City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Gretna, LA

Population, income, housing, safety, climate and schools for Gretna - drawn straight from Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA, NCES, HUD and FEMA, refreshed on the 2024–2025 release cycle.

17,468
Residents
$46,045
Median income
$242,600
Median home
$1,331
Median rent (state)

Gretna - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Gretna lands in the 14th percentile for household income and the 6th percentile for safety. Source: Census ACS + FBI UCR.

14th
percentile, household income
54th
percentile, home value
48th
percentile, median rent
6th
percentile, safety
📝 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: Gretna, LA

Louisiana's Gretna is a small town, with 17,468 residents per the latest Census Bureau ACS figures. Gretna households earn a median of $46,045 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 20.5%. Gretna's housing stock carries a median value of $242,600, and the median resident age is 37.3 years. 26.0% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 53.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The Census Building Permit Survey recorded 13 residential units authorized here in 2024 (Slowing), down 19% from five years earlier. Gretna's reported crime rate runs above the national norm: FBI UCR figures show 4229.2 crimes per 100,000 residents, above the national average (reporting is voluntary across agencies, so treat this as reporting activity rather than a definitive danger score).

Living costs in Louisiana run below the national norm: BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 puts Louisiana at 88.2 on a 100-equals-national-average scale (Well Below Average). A typical two-bedroom carries a HUD Fair Market Rent of $1,331 per month statewide. EIA 2023 residential energy data puts Louisiana's average monthly utility costs around $212 (state average). The average commute for Gretna workers runs 22.2 minutes, with 74.4% driving alone and 7.9% working from home. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 98.3 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

17,468 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Louisiana

Median Household Income

$46,045 /yr

Poverty 20.5%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

How does Gretna compare to other US cities?

Where Gretna sits among all US cities (population 1,000+) on each measure, computed live from Census and FBI data.

Household income 14% higher than other cities
Home value 54% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% pricier than other cities
Safety 6% safer than other cities

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

National percentiles can mask local variation. Looking only at Louisiana, Gretna ranks #44 of 60 Louisiana cities by lowest crime rate - a narrower, more locally useful cut than the national comparison above.

How we calculate these percentiles & ranks

Each percentile compares Gretna 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 Gretna toward the top of Louisiana's cities

Among the 477 Louisiana cities PlainCities tracks with reported median gross rent data, Gretna ranks #1 - the 87th percentile within the state. This is a different, narrower cut than the nationwide percentiles above: it compares Gretna only against its own state's cities, not the full US field.

Median Household Income
#252 of 426
41st percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 477
87th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#60 of 419
86th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#167 of 475
64th percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#88 of 477
82nd percentile in Louisiana

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.

14thIncome percentile
6thSafety percentile

14th percentile nationally for median household income · 6th percentile for safety (lower crime rate). Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

Gretna's profile vs. every US city

Income, affordability, and safety percentile

Gretna's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown. 3-axis radar comparing 1 series across Income, Affordability, Safety. IncomeAffordabilitySafety 23 Avg. percentile National median
Gretna's percentile rank on 3 favorable-direction measures (income, affordability, safety) vs. every tracked US city -- higher on every axis is more favorable. Not a composite quality score, just the arithmetic mean of the axes shown.

How Gretna's home value compares nationally

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

$242,600 46th percentile more affordable than 46% of 15,600 US cities

$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%). This entry sits in this band. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Above this entry. $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. Gretna $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

Income distribution context

Household income distribution - Gretna, LA Gretna, LA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Gretna, LA-specific quintile data). The Lorenz curve traces the national cumulative income share against cumulative population share, perfect equality is the diagonal; observed inequality bows below. $ Household Income Distribution Gretna, LA median $46,045/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%
Gretna, LA's median household income (Census ACS 5-year estimate) plotted against the U.S. national income-quintile distribution pattern for context; the quintile shares and Lorenz curve are national figures, not computed specifically for Gretna, LA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 26.0%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 20.5%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 53.7%

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

Population
17,468
Median Income
$46,045
Median Home Value
$242,600
Median Age
37.3
Poverty Rate
20.5%
Labor force participation
53.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
26.0%

Safety & Crime

Total Crime Rate
4229.2
per 100,000 residents
Violent Crime
428.9
per 100,000 residents
Property Crime
3800.3
per 100,000 residents

Reflects incidents reported to the FBI's Uniform Crime Reporting program — agency participation is voluntary and reporting completeness varies by jurisdiction and year, so this reflects reporting activity, not a definitive danger score. Not adjusted for tourism, commuter, or daytime population.

