Jobs, pay and daily life in Jefferson, from official statistics with source and year on every table.
Click any dot to open that city: jobs, pay, rent, commute, county economy and climate. Dot size follows population; colours follow the state flag.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 07/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Jefferson is a city in Louisiana with 9,703 residents. The median household earns $57,235 a year and the median rent is $1,097 a month, which is 23.0% of the median household income. It is part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 445,550 jobs.
How Jefferson compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, Jefferson is #58 by population, #9 for remote work (#1 = most), #18 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #19 for college degrees (#1 = most). Its county, Jefferson Parish, is #14 of 64 counties for average pay ($63,803).
Jefferson has 9,703 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 3 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 3,584 people per square mile. The median age is 45.4, 19% older than the state median (45.4 against 38.0). It is a census-designated place: a community the Census Bureau counts as a unit, without a city government of its own, so services such as police, roads and zoning usually come from the county.
The median gross rent is $1,097 a month (rent plus utilities), 3% above the state median ($1,097 against $1,064). Over a year that is 23.0% of the median household income. US housing guidance treats housing as affordable when it takes 30% of income or less, so the typical household is under that line. The median home value is $247,700, which is 4.3 times the median household income ($57,235). 57.3% of households own their home, 15% below the state average (57.3% against 67.4%).
The New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area has 445,550 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $47,290 a year, 7% below the national median ($47,290 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (51,170 jobs, median $43,390); food preparation and serving related (50,540 jobs, median $26,000); transportation and material moving (42,140 jobs, median $40,080). The area is most specialised in legal (1.9 times) and protective service (1.3 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($105,850) and architecture and engineering ($101,450). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson Parish was 3.6%. 66.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 69.0% drive alone, 2.0% use public transit, 4.8% walk, 13.6% work from home. 8.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 47% below the state average (8.0% against 15.2%). Remote work is more common than in the state as a whole, which widens the set of employers a resident can work for without moving.
35.7% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 32% above the state share (35.7% against 27.0%). 7.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 60% above the state share (7.8% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 16.4%, 13% below the state rate (16.4% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 83°F (28.5°C), and the coolest is Jan at 54°F (12.0°C). About 1,532 mm (60 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (190 mm) and Nov the driest (76 mm). These values come from NASA satellite-based climatology on a grid of about 50 km, so they describe the wider area, not a weather station in the city.
Closest cities in this guide: Bridge City (1 miles, rent 17% higher); Metairie (3 miles, rent 7% higher); Harahan (3 miles, similar rent); Westwego (4 miles, rent 4% lower). Rent differences are against Jefferson; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (780) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideJefferson ParishLouisiana rankings
These links go to official sources and open in a new window. The first one is the government's or company's own site as listed in Wikidata (property "official website"); check it before relying on it.
There are 780 federal postings open in Louisiana (USAJOBS, state level; we do not have a city filter for them). Private-sector jobs are not in this feed.
