Jobs, pay and daily life in Ponchatoula, 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.
Ponchatoula is a city in Louisiana with 7,808 residents. The median household earns $51,161 a year and the median rent is $762 a month, which is 17.9% of the median household income. It is part of the Hammond, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 47,820 jobs.
How Ponchatoula compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, Ponchatoula is #73 by population, #78 for long commutes (#1 = fewest), #4 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #18 for homeownership (#1 = highest). Its county, Tangipahoa Parish, is #44 of 64 counties for average pay ($46,783).
Ponchatoula has 7,808 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.2% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 5 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,655 people per square mile. The median age is 44.0, 16% older than the state median (44.0 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $762 a month (rent plus utilities), 28% below the state median ($762 against $1,064). Over a year that is 17.9% 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 $200,300, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($51,161); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 76.0% of households own their home, 13% above the state average (76.0% against 67.4%).
The Hammond, LA metropolitan area has 47,820 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $38,480 a year, 25% below the national median ($38,480 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are food preparation and serving related (5,890 jobs, median $22,730); transportation and material moving (5,450 jobs, median $37,450); office and administrative support (5,220 jobs, median $38,320). The area is most specialised in food preparation and serving related (1.4 times) and transportation and material moving (1.3 times), where the share of workers is above the national share. The best-paying groups with at least 5,000 jobs are office and administrative support ($38,320) and transportation and material moving ($37,450). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Tangipahoa Parish was 4.4%. 51.2% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Tangipahoa Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 78.4% drive alone, 0.0% use public transit, 0.0% walk, 9.4% work from home. 35.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 131% above the state average (35.1% against 15.2%).
23.9% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 12% below the state share (23.9% against 27.0%). 1.9% of residents were born outside the United States, 62% below the state share (1.9% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 14.3%, 24% below the state rate (14.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 82°F (27.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 50°F (9.9°C). About 1,579 mm (62 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Aug is the wettest month (179 mm) and Nov the driest (86 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: Hammond (5 miles, rent 39% higher); Covington (20 miles, rent 83% higher); Mandeville (21 miles, rent 87% higher); Laplace (26 miles, rent 77% higher). Rent differences are against Ponchatoula; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (780) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideTangipahoa 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.
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| Occupation ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay (year) ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 1,750 | 1.32 | $21,980 | $18,160 | $33,640 | -39% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 1,560 | 1.32 | $22,350 | $17,850 | $30,530 | -28% |
| Cashiers | 1,440 | 1.52 | $25,500 | $18,540 | $33,900 | -22% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,420 | 1.63 | $35,570 | $27,710 | $59,770 | -5% |
| Retail Salespersons | 1,390 | 1.16 | $28,570 | $21,940 | $44,130 | -19% |
| Registered Nurses | 1,260 | 1.21 | $76,200 | $65,330 | $98,200 | -22% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,050 | 1.50 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $36,550 | -57% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 1,050 | 1.16 | $35,480 | $23,120 | $46,040 | -12% |
| General and Operations Managers | 990 | 0.92 | $87,990 | $48,340 | $184,380 | -17% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 870 | 3.15 | $22,740 | $16,940 | $33,790 | -36% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 830 | 1.31 | $48,650 | $36,490 | $63,850 | -17% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 790 | 1.50 | $35,880 | $24,150 | $49,840 | -25% |
| Office Clerks, General | 650 | 0.86 | $30,980 | $20,760 | $48,370 | -31% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 610 | 1.43 | $47,470 | $45,340 | $59,220 | -26% |