Schools

Total Schools
13
Public schools in this city

Population Change

Annual U.S. Census Bureau Population Estimates Program (PEP) estimates, 2020–2025

See the fastest-growing cities →
17,200 residents17,400 residents17,600 residents17,800 residents18,000 residents 202020212022202320242025 17,767 residents 17,360 residents ▼ -2.3%
Gretna's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.

Housing Supply

Census Bureau Building Permits Survey (BPS) - annual residential permits authorized

🏗️ Slowing
Total Permits (2024)
13
housing units authorized
Single-Family
13
detached homes
Multifamily
0
apartments & condos
Supply Intensity
0.7
permits per 1,000 residents

5-Year Permit Trend (2019–2024)

Year Total
2019 16
2020 32
2021 32
2022 14
2023 13
2024 13

Permit volume decreased 19% from 2019 to 2024.

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Average Commute Time
22.2 minutes
Drive Alone
74.4%
Carpool
13.6%
Public Transit
1.4%
Walk
1.1%
Work from Home
7.9%
Other
1.6%

Based on 7,222 workers 16 and over.

Monthly Utility Costs

State-average estimates for Louisiana - EIA 2023 residential energy data

Electricity
$130
avg/month
Natural Gas
$40
avg/month
Water & Sewer
$42
avg/month
Total Utilities
$212
estimated/month

Estimates reflect Louisiana state averages. Actual costs vary by home size, usage, and local rates. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) 2023.

Living Costs & Risk

Cost of living is a Louisiana state average from BEA; rent and hazard risk are county-level figures from HUD and FEMA for the county Gretna sits in

Cost of Living Index
88.2
Well Below Average
US average = 100 · BEA RPP 2024
Typical 2-BR Rent
$1,331/mo
HUD Fair Market Rent
County-level FMR estimate
Natural Hazard Risk
98.3 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Louisiana

Natchitoches
17,682 people
Estelle
16,761 people
Shenandoah
18,259 people
Youngsville
16,664 people
Thibodaux
15,792 people
Opelousas
15,662 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Gretna's 17,468 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Idylwood, VA
17,469 people
Cortland, NY
17,465 people
South San Jose Hills, CA
17,451 people
Burke Centre, VA
17,447 people
Jacksonville, IL
17,490 people
St. Matthews, KY
17,491 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Gretna's $46,045 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Gulfport, MS
$46,044 median income
Chickaloon, AK
$46,042 median income
Onaga, KS
$46,042 median income
Wingo, KY
$46,042 median income
Ely, MN
$46,042 median income
Smyer, TX
$46,042 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Gretna, LA Race categories sum to one hundred percent per Census methodology. Hispanic or Latino is shown separately as an ethnicity overlay; it cuts across all race categories per OMB Directive 15. Race & Ethnicity Composition Gretna, LA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 41.7% 32.2% 8.1% 14.8% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 22.8% White 41.7% Black or African American 32.2% Asian 2.8% American Indian 0.4% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 8.1% Two or more races 14.8% Per OMB Directive 15: Hispanic/Latino ethnicity is reported separately from the race categories.
Race categories sum to 100%. Hispanic or Latino ethnicity is reported separately and cuts across race per Census/OMB methodology.

City-level race and ethnicity, Census ACS 5-year 2023 (tables B02001, B03001), OMB Directive 15 categories.

How Gretna compares to nearby Louisiana cities

Population + median household income, sourced from Census Bureau ACS 5-year B01001 (population) and B19013 (median household income).

City Population Median Household Income
Gretna (this city) 17,468 $46,045
Natchitoches 17,682 $38,731
Estelle 16,761 $73,519
Shenandoah 18,259 $107,544
Census ACS 5-year FIPS LA FBI UCR NCES CCD Census BPS 2024 OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Gretna, LA?

What is the population of Gretna, LA? +

The population of Gretna, LA stands at 17,468 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

What is the median household income in Gretna, LA? +

Median annual household income in Gretna runs $46,045, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Gretna? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Gretna; the closest available measure is the Louisiana state average, a cost of living index of 88.2 (U.S. average = 100), rated "Well Below Average" based on BEA Regional Price Parities 2024 data. Costs within Louisiana vary by metro area.

Is Gretna, LA safe? +

Gretna has a total crime rate of 4229.2 per 100,000 residents, which is above the national average. This reflects incidents reported to the FBI UCR program, not a definitive safety score -- agency reporting is voluntary and completeness varies by jurisdiction.

What is the median home value in Gretna, LA? +

The median home value in Gretna is $242,600, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, FBI UCR, NCES CCD, Census BPS 2024, 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.

Primary sources: Census ACS, FBI UCR, NOAA Climate Normals, NCES.

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

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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.