504 approval$622,959
- Median 504 approval$407,000
- Distinct CDCs active4
- 504 jobs per approval12.1
- 504 jobs per million dollars approved19.5
- Most active CDCLouisiana Capital Certified Development Company, Inc. (114)
- 7(a) share of SBA approvals69.6 percent
- Combined SBA approval dollars$269.5 m
The average approval of $693,462 sits well above the median of $250,000, so a small number of large deals is pulling the mean up. The median is the better guide to what a typical borrower here actually gets. Only 13.6 percent of approvals run on real estate terms, so SBA credit here is mostly working capital and equipment rather than property acquisition.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30. US Small Business Administration, 504 FOIA release, FY2010 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette Parish
Do SBA loans in Lafayette Parish get paid back
- Loans with a final outcome recorded44
- Paid in full37
- Charged off7
- Charge off rate on resolved loans15.9 percent
- Status: Exempt from disclosure196
- Status: Paid in full37
- Status: Cancelled28
- Status: Charged off7
- Status: Committed, not yet disbursed11
Of the 44 loans that have reached a final outcome, 15.9 percent were charged off. This is computed only over resolved loans, because a loan still running has not yet succeeded or failed and counting it either way would be wrong.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette Parish
Which parts of Lafayette Parish get the lending
- Places in the county with recorded lending8
- LAFAYETTE, approvals174
- BROUSSARD, approvals37
- Youngsville, approvals28
- Scott, approvals14
- CARENCRO, approvals12
- Duson, approvals12
| Place | Approvals | Gross approval dollars |
|---|---|---|
| LAFAYETTE | 174 | $124,045,400 |
| BROUSSARD | 37 | $23,390,100 |
| Youngsville | 28 | $11,091,600 |
| Scott | 14 | $15,472,000 |
| CARENCRO | 12 | $6,201,600 |
| Duson | 12 | $8,640,900 |
| NEW IBERIA | 1 | $4,580,000 |
| Layfayette | 1 | $54,300 |
LAFAYETTE accounts for 174 approvals against 37 in BROUSSARD. County level figures average over that gap, which is why a site decision is made at the submarket rather than the county.
US Small Business Administration, 7(a) FOIA release, FY2020 to FY2026 year to date, as of 2026-06-30.
Lafayette Parish
How big is Lafayette Parish
- Land area269 sq mi
- Rank by land area among Louisiana parishes60th of 64
- Width, east to west22.7 mi
- Height, north to south23.6 mi
- Geographies sharing a boundary5
- Residents per square mile of land922
- Establishments per square mile32.88
US Census Bureau county boundary geometry, TIGER, adjacency computed from shared boundary vertices, TIGER county boundaries. US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year. US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
Coverage
What this page does not hold.
Every item below could be filled with a plausible figure. None of them is. On a page a lender may read, a number that cannot be traced is worse than an absence, so the absences are named.
- No NFIP communities are listed for this county in the FEMA Community Status Book.
- Flood zone record counts are not held. The flood coverage export has not landed, so no count is shown rather than an estimated one.
- Traffic counts resolve in the platform, not in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here.
- Zoning is in build. Parcel level zoning is not published on this page.
Feasibility studies
When a Lafayette Parish site needs a document a lender will accept.
The same data layer behind this page is the one the studies are written from. A study for a Lafayette Parish site starts with the figures you are reading, carrying the same source and period into the credit file.
- Population247,997
- Households100,903
- Average household size2.46
- Median household income$67,451
- Median age36.5
Common questions
Lafayette Parish questions, answered from the record.
How many people live in Lafayette Parish, Louisiana?
247,997, in 100,903 households, ranking 5th of 64 Louisiana counties. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
Is Lafayette Parish growing?
The population has grown 5.16 percent since the 2020 census base. In 2024 there were 3,195 births against 1,987 deaths, with net migration of 2,536. Source: US Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program, Vintage 2024, Vintage 2024, estimates 2020 to 2024.
What is the median household income in Lafayette Parish?
$67,451. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $242,900, which is 3.6 times income, and median gross rent is $1,057 per month. Source: US Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates, 2020-2024 5-year.
How many businesses are there in Lafayette Parish?
8,844 establishments, employing 132,799 people with an annual payroll of $7.55 bn. These are establishments physically operating in the county, not listings. Source: US Census Bureau, County Business Patterns, 2023.
What is the average wage in Lafayette Parish?
Average annual pay is $58,120, or $1,118 a week, across 137,173 covered jobs. Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages, 2024 annual averages.
How much SBA lending happens in Lafayette Parish?
279 7(a) approvals totalling $193.5 m since FY2020, across 49 lenders, with a median approval of $250,000, plus 122 504 approvals worth $76.0 m. These are approvals recorded in the release, not loans disbursed.
Do SBA loans in Lafayette Parish get paid back?
Of the 44 loans that have reached a final outcome, 37 were paid in full and 7 charged off, a charge off rate of 15.9 percent. Loans still running are excluded, because they have not yet succeeded or failed.
What is being built in Lafayette Parish?
1,592 housing units were authorised by permit in 2024, with a declared construction value of $384.6 m. Multifamily was 1.1 percent of units. Source: US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey, 2024 annual.
What is the radon zone for Lafayette Parish?
Zone 3, a predicted average indoor radon screening level less than 2 pCi/L. Source: US EPA, Map of Radon Zones, county spreadsheet, 2024-05 publication, EPA 402/A-16/001.
Where do people moving to Lafayette Parish come from?
The largest single origin is Lafayette Parish Non-migrants, with 87,261 households. Arriving households report an average income of $54,015 against null for those leaving. Source: US Internal Revenue Service, Statistics of Income county migration flows, 2021 to 2022 filing years.
Are traffic counts available for Lafayette Parish on this page?
No. Annual average daily traffic resolves in the platform rather than in this dataset, so no AADT figure is printed here. It is a gap we know about rather than a figure we estimated.
Is zoning published for Lafayette Parish?
Not yet. The zoning layer is in build. Nothing on this page presents parcel level zoning, and where a statutory framework applies it is marked as the statewide frame with confirm locally attached.