West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana Income Statistics
West Baton Rouge 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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B
West Baton Rouge Parish Around averageAmong the top 5 wealthiest counties in Louisiana
Source: Map AI Methodology
Income Statistics Overview
| Metric | West Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median Household Income | $86,048 | $60,934 | $80,455 |
| Median Personal Income | $56,996 | $53,184 | $60,758 |
| Average Yearly Income Growth | 5.7% | 3.7% | 4.8% |
| Six-Figure Earners | 11.2% | 9.7% | 13.9% |
| $200k+ Households | 7.0% | 7.8% | 13.2% |
The median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish is about 41% higher than in Louisiana. Income has been growing faster in West Baton Rouge Parish (5.7%/yr) than in Louisiana (3.7%/yr).
About 11% of adults in West Baton Rouge 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 West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana grew by 84.3% from 2009 to 2024, reaching $86,048 in 2024. That's an average of about 5.7% per year.
Income Inequality and the Gender Pay Gap in West Baton Rouge Parish
| Metric | West Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gini Coefficient | 0.536 | 0.574 | 0.552 |
| Male Median Income | $73,153 | $65,171 | $69,667 |
| Female Median Income | $51,600 | $47,031 | $56,850 |
| Gender Pay Gap | 29.5% | 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 West Baton Rouge Parish, it is 0.536, lower than Louisiana's 0.574, so income is more evenly distributed here than there, and lower than the US's 0.552, so income is more evenly distributed here than there.
Men's income is about 42% more than women's income in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. Over a 35-year career, a 42% wage gap accumulates to roughly $754,355 in unearned income for female workers in the area.
Income by Sex Over Time
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 40% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,640 since 2009.
Employment
| Metric | West Baton Rouge Parish | Louisiana Avg | US Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Unemployment Rate | 7.0% | 6.2% | 5.2% |
| Working from Home | 4.4% | 8.1% | 15.0% |
| Commute time (minutes) | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Approximately 973 people are unemployed in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.
The average commute time in West Baton Rouge Parish is 21 minutes, about the same as in Louisiana.
Unemployment Rate Over Time
Since 2011, the unemployment rate in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has fallen from 7.5% to 7.0% in 2024. Over that period the rate peaked at 7.9% in 2020 and fell as low as 4.5% in 2019.
West Baton Rouge Parish, LA Wealth Compared With Nearby Counties
West Baton Rouge Parish, LA is typical in size for this group, 27,974 residents against a local median of 29,819, so the measures below are close to a like for like comparison. West Baton Rouge Parish, LA's income growth, at 5.7%/yr, runs 85% above the 3.1%/yr typical of the counties around it. That is the better end of the local range on this measure.
Median household income tells the same story from another angle: $86,048 against a local median of $63,541, 35% above it. The picture is mixed rather than uniform: income growth runs ahead of the neighbourhood while unemployment runs behind it, so West Baton Rouge Parish, LA is trading one against the other rather than simply out-performing what surrounds it. The counties themselves spread 3.1%/yr on income growth, so West Baton Rouge Parish, LA sits at one end of an already wide local range rather than apart from it. West Baton Rouge Parish, LA has the highest income growth 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. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 27,974 | $86,048 #1/6 | 5.7%/yr #1/6 | 7.0% #5/6 | 0.536 #1/6 |
| Iberville Parish, LA | 29,819 | $55,441 | 2.3%/yr | 6.1% | 0.604 |
| East Baton Rouge Parish, LA | 452,856 | $63,541 | 3.1%/yr | 7.7% | 0.580 |
| Pointe Coupee Parish, LA | 20,218 | $66,339 | 5.4%/yr | 7.0% | 0.574 |
| West Feliciana Parish, LA | 15,327 | $77,581 | 4.6%/yr | 4.1% | 0.682 |
| St. Martin Parish, LA | 51,353 | $56,973 | 2.8%/yr | 4.0% | 0.547 |
Conclusion
Considering all these factors, West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has an overall wealth index grade of B, making it somewhat better than Louisiana, and somewhat better than the country as a whole.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about income and wealth in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana.
How Rich Is West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
West Baton Rouge Parish has a wealth index grade of B. The wealth index grades areas from A+ (best) to F- by combining income levels, employment rates, and income inequality; a B grade means residents are quite well off compared to the U.S. average. The median household income is $86,048, about 41% higher than the Louisiana average of $60,934.
Are incomes growing in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Between 2009 and 2024, the median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana rose 84%, from $46,679 to $86,048. Over the same years, income here outpaced Louisiana as a whole: +84% against +44%.
What was the median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish in 2023?
In 2023, the median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana was $86,383, up 7% from $80,527 in 2022. The Louisiana median that year was $60,038.
What was the median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish in 2020?
In 2020, the median household income in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana was $68,928. By 2024 it had risen 25% to $86,048.
What is the Gini coefficient in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
The Gini coefficient in West Baton Rouge Parish is 0.536. It measures income inequality on a scale from 0 (everyone earns the same) to 1 (one household earns everything). That is lower than the US average of 0.552, so income is distributed more equally than in the country overall.
How has the income gap between men and women changed in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana?
Since 2009, the income gap between men and women in West Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana has narrowed from about 40% to 29% in 2024. Over that period the gap was widest at 41% in 2012, and was narrowest at 24% in 2018. In dollar terms, the gap has widened by $1,640 since 2009.
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