RANK #833 / 1001 NAT · #15 / 21 LA · POP 57,123
1YR FORECAST: -0.4%
5YR OUTLOOK: +14%
Vermilion Parish, Louisiana, often called "The Most Cajun Place on Earth," is defined by its rich Acadian heritage and coastal landscape. Abbeville, the parish seat, features Magdalen Square with its gazebo and the historic St. Mary Magdalen Church, reflecting the town's French village origins. Located south of Lafayette, the parish offers a slower pace of life with scenic drives through farmlands and bayous. Outdoor recreation includes Palmetto Island State Park, providing opportunities for fishing, boating, canoeing, and kayaking on the Vermilion River, and birding trails like the White Lake Birding and Nature Trail. Life in Vermilion Parish is characterized by a strong sense of community and a connection to its agricultural and fishing roots. Many residents own their homes, and public schools in the Vermilion Parish School System are highly rated. The economy, historically tied to oil and gas, is now seeking diversification. Recent efforts include workforce development, support for small businesses, and promoting tourism, particularly around its unique Cajun culture and festivals like Abbeville's Giant Omelette Celebration.
Vermilion Parish's data profile doesn't fit any single market profile cleanly — its housing, labor, and demographic signals pull in different directions (home prices +3.0% YoY, population +0.2%, wages +2.5%). About 414 U.S. counties show this kind of mixed-signal pattern.
See all 414 Idiosyncratic Markets counties →Overvalued relative to economy
Above national median
Moderate climate & terrain
Above national median (15x)
Housing looks overvalued at 14.6x — 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: Homicide rates from CDC/NCHS vital-statistics mortality data — a multi-year average that stabilizes counts in smaller counties — compiled in the County Health Rankings 2025 release. Rates per 100,000 population; U.S. average ≈ 6.5. Grade reflects homicide rate relative to the national average. Learn more →
See where Vermilion Parish stands nationally: safest large counties in America · highest homicide-rate counties · counties where safety is improving.
Bars show percentile rank among all 1001 counties.
The data is not encouraging — Vermilion Parish scores just 16/100 on the Boom Town Index, ranking #833 of 1001 counties. Job growth at +3.2% and median household income of $55,707 reflect an economy that has been contracting or stagnating relative to the rest of the country.
Housing in Vermilion Parish is roughly in line with national affordability norms. The median home costs $163,300 and the income-to-home-value ratio sits at 0.34, with rents averaging $848/month. Not a bargain, but not a stretch for most local earners either.
Employers in Vermilion Parish are hiring — job growth of +3.2% — but the population is close to flat (+0.2% YoY). Home values moved +3.0% over the past year. Labor demand is outpacing local population growth, which tends to tighten wages and housing.
There's a moderate stream of newcomers. About 2.95% of residents moved from another state, which is above average and suggests Vermilion Parish has appeal as a relocation destination — though it's not among the highest-inflow counties nationally.