St. Helena Parish, Louisiana Income Statistics
St. Helena Parish Wealth Score
The wealth index reflects the overall economic prosperity and financial well-being of a county's residents based on income levels, employment rates, and income inequality metrics.
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D
St. Helena Parish Well below average
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | St. Helena Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $43,387 | $60,934 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,490 | $53,184 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 2.7% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 4.6% | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 4.0% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in St. Helena Parish is about 29% lower than in Louisiana. Income has been growing slower in St. Helena Parish (2.7%/yr) than in Louisiana (3.7%/yr).
About 5% of adults in St. Helena Parish earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, lower than the Louisiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana grew by 50.6% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $43,387 in 2024. That's an average of about 2.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in St. Helena Parish
| Metric | St. Helena Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.597 | 0.574 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $52,991 | $65,171 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $40,504 | $47,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 23.6% | 27.8% | 18.4% |
The Gini coefficient measures how evenly income is shared between richer and poorer households, from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns nearly everything). The lower the number, the more equally income is distributed. In St. Helena Parish, it is 0.597, higher than Louisiana's 0.574, so income is less evenly distributed here than there, and higher than the US's 0.552, so income is less evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 31% more than women's income in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana. Over a 35-year career, a 31% wage gap accumulates to roughly $437,045 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has widened from about 23% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2018, and was narrowest at 21% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,621 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | St. Helena Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 17.6% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 2.0% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 32 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 806 people are unemployed in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.
The average commute time in St. Helena Parish is 32 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Louisiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has risen from 12.8% to 17.6% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 20.0% in 2021 and fell as low as 12.5% in 2012.
St. Helena Parish, LA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
St. Helena Parish, LA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 10,858 residents against a local median of 39,602. St. Helena Parish, LA's unemployment, at 17.6%, runs 203% above the 5.8% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Income growth tells the same story from another angle: 2.7%/yr against a local median of 4.1%/yr, 34% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: St. Helena Parish, LA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves sit within 1.8% of each other on unemployment, a tighter band than the gap between any of them and St. Helena Parish, LA, which makes it a genuine outlier here rather than one end of a wide local spread. St. Helena Parish, LA has the 6th lowest unemployment of the 6 areas compared here.
| Area | Population | Median household income | Income growthAverage yearly change in median household income since 2016. Each year is measured in its own dollars, so this is growth before inflation. | Unemployment | Income inequalityGini coefficient: 0 would mean every household earns the same, 1 that a single household earns everything. The lower the number, the more equally income is shared here. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Helena Parish, LA | 10,858 | $43,387 #5/6 | 2.7%/yr #6/6 | 17.6% #6/6 | 0.597 #5/6 |
| East Feliciana Parish, LA | 19,263 | $73,240 | 5.3%/yr | 5.9% | 0.635 |
| Tangipahoa Parish, LA | 136,737 | $57,755 | 3.6%/yr | 6.0% | 0.571 |
| Amite County, MS | 12,565 | $38,127 | 4.2%/yr | 5.8% | 0.576 |
| Livingston Parish, LA | 148,115 | $79,329 | 4.0%/yr | 4.2% | 0.554 |
| Pike County, MS | 39,602 | $43,605 | 4.1%/yr | 5.8% | 0.589 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it about on par with Louisiana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana.
How Rich Is St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
St. Helena Parish has a wealth index grade of D. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a D grade means residents are somewhat worse off than the U.S. average. The median household income is $43,387, about 29% lower than the Louisiana average of $60,934.
How fast is household income rising in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana rose 51%, from $28,807 to $43,387. Over the same years, income here outpaced Louisiana as a whole: +51% against +44%.
What was the median household income in St. Helena Parish in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana was $50,182, up 9% from $46,156 in 2022. The Louisiana median that year was $60,038.
What was the median household income in St. Helena Parish in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana was $45,124. By 2024 it had fallen 4% to $43,387.
Is unemployment high in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
Unemployment in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana is 17.6%, well above the Louisiana rate of 6.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
The Gini coefficient in St. Helena Parish is 0.597. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is higher than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed less equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in St. Helena Parish, Louisiana has widened from about 23% to 24% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2018, and was narrowest at 21% in 2023. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $3,621 since 2009.
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