Open federal jobs in Louisiana →
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail Salespersons | 12,030 | 1.08 | $30,400 | $23,100 | $46,630 | -14% |
| Registered Nurses | 11,530 | 1.19 | $81,850 | $65,660 | $103,180 | -16% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,670 | 1.06 | $105,110 | $53,040 | $240,450 | -1% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 10,110 | 0.92 | $25,470 | $22,340 | $35,030 | -18% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 10,050 | 1.54 | $16,640 | $15,080 | $42,410 | -53% |
| Cashiers | 9,320 | 1.05 | $28,370 | $20,960 | $36,030 | -14% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 9,220 | 1.09 | $36,380 | $26,410 | $47,680 | -10% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 7,250 | 2.83 | $26,200 | $18,490 | $36,210 | -26% |
| Office Clerks, General | 6,740 | 0.95 | $33,860 | $21,540 | $51,650 | -25% |
| Security Guards | 6,650 | 1.81 | $32,240 | $23,590 | $48,990 | -15% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 6,600 | 0.54 | $23,650 | $19,970 | $34,280 | -34% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 6,330 | 0.78 | $34,830 | $28,500 | $45,320 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 6,180 | 1.26 | $42,830 | $28,820 | $60,210 | -10% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 6,070 | 0.96 | $30,020 | $22,880 | $41,600 | -19% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 5,600 | 0.75 | $39,300 | $29,860 | $56,960 | -12% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 5,500 | 0.93 | $51,540 | $37,960 | $73,880 | -12% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 4,940 | 1.13 | $45,260 | $29,840 | $72,340 | -9% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 4,830 | 1.17 | $60,270 | $41,450 | $89,770 | -13% |
| Cooks, Restaurant | 4,720 | 1.17 | $30,520 | $23,000 | $43,860 | -18% |
| Business Operations Specialists, All Other | 4,590 | 1.47 | $73,920 | $35,740 | $121,450 | -11% |
| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physicians, All Other | 1,910 | 1.95 | $326,440 | $63,950 | $420,620 | +23% |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | 560 | 0.89 | $165,620 | $130,740 | $208,970 | -3% |
| Industrial Production Managers | 580 | 0.82 | $147,980 | $87,010 | $217,310 | +17% |
| Financial Managers | 1,970 | 0.82 | $134,110 | $84,250 | $229,630 | -19% |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | 800 | 0.41 | $131,570 | $69,000 | $210,570 | -25% |
| Pharmacists | 1,470 | 1.59 | $128,100 | $86,060 | $155,240 | -9% |
| Sales Representatives, Wholesale and Manufacturing, Technical and Scientific Products | 510 | 0.63 | $127,030 | $54,840 | $190,600 | +21% |
| Nurse Practitioners | 1,270 | 1.37 | $124,800 | $105,570 | $157,690 | -6% |
| Construction Managers | 800 | 0.74 | $122,050 | $72,700 | $182,390 | +6% |
| Lawyers | 4,330 | 2.00 | $121,290 | $62,530 | $290,190 | -24% |
| Medical and Health Services Managers | 1,810 | 1.06 | $120,700 | $75,920 | $216,550 | -3% |
| Sales Managers | 1,000 | 0.55 | $118,540 | $67,710 | $222,320 | -20% |
| Mechanical Engineers | 530 | 0.63 | $117,990 | $75,340 | $170,810 | +13% |
| Managers, All Other | 2,610 | 1.46 | $112,550 | $62,130 | $189,260 | -21% |
| Engineers, All Other | 1,050 | 2.38 | $110,970 | $64,060 | $167,700 | -10% |
| Civil Engineers | 1,070 | 1.02 | $108,240 | $70,000 | $156,760 | +7% |
| Software Developers | 940 | 0.20 | $106,950 | $77,760 | $161,260 | -21% |
| General and Operations Managers | 10,670 | 1.06 | $105,110 | $53,040 | $240,450 | -1% |
| Administrative Services Managers | 810 | 1.07 | $103,020 | $68,860 | $175,260 | -10% |
| Physical Therapists | 710 | 0.92 | $100,530 | $60,150 | $123,900 | -2% |
These figures are for the whole New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $47,290 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.2% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 13.6% |
| Retail trade | 11.1% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 6.2% |
| Construction | 5.9% |
| Manufacturing | 5.7% |
| Other services | 5.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 4.9% |
| Public administration | 4.8% |
| Wholesale trade | 3.7% |
| Information | 0.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jefferson lies and cover the whole county, not only the city.
