Jobs, pay and daily life in Natchitoches, 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.
Natchitoches is a city in Louisiana with 17,577 residents. The median household earns $37,133 a year and the median rent is $802 a month, which is 25.9% of the median household income. We could not match it to a metropolitan area in the BLS wage tables, so metro pay data is not shown.
How Natchitoches compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, Natchitoches is #27 by population, #78 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #75 for remote work (#1 = most), #7 for rent (#1 = cheapest). Its county, Natchitoches Parish, is #48 of 64 counties for average pay ($46,001).
Natchitoches has 17,577 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.4% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 23 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 759 people per square mile. The median age is 26.5, 30% younger than the state median (26.5 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $802 a month (rent plus utilities), 25% below the state median ($802 against $1,064). Over a year that is 25.9% 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 $193,200, which is 5.2 times the median household income ($37,133); a ratio above 5 usually means buying is out of reach without savings or a second income. 41.6% of households own their home, 38% below the state average (41.6% against 67.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Natchitoches Parish was 5.1%. 53.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Natchitoches Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 79.4% drive alone, 0.2% use public transit, 4.6% walk, 2.9% work from home. 8.0% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 47% below the state average (8.0% against 15.2%).
30.3% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12% above the state share (30.3% against 27.0%). 1.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 61% below the state share (1.9% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 35.9%, 90% above the state rate (35.9% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Aug, averaging 83°F (28.6°C), and the coolest is Jan at 47°F (8.1°C). About 1,423 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (139 mm) and Sep the driest (104 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: Fort Polk South (48 miles, rent 50% higher); Alexandria (48 miles, rent 16% higher); Pineville (49 miles, rent 13% higher); Ruston (62 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against Natchitoches; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (780) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideNatchitoches 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.
No metropolitan wage table is matched to this city. Employment shares of residents by industry (ACS):
| Industry ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 36.5% |
| Retail trade | 13.4% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 11.4% |
| Manufacturing | 9.4% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 5.3% |
| Other services | 5.1% |
| Construction | 4.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 3.7% |
| Public administration | 3.6% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 3.6% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.9% |
| Information | 0.9% |
| Wholesale trade | 0.9% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Natchitoches 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natchitoches Parish | 36,693 | $2,047 million | $55,774 | 14,311 | 1,053 | $46,001 | -0.2% | 5.1% | 14,037 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 2,901 | 28.1% | $63,310 | 2.47 |
| Accommodation and food services | 1,619 | 15.7% | $17,898 | 1.24 |
| Retail trade | 1,600 | 15.5% | $28,971 | 1.12 |
| Health care and social assistance | 1,496 | 14.5% | $31,989 | 0.73 |
| Construction | 503 | 4.9% | $50,492 | 0.67 |
| Administrative and waste services | 503 | 4.9% | $52,926 | 0.60 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 411 | 4.0% | $47,307 | 0.68 |
| Finance and insurance | 387 | 3.8% | $63,151 | 0.67 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 193 | 1.9% | $32,116 | 0.45 |
| Real estate and rental | 145 | 1.4% | $36,050 | 0.65 |
| Wholesale trade | 142 | 1.4% | $61,692 | 0.25 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 140 | 1.4% | $55,893 | 1.21 |
| Information | 90 | 0.9% | $47,602 | 0.34 |
| Utilities | 76 | 0.7% | $100,139 | 1.40 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 53 | 0.5% | $18,193 | 0.22 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 28 | 0.3% | $48,825 | 0.52 |
| Educational services | 21 | 0.2% | $37,529 | 0.07 |
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 | 79.4% |
| Public transit | 0.2% |
| Walk | 4.6% |
| Work from home | 2.9% |
| 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 | $37,133 |
| Income per person | $23,599 |
| Median gross rent per month | $802 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 25.9% |
| Median home value | $193,200 |
| Homeowners | 41.6% |
| Poverty rate | 35.9% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | n/a |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | n/a |
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 | 26.5 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.8% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 30.3% |
| Born abroad | 1.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 53.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 8.1 | 47 | 122 |
| Feb | 10.3 | 51 | 123 |
| Mar | 14.7 | 58 | 129 |
| Apr | 18.8 | 66 | 112 |
| May | 23.2 | 74 | 106 |
| Jun | 27.3 | 81 | 122 |
| Jul | 28.4 | 83 | 114 |
| Aug | 28.6 | 83 | 108 |
| Sep | 25.5 | 78 | 104 |
| Oct | 19.8 | 68 | 132 |
| Nov | 13.8 | 57 | 112 |
| Dec | 9.5 | 49 | 139 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fort Polk South | LA | 48 mi | 7,869 | $63,800 | $1,202 |
| Alexandria | LA | 48 mi | 44,060 | $47,113 | $931 |
| Pineville | LA | 49 mi | 14,160 | $49,774 | $910 |
| Ruston | LA | 62 mi | 22,284 | $31,120 | $816 |
| Minden | LA | 62 mi | 11,455 | $34,294 | $895 |
| DeRidder | LA | 63 mi | 9,763 | $59,801 | $958 |
| Bossier City | LA | 63 mi | 62,901 | $55,819 | $1,107 |
| Shreveport | LA | 65 mi | 180,982 | $48,699 | $987 |
| Claiborne | LA | 77 mi | 13,308 | $72,420 | $1,206 |
| West Monroe | LA | 77 mi | 12,729 | $49,386 | $826 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
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17,577 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$802 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 25.9% of the median household income.
$37,133 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
5.1% (BLS county, Natchitoches Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.