City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Metairie, LA

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

138,995
Residents
$73,256
Median income
$308,900
Median home
$1,331
Median rent (state)

Metairie - the verdict

Nationally, Metairie sits in the 54th percentile for household income among US cities with a population of 1,000 or more. Source: Census ACS.

54th
percentile, household income
66th
percentile, home value
48th
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: Metairie, LA

Metairie is a mid-sized U.S. city in Louisiana, home to 138,995 residents per U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. The typical household in Metairie brings in $73,256 a year, above the median for U.S. cities on this measure, with a poverty rate of 9.0%. Home values in Metairie run a median of $308,900, and the median resident age is 41.5 years. Educational attainment runs 39.9% of adults with a bachelor's degree or higher. Separately, 61.2% of working-age residents are in the labor force.

The city is served by 19 public schools according to NCES Common Core of Data.

Living costs in Louisiana run below the national norm: the state registers 88.2 on a 100-equals-national-average index (Well Below Average) per BEA Regional Price Parities 2024. HUD Fair Market Rent for a typical two-bedroom in this state is $1,331 per month. Monthly utility costs average around $212 across Louisiana, per EIA 2023 residential energy estimates. FEMA's National Risk Index rates natural-hazard exposure at 85.1 out of 100 (Very High).

Population

138,995 residents

Census ACS 2023 - Louisiana

Median Household Income

$73,256 /yr

Poverty 9.0%

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Well Below Average - BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

How does Metairie compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 54% higher than other cities
Home value 66% pricier than other cities
Median rent 48% 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

For each metric we count every US city with population 1,000+ and a non-null value, then compute what share of them fall below Metairie's value: round(cities-below ÷ total × 100). Safety is inverted (percentile = share of cities with a higher crime rate) so a higher number always means safer. The in-state rank narrows that same crime-rate comparison to only the cities PlainCities tracks in Louisiana, breaking ties alphabetically. See the methodology page for the full source-to-figure lineage.

54thIncome percentile

54th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Metairie's home value compares nationally

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

$308,900 34th percentile more affordable than 34% 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%). Below this entry. $250,000–$275,000: 754 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $275,000–$300,000: 712 US cities (5%). Below this entry. $300,000–$325,000: 521 US cities (3%). This entry sits in this band. $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. Metairie $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 - Metairie, LA Metairie, LA's reported median household income shown against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern (not Metairie, 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 Metairie, LA median $73,256/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%
Metairie, 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 Metairie, LA. Diagonal = perfect equality.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 39.9%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 9.0%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 61.2%

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

Population
138,995
Median Income
$73,256
Median Home Value
$308,900
Median Age
41.5
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Labor force participation
61.2%
Bachelor's Degree+
39.9%

Schools

Total Schools
19
Public schools in this city

Commute Patterns

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
76.1%
Carpool
9.5%
Public Transit
0.7%
Walk
2.4%
Work from Home
10.1%
Other
1.2%

Based on 67,974 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 Metairie 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
85.1 / 100
Very High
FEMA NRI composite score (county)

Similar Cities in Louisiana

Lafayette
121,537 people
Shreveport
183,483 people
Lake Charles
81,679 people
Kenner
65,113 people
Bossier City
62,832 people
Baton Rouge
223,699 people

Cities of a Similar Size Nationwide

Population-matched peers from other states, closest to Metairie's 138,995 residents (Census ACS 5-Year 2023).

Carolina zona urbana, PR
139,051 people
Orange, CA
138,723 people
Warren, MI
138,128 people
Columbia, SC
138,019 people
West Valley City, UT
137,955 people
Hampton, VA
137,334 people

Cities with a Similar Household Income Nationwide

Median-household-income-matched peers from other states, closest to Metairie's $73,256 (Census ACS 5-Year 2023, table B19013).

Old Forge, PA
$73,258 median income
Holtville, AL
$73,250 median income
Manchester, IL
$73,250 median income
Avilla, IN
$73,250 median income
Graettinger, IA
$73,250 median income
Lakota, IA
$73,250 median income

Race & Ethnicity Composition

Race and ethnicity - Metairie, 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 Metairie, LA - Census ACS, OMB race + ethnicity categories RACE, sums to 100% 69.4% 10.2% 11.5% ETHNICITY, Hispanic or Latino (any race) 17.5% White 69.4% Black or African American 10.2% Asian 3.8% American Indian 1.1% Native Hawaiian 0.0% Some other race 4.0% Two or more races 11.5% 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 Metairie 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
Metairie (this city) 138,995 $73,256
Lafayette 121,537 $61,454
Shreveport 183,483 $48,465
Lake Charles 81,679 $56,864
Census ACS 5-year FIPS LA NCES CCD OMB Bulletin 23-01

What do people ask about Metairie, LA?

What is the population of Metairie, LA? +

Metairie, LA has a population of 138,995 according to U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.

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

Metairie households earn a median of $73,256 annually, based on Census ACS 2023 data.

What is the cost of living in Metairie? +

BEA does not publish a city-level cost-of-living figure for Metairie; 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.

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

Metairie's median home value sits at $308,900, according to Census ACS 2023 estimates.

Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year 2023, NCES CCD, 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 Editorial

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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.