| County ⇅ | Population ⇅ | GDP (2024) ⇅ | GDP per resident ⇅ | Jobs (QCEW 2024) ⇅ | Employer sites ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Job change vs 2023 ⇅ | Unemployment rate ⇅ | Labour force ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Parish | 430,920 | $31,830 million | $73,864 | 184,764 | 15,879 | $63,803 | +1.0% | 3.6% | 208,297 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 34,973 | 20.6% | $71,647 | 1.32 |
| Retail trade | 24,817 | 14.6% | $39,940 | 1.34 |
| Accommodation and food services | 18,293 | 10.8% | $26,125 | 1.09 |
| Administrative and waste services | 13,472 | 7.9% | $48,521 | 1.24 |
| Construction | 11,221 | 6.6% | $73,425 | 1.16 |
| Professional and technical services | 10,519 | 6.2% | $84,857 | 0.82 |
| Wholesale trade | 9,505 | 5.6% | $88,148 | 1.31 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 8,595 | 5.1% | $68,382 | 1.10 |
| Manufacturing | 8,569 | 5.1% | $76,391 | 0.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 7,518 | 4.4% | $93,251 | 1.00 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 5,930 | 3.5% | $47,320 | 1.07 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 4,173 | 2.5% | $148,004 | 1.34 |
| Real estate and rental | 3,894 | 2.3% | $57,154 | 1.36 |
| Management of companies | 2,908 | 1.7% | $98,775 | 0.93 |
| Educational services | 2,466 | 1.5% | $46,525 | 0.65 |
| Information | 2,287 | 1.3% | $55,212 | 0.66 |
| Utilities | 285 | 0.2% | $141,952 | 0.41 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 174 | 0.1% | $107,371 | 0.25 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 40 | 0.0% | $77,421 | 0.03 |
QCEW counts jobs covered by unemployment insurance; sectors with too few employers are withheld by BLS. Latest-month unemployment is preliminary.
| How residents get to work ⇅ | Share ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Drive alone | 69.0% |
| Public transit | 2.0% |
| Walk | 4.8% |
| Work from home | 13.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.0% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $57,235 |
| Income per person | $41,624 |
| Median gross rent per month | $1,097 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 23.0% |
| Median home value | $247,700 |
| Homeowners | 57.3% |
| Poverty rate | 16.4% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 92.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $47,290 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
State tax: Flat 3.00%.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median age | 45.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 89.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 35.7% |
| Born abroad | 7.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 66.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 12.0 | 54 | 98 |
| Feb | 14.0 | 57 | 107 |
| Mar | 17.3 | 63 | 104 |
| Apr | 21.0 | 70 | 128 |
| May | 24.7 | 76 | 119 |
| Jun | 27.9 | 82 | 176 |
| Jul | 28.5 | 83 | 173 |
| Aug | 28.5 | 83 | 190 |
| Sep | 26.8 | 80 | 129 |
| Oct | 22.3 | 72 | 104 |
| Nov | 17.0 | 63 | 76 |
| Dec | 13.5 | 56 | 128 |
Satellite-reanalysis climatology on a grid of roughly 50 km, so it smooths local effects (hills, coast, city heat). It is not a weather-station record.
| City ⇅ | State ⇅ | Distance (straight line) ⇅ | Population ⇅ | Median household income ⇅ | Median rent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bridge City | LA | 1 mi | 7,297 | $57,031 | $1,281 |
| Metairie | LA | 3 mi | 139,729 | $73,042 | $1,175 |
| Harahan | LA | 3 mi | 8,904 | $79,516 | $1,082 |
| Westwego | LA | 4 mi | 8,335 | $46,261 | $1,049 |
| River Ridge | LA | 4 mi | 13,312 | $84,336 | $1,127 |
| Waggaman | LA | 5 mi | 11,330 | $68,374 | $1,510 |
| Marrero | LA | 6 mi | 32,540 | $41,402 | $1,042 |
| Kenner | LA | 7 mi | 64,904 | $64,020 | $1,179 |
| Gretna | LA | 7 mi | 17,389 | $43,110 | $1,060 |
| Harvey | LA | 7 mi | 20,915 | $48,774 | $1,190 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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Large employers headquartered in Jefferson (from our list of the 200 largest US-based employers):
| Company ⇅ | Industry ⇅ | Employees (global) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| Ochsner Health System | Health care | 40,000 (year not stated) |
9,703 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$1,097 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 23.0% of the median household income.
$57,235 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.6% (BLS county, Jefferson Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.