| Secondary School Teachers, Except Special and Career/Technical Education | 610 | 1.85 | $58,410 | $47,780 | $59,980 | -19% |
| Nursing Assistants | 600 | 1.34 | $33,010 | $28,670 | $37,290 | -22% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 570 | 0.71 | $34,950 | $25,210 | $47,060 | -22% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 560 | 0.83 | $31,200 | $21,910 | $47,200 | -15% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers | 550 | 1.58 | $43,830 | $28,080 | $72,430 | -10% |
| Industrial Truck and Tractor Operators | 550 | 2.32 | $53,780 | $35,410 | $59,590 | +16% |
These figures are for the whole Hammond, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $38,480 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.4% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 27.8% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 10.8% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 10.0% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 9.0% |
| Construction | 8.8% |
| Manufacturing | 8.4% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 7.0% |
| Retail trade | 4.4% |
| Public administration | 4.3% |
| Other services | 3.9% |
| Information | 3.5% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 1.0% |
| Wholesale trade | 1.0% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where Ponchatoula 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tangipahoa Parish | 136,738 | $6,435 million | $47,064 | 47,214 | 3,747 | $46,783 | +0.7% | 4.4% | 60,428 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 7,001 | 19.2% | $40,788 | 1.03 |
| Retail trade | 6,670 | 18.3% | $35,330 | 1.41 |
| Accommodation and food services | 5,918 | 16.2% | $18,540 | 1.38 |
| Manufacturing | 2,857 | 7.8% | $55,116 | 0.74 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 2,304 | 6.3% | $55,204 | 1.15 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,973 | 5.4% | $65,929 | 1.06 |
| Administrative and waste services | 1,878 | 5.1% | $35,738 | 0.68 |
| Construction | 1,863 | 5.1% | $65,498 | 0.75 |
| Professional and technical services | 1,472 | 4.0% | $67,759 | 0.45 |
| Finance and insurance | 1,111 | 3.0% | $66,537 | 0.58 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 948 | 2.6% | $40,493 | 0.67 |
| Real estate and rental | 491 | 1.3% | $47,844 | 0.67 |
| Educational services | 455 | 1.2% | $30,872 | 0.47 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 381 | 1.0% | $16,269 | 0.48 |
| Information | 347 | 1.0% | $63,918 | 0.39 |
| Management of companies | 308 | 0.8% | $75,567 | 0.39 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 191 | 0.5% | $112,576 | 1.07 |
| Utilities | 174 | 0.5% | $99,254 | 0.97 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 140 | 0.4% | $48,260 | 0.37 |
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 | 78.4% |
| Public transit | 0.0% |
| Walk | 0.0% |
| Work from home | 9.4% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 35.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $51,161 |
| Income per person | $32,695 |
| Median gross rent per month | $762 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 17.9% |
| Median home value | $200,300 |
| Homeowners | 76.0% |
| Poverty rate | 14.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 84.5 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $38,480 |
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 | 44.0 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 88.7% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 23.9% |
| Born abroad | 1.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 51.2% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 9.9 | 50 | 119 |
| Feb | 12.3 | 54 | 121 |
| Mar | 16.0 | 61 | 115 |
| Apr | 19.7 | 67 | 121 |
| May | 23.8 | 75 | 133 |
| Jun | 27.2 | 81 | 171 |
| Jul | 27.9 | 82 | 160 |
| Aug | 27.7 | 82 | 179 |
| Sep | 25.4 | 78 | 122 |
| Oct | 20.4 | 69 | 112 |
| Nov | 14.9 | 59 | 86 |
| Dec | 11.4 | 53 | 140 |
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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hammond | LA | 5 mi | 21,539 | $48,166 | $1,061 |
| Covington | LA | 20 mi | 11,658 | $75,851 | $1,396 |
| Mandeville | LA | 21 mi | 12,946 | $94,405 | $1,422 |
| Laplace | LA | 26 mi | 28,343 | $69,030 | $1,351 |
| Reserve | LA | 26 mi | 7,791 | $55,450 | $1,381 |
| Denham Springs | LA | 31 mi | 9,323 | $71,569 | $1,014 |
| Kenner | LA | 32 mi | 64,904 | $64,020 | $1,179 |
| Prairieville | LA | 32 mi | 35,238 | $104,923 | $1,324 |
| Gonzales | LA | 33 mi | 13,108 | $75,451 | $1,497 |
| Destrehan | LA | 33 mi | 11,619 | $90,509 | $1,257 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
7,808 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$762 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 17.9% of the median household income.
$51,161 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
4.4% (BLS county, Tangipahoa Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.