City profile · Louisiana · Census ACS 2023

Oil City, LA

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

941
Residents
$17,381
Median income
$55,600
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 Oil City.

Place dossier plate

Sheet LA-OIL-CITY-LA · Oil City, LA 941 pop · income 0th pct

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

  • POP-VILLAGE 941
  • INC-LOW $17,381
  • COL-BELOW 88.2
  • SAFE-UNK Safety pending
  • RANK-BOTTOM 0th
  • PHOTO-FINISH ≈ Lincoln Heights
  • HOME-LOW $55,600
  • BOOK-UNK Tracts pending

Nearest income peer: Lincoln Heights, OH ( $48 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 Oil City

Lowest/highest poles plus peers nearest Oil City 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 Oil City 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: 941.

4 peers

Similar household income

Nearest out-of-state cities by ACS median household income. This city: $17,381. Population peers are excluded.

4 peers

Oil City - the verdict

Measured against every US city with at least 1,000 residents, Oil City lands in the 0th percentile for household income. Source: Census ACS.

0th
percentile, household income
1st
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: Oil City, LA

941 people live in Oil City, Louisiana - a small town by U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. Oil City households earn a median of $17,381 annually, in the lower quartile of U.S. cities for household income, with a poverty rate of 62.7%. Oil City's housing stock carries a median value of $55,600, and the median resident age is 28.5 years. 1.6% of adults here have a bachelor's degree or higher; 50.0% 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. Statewide, HUD pegs Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit at $1,007 monthly. 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 Oil City'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 housing and income to population change to work and mobility to comparison shortlist; another city can have a different sequence or fewer supported layers because the source joins are not uniform.

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

Question 1

How far does income reach against housing in Oil City?

The home-value-to-income reference sits in a middle range: the ACS median home value is 3.2 times median household income. The ACS poverty estimate is 62.7%, 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. Income and home value move within the same broad scale here. The useful next check is not a generic affordability label, but whether similar-size cities offer a materially different income, housing, or commute trade-off.

Compare the housing trade-off →

2. Population change

Is Oil City growing, shrinking, or holding steady?

Recent estimates point downward. A falling count can reflect migration, household size, annexation boundaries, or estimation noise, so it is a prompt to inspect the full series rather than a claim about local economic health.

Census PEP estimates show the population declined by -22 residents from 2020 to 2025, a -2.5% change. No comparable local building-permit series is available here, so population change should not be read as a housing-supply measure. PEP and ACS are different Census series, so the trend is kept separate from the headline ACS population.

See the national growth ranking →

3. Work and mobility

What does the journey to work look like in Oil City?

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 56.2%. A reliable mean commute time is not available for this row, so the mode shares carry the comparison.

Compare commute patterns →

Question 4

Which cities make useful reference points for Oil City?

Within Louisiana, the closest population matches are Start (941 residents, $67,673 income); Grand Coteau (948 residents, $48,036 income); Merryville (956 residents, $26,554 income). Outside the state, the closest population matches in this dataset are Odin, IL (941 residents); Union Bridge, MD (941 residents); Jonestown, MS (941 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 →

Population

941 residents

Micro place (under 10k)

Median Household Income

$17,381 /yr

Lowest-decile income · poverty 62.7% (Highest-decile poverty)

Cost of Living Index (state)

88.2 (US=100)

Very affordable · BEA RPP 2024, Louisiana average

City profile score · Oil City, LA

23/100

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.

Household income F
$17,381

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

Poverty rate F
62.7%

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

Bachelor's+ share F
1.6%

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).

Oil City profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions) 4-axis radar comparing 1 series across Cost of living, Household income, Poverty rate, Bachelor's+ share. Cost of livingHousehold incomePoverty rateBachelor's+ share 23 F
Oil City profile (scored ACS/FBI dimensions)
Read the chart values
  • Cost of living: 92/100 (A+) · 88.2 index
  • Household income: 0/100 (F) · $17,381
  • Poverty rate: 0/100 (F) · 62.7%
  • Bachelor's+ share: 0/100 (F) · 1.6%

How does Oil City compare to other US cities?

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

Household income 0% higher than other cities
Home value 1% 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 Oil City 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 Oil City near the bottom of Louisiana's cities

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

Median Household Income
#418 of 426
2nd percentile in Louisiana
Median Gross Rent
#1 of 477
0th percentile in Louisiana
Median Home Value
#403 of 419
4th percentile in Louisiana
Poverty Rate
#10 of 475
98th percentile in Louisiana
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
#458 of 477
4th 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.

0thIncome percentile
Gauge source note

0th percentile nationally for median household income. Source: Census ACS 2023 / FBI UCR 2023.

How Oil City's home value compares nationally

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

$55,600 Among the most affordable more affordable than 99% 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%). This entry sits in this band. $75,000–$100,000: 1,086 US cities (7%). Above this entry. $100,000–$125,000: 1,516 US cities (10%). Above this entry. $125,000–$150,000: 1,170 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $150,000–$175,000: 1,278 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $175,000–$200,000: 1,229 US cities (8%). Above this entry. $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. Oil City $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

Oil City's home-value-to-income ratio: 3.2×

ACS median home value divided by median household income.

Band
moderate
3.0–5.0×
National rank
#7,694 of 15,516
More affordable than 50% of tracked cities (pop. 1,000+)
Size class
#6,357 of 11,323
Micro cities (under 10,000)

At 3.2×, Oil City sits in the moderate band: national rank #7,694 of 15,516 and #6,357 of 11,323micro cities (under 10,000). 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

$17,381 Oil City, LA median household income (Census ACS)

Show U.S. national quintile / Lorenz context Household income distribution - Oil City, LA Oil City, LA's median household income ($17,381) against the U.S. national quintile-share pattern. The Lorenz curve and quintile bars are national context, not Oil City, LA-specific shares. $ Household Income Distribution Oil City, LA median $17,381/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%
Oil City, 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 Oil City, LA.

Key socioeconomic indicators

Bachelor's degree or higher (adults 25+) 1.6%

Census ACS S1501, educational attainment

Poverty rate (households below FPL) 62.7%

Census ACS S1701, poverty status

Labor force participation (adults 16+) 50.0%

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

Population
941
Median Income
$17,381
Median Home Value
$55,600
Median Age
28.5
Poverty Rate
62.7%
Labor force participation
50.0%
Bachelor's Degree+
1.6%

Population Change

PEP vintage

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

See the fastest-growing cities →
860 residents870 residents880 residents890 residents900 residents 202020212022202320242025 896 residents 874 residents ▼ -2.5%
Oil City's Census PEP population estimates, 2020–2025.
Read the chart as text
Period Population
2020 896 residents
2021 885 residents
2022 878 residents
2023 872 residents
2024 872 residents
2025 874 residents

Commute Patterns

Commute source

How workers travel to work, Census ACS 2023

Drive Alone
56.2%
Carpool
6.3%
Public Transit
0.0%
Walk
22.1%
Work from Home
4.2%
Other
11.2%

Based on 331 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 Oil City. 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 Oil City 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 Oil City sits in; the FEMA hazard score shown here is a statewide average of county NRI inputs, not a parcel-level reading.

How Oil City 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
Oil City (this city) 941 $17,381
Start 941 $67,673
Grand Coteau 948 $48,036
Merryville 956 $26,554
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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