City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Hester, LA

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

756
Residents
$142,571
Median income
$189,100
Median home
$1,007
Median rent (state)
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Side-by-side metrics and state or size-class ranks use the same Census and FBI fields shown on this profile. Results stay in the URL so you can bookmark or share them.

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Starting with Hester, LA - add up to three more cities on the compare page.

See how it ranks

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

Place dossier plate

Sheet LA-HESTER-LA · Hester, LA 756 pop · income 93rd pct

POP-VILLAGE · INC-TOP · COL-BELOW · SAFE-UNK · RANK-TOP · PHOTO-FINISH · HOME-LOW · BOOK-UNK

  • POP-VILLAGE 756
  • INC-TOP $142,571
  • COL-BELOW 88.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-TOP 93rd
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Del Aire
  • HOME-LOW $189,100
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Del Aire, CA ( $5 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 Hester

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Hester 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 Hester 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: 756.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $142,571. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Hester - the verdict

Hester ranks in the 93rd percentile for household income nationally, out of every US city with at least 1,000 residents. Source: Census ACS.

93rd
percentile, household income
39th
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: Hester, LA

Census ACS 2023 estimates count 756 residents in Hester, a small town within Louisiana. Hester households earn a median of $142,571 annually, placing it in the top quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 0.0%. Typical homes in Hester are valued around $189,100, and the median resident age is 37.1 years. About 16.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, while 90.7% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

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

Question 1

What does the journey to work look like in Hester?

Driving alone is the largest reported mode at 80.9%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Mode share answers how workers usually travel; it does not measure congestion, reliability, distance to a particular job, or the quality of transit service. Remote work has a visible role in the local pattern. That can reduce commute exposure for some workers, but it says nothing about job availability or broadband quality; read it alongside income and housing rather than as a stand-alone lifestyle score.

Compare commute patterns →

2. Comparison shortlist

Which cities make useful reference points for Hester?

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.

Within Louisiana, the closest population matches are Buras (757 residents, $57,596 income); Welcome (751 residents, $56,453 income); Gillis (763 residents). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Aguanga, CA (756 residents); Cedar Key, FL (756 residents); Horseshoe Bend, ID (756 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.

Open a side-by-side comparison →

3. Housing and income

How far does income reach against housing in Hester?

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. The ratio makes housing the clearest place to start this profile, but a low multiple can coexist with slow demand, older stock, or household-level hardship. Compare the home-value distribution and same-state peer table before treating it as an advantage.

The home-value-to-income reference is relatively compact: the ACS median home value is 1.3 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 0.0%, which keeps the citywide median from describing every household.

Compare the housing trade-off →

Population

756 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$142,571 /yr

Top-decile income · poverty 0.0% (Very low poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Very affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

City profile score · Hester, LA

82/100

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.

Poverty rate A+
0.0%

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

Household income A+
$142,571

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

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 F
16.4%

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

Violent crime N/A
N/A

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

Hester profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Poverty rate, Household income, Cost of living, Bachelor's+ share. Poverty rateHousehold incomeCost of livingBachelor's+ share 82 A-
Hester profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Poverty rate: 100/100 (A+) · 0.0%
  • Household income: 94/100 (A+) · $142,571
  • Cost of living: 92/100 (A+) · 88.2 index
  • Bachelor's+ share: 24/100 (F) · 16.4%

How does Hester compare to other US cities?

Hester measured against every US city with 1,000+ residents, computed live from the same Census and FBI data shown throughout this page.

Household income 93% higher than other cities
Home value 39% 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 Hester 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 Hester near the bottom of Louisiana's cities

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

Median Household Income
#4 of 426
99th percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 477
0th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#127 of 419
70th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#436 of 475
0th percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#203 of 477
57th 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.

93rdIncome percentile
Gauge source note

93rd percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Hester's home value compares nationally

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

$189,100 Among the most affordable more affordable than 61% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $200,000–$225,000: 1,035 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $225,000–$250,000: 976 US cities (6%). Above this entry. $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. Hester $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

Hester's home-value-to-income ratio: 1.3×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
affordable
< 3.0×
National rank
#196 of 15,516
More affordable than 99% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#192 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 1.3×, Hester sits in the affordable band: national rank #196 of 15,516 and #192 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). The multiple is comparatively compact among tracked cities, but a low ratio can still coexist with slow demand or household-level hardship.

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

$142,571 Hester, LA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Hester, LA Hester, LA's median household income ($142,571) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Hester, LA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Hester, LA median $142,571/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%
Hester, 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 Hester, LA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 16.4%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 0.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 90.7%

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

Population
756
Median Income
$142,571
Median Home Value
$189,100
Median Age
37.1
Poverty Rate
0.0%
Labor force participation
90.7%
Bachelor's Degree+
16.4%

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
80.9%
Carpool
3.1%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
0.0%
Work from Home
16.1%

Based on 423 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 Hester. 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 Hester 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 Hester sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Hester 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
Hester (this city) 756 $142,571
Buras 757 $57,596
Welcome 751 $56,453
Gillis 763 N/A
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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