RANK #216 / 1001 NAT · #6 / 21 LA · POP 81,670
1YR FORECAST: -0.6%
5YR OUTLOOK: +33%
St. Landry Parish, located just north of Lafayette, Louisiana, is known for its rich Cajun and Creole heritage, with Opelousas recognized as the Zydeco Music Capital of the World. The parish offers a blend of cultural experiences, from lively music festivals to historic towns like Washington, where 80% of the town is on the National Register of Historic Places. Outdoor enthusiasts can explore the Atchafalaya River Basin, paddle the Bayou Teche, or go birdwatching in wildlife management areas. Commute options within the parish and to nearby Lafayette are available via major highways like I-49 and US-190.
Life in St. Landry Parish offers a balance of community and access to outdoor activities. The St. Landry Parish School Board oversees 34 schools, including elementary, junior high, and high schools, with options like the French Immersion charter elementary school, École Saint-Landry. The economy is diverse, with agriculture playing a significant role, growing nearly every major crop in the state. Recent economic developments include efforts to attract manufacturing firms and investments in industrial and logistics sectors, leveraging the parish's transportation infrastructure.
St. Landry Parish is one of 11 U.S. counties in this market profile — stronger than typical on the BoomTown Index. Within this cohort, its recent home-price change of -7.2% runs below the profile's typical -1.1%.
See all 11 Persistent Housing Weakness counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Prices declining
Below-average climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 10.1x — home prices are high relative to local economic output. The typical U.S. county is 4–6x.
Estimated local headcount ranges. Larger employers shown as floor + "+"; smaller employers show exact counts where reported.
Bars show trailing 12-month growth. The dashed Forecast bars are the model's next-12-month projection; the whisker marks the ±1% range (cooling–accelerating).
Source: Redfin · Census BPS — Browse sales on Redfin →
Source: CDC/NCHS vital statistics via County Health Rankings (2020–2022 avg). Rates per 100,000 population. Grade based on homicide rate relative to national average (~6.3). Learn more →
| PROJECT | AMOUNT | STATUS |
|---|---|---|
|
Walmart Distribution Center Modernization
Walmart
|
$330M | Under Construction |
|
West Fork Wind Project
AES and Cordillera (potential developers)
|
$200M | Planned |
|
Prairie Ronde Solar Project
Lightsource bp
|
$170M | Operating |
|
St. Landry Solar Project
NextEra Energy Resources
|
$150M | Proposed |
Source: public records, news, corporate announcements. Amounts are estimates where noted.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
With a Boom Town Index score of 78/100, St. Landry Parish sits in the upper half of all 1001 ranked counties. Employment is expanding at +1.2%, and median household income stands at $44,462 — indicators that suggest solid fundamentals even if it's not among the fastest-growing counties in LA.
Housing in St. Landry Parish is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $142,500 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.31, with rents averaging $748/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
It's a mixed picture in St. Landry Parish. The population is declining (-0.6% YoY), but employers are actually hiring — job growth is at +1.2%. Home values moved -7.2% in the last year. That tension between shrinking population and expanding employment often signals a county in transition.
Not particularly — 1.47% of St. Landry Parish's population moved in from another state, which is below the national average. Most residents are long-term locals rather than recent transplants.
Home values fell -7.2% over the past year in St. Landry Parish, bringing the median down to $142,500. A drop of that magnitude usually reflects weakening demand or population outflow — worth watching if you're considering buying here.