Jobs, pay and daily life in Jennings, 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.
Jennings is a city in Louisiana with 9,553 residents. The median household earns $48,558 a year and the median rent is $881 a month, which is 21.8% of the median household income. It is part of the Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 101,690 jobs.
How Jennings compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, Jennings is #60 by population, #77 for remote work (#1 = most), #77 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #13 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Jefferson Davis Parish, is #54 of 64 counties for average pay ($44,133).
Jennings has 9,553 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 11 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 905 people per square mile. The median age is 39.8, 5% older than the state median (39.8 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $881 a month (rent plus utilities), 17% below the state median ($881 against $1,064). Over a year that is 21.8% 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 $136,700, which is 2.8 times the median household income ($48,558); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 64.1% of households own their home, 5% below the state average (64.1% against 67.4%).
The Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area has 101,690 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $45,700 a year, 10% below the national median ($45,700 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (10,500 jobs, median $37,530); food preparation and serving related (10,290 jobs, median $22,760); sales and related (9,010 jobs, median $32,180). The area is most specialised in construction and extraction (1.8 times) and production (1.4 times), where the share of workers is well above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are management ($101,330) and healthcare practitioners and technical ($75,300). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Jefferson Davis Parish was 3.8%. 51.7% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Jefferson Davis Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 85.0% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 1.9% walk, 2.6% work from home. 26.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 72% above the state average (26.1% against 15.2%).
16.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 41% below the state share (16.0% against 27.0%). 1.8% of residents were born outside the United States, 63% below the state share (1.8% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 19.1%, about the same as the state rate (19.1% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 83°F (28.1°C), and the coolest is Jan at 51°F (10.8°C). About 1,660 mm (65 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (195 mm) and Mar the driest (97 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: Crowley (17 miles, rent 33% lower); Eunice (23 miles, rent 9% lower); Lake Charles (33 miles, rent 26% higher); Moss Bluff (33 miles, rent 50% higher). Rent differences are against Jennings; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (780) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideJefferson Davis ParishLouisiana rankings
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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.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cashiers | 2,840 | 1.40 | $27,480 | $20,610 | $35,260 | -16% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,620 | 1.03 | $28,780 | $22,190 | $45,760 | -19% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,460 | 1.11 | $90,690 | $62,570 | $121,680 | -7% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,350 | 0.93 | $22,500 | $18,330 | $30,010 | -28% |
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 2,140 | 0.76 | $23,000 | $19,200 | $33,610 | -36% |
| General and Operations Managers | 2,140 | 0.93 | $101,370 | $50,230 | $215,680 | -4% |
| Construction Laborers | 2,130 | 2.97 | $45,240 | $30,370 | $66,820 | -4% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,950 | 1.31 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $36,910 | -57% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 1,940 | 3.32 | $23,380 | $17,740 | $35,800 | -34% |
| Police and Sheriff's Patrol Officers | 1,780 | 4.07 | $56,290 | $45,220 | $72,420 | -26% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,690 | 0.87 | $35,740 | $26,040 | $46,120 | -11% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,660 | 0.90 | $34,690 | $28,040 | $41,910 | -7% |
| Office Clerks, General | 1,590 | 0.99 | $31,630 | $21,420 | $49,780 | -30% |
| Medical Assistants | 1,510 | 2.83 | $38,550 | $30,440 | $38,550 | -16% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,390 | 1.25 | $40,260 | $24,960 | $60,290 | -15% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,350 | 1.35 | $46,170 | $28,260 | $111,190 | -7% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,340 | 0.99 | $49,960 | $37,210 | $67,780 | -15% |
| Engineers, All Other | 1,330 | 13.19 | $94,810 | $85,540 | $175,870 | -23% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,290 | 0.90 | $28,580 | $21,930 | $40,640 | -22% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,090 | 0.64 | $35,080 | $25,700 | $48,000 | -22% |
These figures are for the whole Lake Charles, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $45,700 (US $50,980); unemployment 3.9% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.9% |
| Retail trade | 13.6% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 12.4% |
| Manufacturing | 8.8% |
| Other services | 8.7% |
| Public administration | 6.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 6.6% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 4.7% |
| Construction | 4.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 2.2% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.1% |
| Information | 1.4% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.2% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Jennings 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 Davis Parish | 31,924 | $1,046 million | $32,757 | 8,020 | 800 | $44,133 | +2.3% | 3.8% | 12,458 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 1,292 | 27.5% | $30,187 | 1.61 |
| Accommodation and food services | 703 | 15.0% | $17,408 | 0.96 |
| Construction | 470 | 10.0% | $50,455 | 1.12 |
| Manufacturing | 378 | 8.1% | $65,685 | 0.57 |
| Wholesale trade | 254 | 5.4% | $51,871 | 0.80 |
| Finance and insurance | 247 | 5.3% | $51,568 | 0.76 |
| Real estate and rental | 188 | 4.0% | $74,520 | 1.51 |
| Administrative and waste services | 176 | 3.7% | $56,690 | 0.37 |
| Professional and technical services | 159 | 3.4% | $42,783 | 0.29 |
| Management of companies | 158 | 3.4% | $74,797 | 1.17 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 128 | 2.7% | $56,353 | 4.22 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 126 | 2.7% | $64,532 | 0.37 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 123 | 2.6% | $44,678 | 1.90 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 91 | 1.9% | $40,200 | 0.38 |
| Utilities | 80 | 1.7% | $85,223 | 2.62 |
| Information | 73 | 1.6% | $81,123 | 0.49 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 48 | 1.0% | $14,013 | 0.36 |
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 | 85.0% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 1.9% |
| Work from home | 2.6% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 26.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $48,558 |
| Income per person | $26,655 |
| Median gross rent per month | $881 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 21.8% |
| Median home value | $136,700 |
| Homeowners | 64.1% |
| Poverty rate | 19.1% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 85.9 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $45,700 |
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 | 39.8 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 78.0% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 16.0% |
| Born abroad | 1.8% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 51.7% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 10.8 | 51 | 139 |
| Feb | 13.0 | 55 | 106 |
| Mar | 16.7 | 62 | 97 |
| Apr | 20.4 | 69 | 120 |
| May | 24.2 | 76 | 130 |
| Jun | 27.4 | 81 | 181 |
| Jul | 28.0 | 82 | 174 |
| Aug | 28.1 | 83 | 195 |
| Sep | 26.0 | 79 | 151 |
| Oct | 21.4 | 71 | 135 |
| Nov | 16.0 | 61 | 104 |
| Dec | 12.3 | 54 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crowley | LA | 17 mi | 11,422 | $28,642 | $594 |
| Eunice | LA | 23 mi | 9,239 | $35,436 | $799 |
| Lake Charles | LA | 33 mi | 81,143 | $59,235 | $1,109 |
| Moss Bluff | LA | 33 mi | 12,482 | $92,036 | $1,324 |
| Scott | LA | 34 mi | 8,609 | $56,299 | $1,052 |
| Abbeville | LA | 36 mi | 11,003 | $33,015 | $829 |
| Prien | LA | 37 mi | 7,119 | $87,292 | $1,292 |
| Carencro | LA | 37 mi | 11,619 | $63,401 | $944 |
| Lafayette | LA | 38 mi | 121,715 | $61,915 | $1,100 |
| Opelousas | LA | 40 mi | 15,495 | $32,964 | $717 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
9,553 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$881 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 21.8% of the median household income.
$48,558 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS county, Jefferson Davis Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.