City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Gardere, LA

Gardere's Census ACS profile: residents, income, housing, and the joined public-record layers available for this place.

12,130
Residents
$60,694
Median income
$250,600
Median home
$1,007
Median rent (state)
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See how it ranks

State rank, size-class rank, and four peer cities for Gardere.

Place dossier plate

Sheet LA-GARDERE-LA · Gardere, LA 12,130 pop · income 36th pct

POP-TOWN · INC-MID · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-LOWER · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-MID · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-TOWN 12,130
  • INC-MID $60,694
  • COL-BELOW 88.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-LOWER 36th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Tuolumne
  • HOME-MID $250,600
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Tuolumne, CA (+ $0 income $)

Instrument codes from this place’s ACS population and household income, BEA state COL, FBI safety, national income percentile, photo-finish peer city, home-value band, and matched Census-tract book - not a moving recommendation.

Income neighbourhood around Gardere

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Gardere on median household income. Full ladder: /browse and /rankings.

median HH income

What this shows Neighbourhood peers only - not a full nationwide city board. Open a near peer when the gap is small; open the poles when the spread is wide.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2026-08-08

Compare beyond this state

Nationwide peers by population, income

Out-of-state nearest neighbors for Gardere on ACS population and median household income . Link sets are deduped so each column is a distinct comparison path, not a forecast that peers share a labor market or climate.

Similar population

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS population. This city: 12,130.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $60,694. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Gardere - the verdict

Gardere ranks in the 36th percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

36th
percentile, household income
56th
percentile, home value
16th
percentile, median rent
📝 How we sourced this

Population, income, and housing-cost figures come from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates (B-series tables). Crime data uses FBI UCR; climate uses NOAA Climate Normals; school counts come from NCES Common Core of Data; permits use the Census Building Permits Survey (BPS). See our methodology page for the full ETL pipeline and OMB / FIPS join keys.

Data Snapshot: Gardere, LA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 12,130 residents in Gardere, a small town within Louisiana. Gardere households earn a median of $60,694 annually, below the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 21.8%. Typical homes in Gardere are valued around $250,600, and the median resident age is 26.5 years. About 33.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 72.4% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

Living costs in Louisiana run below the national norm: on BEA's 100-equals-national-average cost index, Louisiana scores 88.2 (Well Below Average), per the 2024 Regional Price Parities release. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,007 per month. Statewide, average monthly utility bills in Louisiana run around $212, per EIA 2023 residential energy data. Natural-hazard exposure scores 62.4 out of 100 on FEMA's National Risk Index (Moderate).

A decision-led reading path

Useful questions to ask of Gardere's data

How this reading path is ordered

This is not a composite city score. It is a city-specific route through the available public records, ordered for this profile so the page starts with questions the joined data can actually answer. The route here runs from work and mobility to comparison shortlist to housing and income; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

For Gardere, city-specific coverage includes commute-mode shares. No matched row is reported here for local building permits, within-city Census tract profiles, matched public-school count, annual population history, FBI reported-crime rates; the page leaves those layers out instead of substituting a statewide or national value.

1. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Gardere?

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. No single mode completely explains the work trip here. The mix is more useful than a one-number commute grade, especially when comparing places where transit, walking, and remote work divide the non-driving share differently.

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 74.5%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 2

Which cities make useful reference points for Gardere?

Within Louisiana, the closest population matches are Baker (12,322 residents, $59,451 income); Destrehan (11,786 residents, $100,189 income); Woodmere (11,775 residents, $73,615 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Scotts Valley, CA (12,138 residents); Macedonia, OH (12,142 residents); Richmond, TX (12,117 residents). A third, income-matched reference set of 6 out-of-state cities sits in the income neighbourhood chart near the Place Dossier plate. These are mechanical peer sets, not claims that the places share a labor market, climate, culture, or metro context.

Use the in-state set to hold state policy and broad price conditions more nearly constant. Use the nationwide size set to ask whether cities with a similar resident count produce different housing, income, or commute outcomes. The income set is a third lens, deliberately separate from population matching.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

Question 3

How far does income reach against housing in Gardere?

