St. James Parish, Louisiana Income Statistics
St. James 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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C
St. James Parish Below averageWealthier than 79% of counties in Louisiana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | St. James Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $67,816 | $60,934 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $54,703 | $53,184 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 3.6% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.8% | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 11.2% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in St. James Parish is about 11% higher than in Louisiana. Income has been growing slower in St. James Parish (3.6%/yr) than in Louisiana (3.7%/yr).
About 12% of adults in St. James Parish earn six figures ($100,000 or more) a year, higher than the Louisiana average of 10%.
Median Household Income 2009–2024 Trend
Median Household Income Over Time
Median household income in St. James Parish, Louisiana grew by 35.7% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $67,816 in 2024. That's an average of about 3.6% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in St. James Parish
| Metric | St. James Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.555 | 0.574 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $76,746 | $65,171 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $51,082 | $47,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 33.4% | 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. James Parish, it is 0.555, lower than Louisiana's 0.574, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and about the same as the US's 0.552, so income here is about as evenly distributed as there.
Men's income is about 50% more than women's income in St. James Parish, Louisiana. Over a 35-year career, a 50% wage gap accumulates to roughly $898,240 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. James Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 36% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 42% in 2011, and was narrowest at 25% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,679 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | St. James Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 4.1% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 5.4% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 25 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 365 people are unemployed in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
The average commute time in St. James Parish is 25 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Louisiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in St. James Parish, Louisiana has fallen from 9.9% to 4.1% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 11.0% in 2014 and fell as low as 3.6% in 2022.
St. James Parish, LA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
St. James Parish, LA is the smallest of the 6 counties compared here, 19,390 residents against a local median of 51,396. Nothing separates St. James Parish, LA sharply from the counties around it. Each measure below lands within 15% of the local median, close enough that the differences are within what survey sampling alone would produce.
The largest of those small differences is median household income, 15% below the local median at $67,816 against $79,329. St. James Parish, LA has the 4th highest median household income 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. James Parish, LA | 19,390 | $67,816 #4/6 | 3.6%/yr #2/6 | 4.1% #1/6 | 0.555 #5/6 |
| Ascension Parish, LA | 130,307 | $92,758 | 3.3%/yr | 4.4% | 0.546 |
| Assumption Parish, LA | 20,480 | $52,234 | 1.4%/yr | 4.8% | 0.560 |
| St. John the Baptist Parish, LA | 40,683 | $64,877 | 2.9%/yr | 10.8% | 0.549 |
| Livingston Parish, LA | 148,115 | $79,329 | 4.0%/yr | 4.2% | 0.554 |
| St. Charles Parish, LA | 51,396 | $81,548 | 3.3%/yr | 6.7% | 0.534 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, St. James Parish, Louisiana has an overall wealth index grade of C, making it somewhat better than Louisiana, and about on par with the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in St. James Parish, Louisiana.
How Rich Is St. James Parish, Louisiana?
St. James Parish has a wealth index grade of C. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a C grade means residents are close to the U.S. average. The median household income is $67,816, about 11% higher than the Louisiana average of $60,934.
How has median household income changed in St. James Parish, Louisiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in St. James Parish, Louisiana rose 36%, from $49,987 to $67,816. Over the same years, income here lagged behind Louisiana as a whole: +36% against +44%.
What was the median household income in St. James Parish in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in St. James Parish, Louisiana was $67,249, up 4% from $64,487 in 2022. The Louisiana median that year was $60,038.
What was the median household income in St. James Parish in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in St. James Parish, Louisiana was $53,007. By 2024 it had risen 28% to $67,816.
How strong is the job market in St. James Parish, Louisiana?
Unemployment in St. James Parish, Louisiana is only 4.1%, well below the Louisiana rate of 6.2%, a sign of a tight labor market where employers compete for workers.
What is the Gini coefficient in St. James Parish, Louisiana?
The Gini coefficient in St. James Parish is 0.555. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is almost the same as the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed about as equally as in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in St. James Parish, Louisiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in St. James Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 36% to 33% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 42% in 2011, and was narrowest at 25% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $8,679 since 2009.
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