Washington Parish, Louisiana Income Statistics
Washington 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
Washington Parish Well below averageLess wealthy than 79% of counties in Louisiana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | Washington Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $45,367 | $60,934 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $43,746 | $53,184 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 4.8% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 5.6% | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 3.0% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in Washington Parish is about 26% lower than in Louisiana. Income has been growing faster in Washington Parish (4.8%/yr) than in Louisiana (3.7%/yr).
About 6% of adults in Washington 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 Washington Parish, Louisiana grew by 49.2% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $45,367 in 2024. That's an average of about 4.8% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in Washington Parish
| Metric | Washington Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.587 | 0.574 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $54,277 | $65,171 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $37,625 | $47,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 30.7% | 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 Washington Parish, it is 0.587, 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 44% more than women's income in Washington Parish, Louisiana. Over a 35-year career, a 44% wage gap accumulates to roughly $582,820 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Washington Parish, Louisiana has widened from about 30% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2020, and was narrowest at 22% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,571 since 2009.
Sharply against the trend: the pay gap in Washington Parish widened by 0.9 points while Louisiana's narrowed by 4.5 points.
Employment
| Metric | Washington Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 9.9% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.2% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 22 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 1,756 people are unemployed in Washington Parish, Louisiana.
The average commute time in Washington Parish is 22 minutes, longer than the 21 minutes in Louisiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in Washington Parish, Louisiana has fallen from 15.5% to 9.9% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 16.1% in 2014 and fell as low as 9.4% in 2020.
Washington Parish, LA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
Washington Parish, LA is the 4th largest of the 6 counties compared here, 45,116 residents against a local median of 57,458. Washington Parish, LA's unemployment, at 9.9%, runs 62% above the 6.1% typical of the counties around it. That is the weaker end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $45,367 against a local median of $57,755, 21% below it. Every measure here with a clear better direction points the same way, and it is the wrong way: Washington Parish, LA reads weaker than its neighbours on all of them. The counties themselves spread 2.8% on unemployment, so Washington Parish, LA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. Washington 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington Parish, LA | 45,116 | $45,367 #5/6 | 4.8%/yr #3/6 | 9.9% #6/6 | 0.587 #6/6 |
| Walthall County, MS | 13,839 | $48,537 | 6.1%/yr | 6.6% | 0.568 |
| Tangipahoa Parish, LA | 136,737 | $57,755 | 3.6%/yr | 6.0% | 0.571 |
| Marion County, MS | 24,193 | $45,107 | 4.9%/yr | 7.5% | 0.568 |
| St. Tammany Parish, LA | 272,409 | $82,063 | 3.2%/yr | 4.7% | 0.550 |
| Pearl River County, MS | 57,458 | $58,730 | 4.2%/yr | 6.1% | 0.573 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, Washington Parish, Louisiana has an overall wealth index grade of D, making it somewhat worse than Louisiana, and somewhat worse than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in Washington Parish, Louisiana.
How Rich Is Washington Parish, Louisiana?
Washington 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 $45,367, about 26% lower than the Louisiana average of $60,934.
Are incomes growing in Washington Parish, Louisiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in Washington Parish, Louisiana rose 49%, from $30,415 to $45,367. Over the same years, income here outpaced Louisiana as a whole: +49% against +44%.
What was the median household income in Washington Parish in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in Washington Parish, Louisiana was $42,974, up 1% from $42,354 in 2022. The Louisiana median that year was $60,038.
What was the median household income in Washington Parish in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in Washington Parish, Louisiana was $39,378. By 2024 it had risen 15% to $45,367.
How strong is the job market in Washington Parish, Louisiana?
Unemployment in Washington Parish, Louisiana is 9.9%, well above the Louisiana rate of 6.2%, so job seekers may face more competition than elsewhere.
What is the Gini coefficient in Washington Parish, Louisiana?
The Gini coefficient in Washington Parish is 0.587. 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 Washington Parish, Louisiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in Washington Parish, Louisiana has widened from about 30% to 31% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2020, and was narrowest at 22% in 2014. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $4,571 since 2009.
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