The home-value-to-income reference is comparatively stretched: the ACS median home value is 4.1 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 21.8%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

This is a citywide price-to-income reference, not a mortgage-affordability test; it does not include interest rates, taxes, insurance, household size, or an individual buyer's down payment. Housing value is high relative to the citywide income median. That flags a question for comparison, not a verdict: tenure, household composition, financing costs, and the age of the ACS estimate can all change what a resident actually pays.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

12,130 residents

Small city (10k–49k)

Median Household Income

$60,694 /yr

Below median income · poverty 21.8% (High poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Very affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

City profile score · Gardere, LA

49/100

4 published dimensions · ACS/FBI 2023

Comparative score against U.S. cities with population of 1,000 or more on Census ACS medians (income, poverty, bachelor's share, cost of living) and FBI UCR violent-crime rates when published. Higher means a stronger standing on those published figures, not a livability rating, not a recommendation to move, buy, or pick a "best" city. Missing inputs drop out and redistribute weight. How it is calculated.

Cost of living A+
88.2 index

BEA state Regional Price Parities index (100 ≈ national average); lower is stronger on this axis. Same value for every city in the state.

Bachelor's+ share C+
33.6%

Adults with a bachelor's degree or higher; ACS.

Household income F
$60,694

Median household income vs U.S. cities (pop ≥1,000); ACS.

Poverty rate F
21.8%

Share of residents below the poverty line; lower scores better on this axis.

Violent crime N/A
N/A

No FBI UCR violent-crime rate for this place (coverage is incomplete).

Gardere profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share, Household income, Poverty rate. Cost of livingBachelor's+ shareHousehold incomePoverty rate 49 D
Gardere profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 92/100 (A+) · 88.2 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 64/100 (C+) · 33.6%
  • Household income: 36/100 (F) · $60,694
  • Poverty rate: 10/100 (F) · 21.8%

How does Gardere compare to other US cities?

Here's how Gardere stacks up against the full field of US cities (population 1,000+), computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 36% higher than other cities
Home value 56% pricier than other cities
Median rent 16% pricier than other cities

"Safer than" reflects total crime rate from FBI UCR; the others use Census ACS estimates.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Gardere against every qualifying US city; each in-state rank narrows that to Louisiana only. Full formula and direction notes: methodology.

Louisiana-relative analysis

Median Gross Rent places Gardere near the bottom of Louisiana's cities

Among the 477 Louisiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Gardere ranks #1 - the 0th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gardere only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#141 of 426
67th percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 477
0th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#52 of 419
88th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#158 of 475
67th percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#43 of 477
91st percentile in Louisiana
How in-state ranks are ordered

Ranked by raw value (highest first); a higher rank is not automatically "better" for every measure, see each metric's own context above. This is a comparison within Louisiana only, not a livability score. See the methodology for the source and calculation.

36thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

36th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Gardere's home value compares nationally

Median home value vs. every US city (population 1,000+)

$250,600 44th percentile more affordable than 44% of 15,600 US cities

Show national distribution $0–$25,000: 5 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $25,000–$50,000: 54 US cities (0%). Below this entry. $50,000–$75,000: 352 US cities (2%). Below this entry. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Below this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Below this entry. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Below this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). This entry sits in this band. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $325,000–$350,000: 526 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $350,000–$375,000: 465 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $375,000–$400,000: 393 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $400,000–$425,000: 317 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $425,000–$450,000: 300 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $450,000–$475,000: 307 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $475,000–$500,000: 250 US cities (2%). Above this entry. $500,000–$525,000: 160 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $525,000–$550,000: 156 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $550,000–$575,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $575,000–$600,000: 172 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $600,000–$625,000: 163 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $625,000–$650,000: 167 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $650,000–$675,000: 135 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $675,000–$700,000: 101 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $700,000–$725,000: 95 US cities (1%). Above this entry. $725,000–$750,000: 71 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $750,000–$775,000: 65 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $775,000–$800,000: 70 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $800,000–$825,000: 57 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $825,000–$850,000: 67 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $850,000–$875,000: 60 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $875,000–$900,000: 58 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $900,000–$925,000: 47 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $925,000–$950,000: 37 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $950,000–$975,000: 31 US cities (0%). Above this entry. $975,000–$1,000,000: 470 US cities (3%). Above this entry. $1,000,000–$1,025,000: 0 US cities (0%). Above this entry. Gardere $0 $1,025,000 every US city, bucketed by value

Each bar is a $25K-wide band; taller bars hold more US cities. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2023

Gardere's home-value-to-income ratio: 4.1×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#11,054 of 15,516
More affordable than 29% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#2,086 of 3,317
Small cities (10,000–49,999)

At 4.1×, Gardere sits in the moderate band: national rank #11,054 of 15,516 and #2,086 of 3,317small cities (10,000–49,999). Income and home value move in the same broad scale; check same-state peers before treating the multiple as an advantage or a warning.

How this ratio is calculated

Ratio = Census ACS 2023 median home value ÷ median household income for cities with both fields and population ≥ 1,000. Rank 1 = lowest ratio (most compact). Bands match the fleet affordability thresholds used on guides (<3.0 / 3.0–5.0 / >5.0). This is not a mortgage payment estimate and does not include rates, taxes, insurance, or down payment.

Income distribution context

$60,694 Gardere, LA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Gardere, LA Gardere, LA's median household income ($60,694) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Gardere, LA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Gardere, LA median $60,694/yr, vs. U.S. national quintile pattern QUINTILE SHARE OF AGGREGATE INCOME Lowest 20% 3.4% Second 20% 9.2% Middle 20% 15.1% Fourth 20% 23.2% Top 20% 49.1% LORENZ CURVE cumulative income vs. population 100% 0% 100% pop. 0%
Gardere, LA median household income (Census ACS 5-year) with U.S. national quintile shares for context. Diagonal = equality; the curve is national, not computed for Gardere, LA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 33.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 21.8%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 72.4%

Census ACS S2301, share of working-age residents in the labor force

Population
12,130
Median Income
$60,694
Median Home Value
$250,600
Median Age
26.5
Poverty Rate
21.8%
Labor force participation
72.4%
Bachelor's Degree+
33.6%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
74.5%
Carpool
8.5%
Public Transit
4.7%
Walk
2.3%
Work from Home
9.4%
Other
0.6%

Based on 5,941 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

Louisiana statewide monthly utility average (EIA 2023): $212

EIA 2023 residential energy data puts average monthly utilities across Louisiana at $212 (electricity about $130 , water and sewer about $42 ).

These are Louisiana statewide averages, not a meter reading for Gardere. Actual bills vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Louisiana's BEA cost-of-living index is 88.2 (Well Below Average; US average = 100, RPP 2024). HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in the county around Gardere is $1,007/mo. FEMA's National Risk Index, averaged to Louisiana statewide on PlainCities, rates natural-hazard exposure at 62.4 / 100 (Moderate).

Cost/risk geography note

Cost of living is a Louisiana statewide BEA average; rent is a county-level HUD Fair Market Rent for the county Gardere sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Gardere compares to similar-size Louisiana cities

Same-state peer method

Closest same-state population matches, not geographic neighbors. Population + median household income come from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 and B19013.

City Population Median Household Income
Gardere (this city) 12,130 $60,694
Baker 12,322 $59,451
Destrehan 11,786 $100,189
Woodmere 11,775 $73,615
Primary sources on this page

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, Census ACS B08301/B08136, U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, HUD Fair Market Rents 2026, FEMA National Risk Index.

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Citation & verification links Data sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainCities

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES. Joins use OMB Bulletin 23-01 / FIPS keys.

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Estimate caveats

ACS and UCR figures are citywide estimates with vintage lags; they do not replace a local visit, school visit, or insurance quote.

Editorial standards, provenance, and how to cite this page

Every figure on PlainCities is rendered directly from Census ACS source data, no number is typed in by an editor. This page draws directly on Census ACS source data, no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

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