Jobs, pay and daily life in West Monroe, 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.
West Monroe is a city in Louisiana with 12,729 residents. The median household earns $49,386 a year and the median rent is $826 a month, which is 20.1% of the median household income. It is part of the Monroe, LA metropolitan area, where BLS counts 87,500 jobs.
How West Monroe compares. Among the 80 largest places in Louisiana, West Monroe is #40 by population, #76 for homeownership (#1 = highest), #9 for rent (#1 = cheapest), #19 for long commutes (#1 = fewest). Its county, Ouachita Parish, is #33 of 64 counties for average pay ($50,059).
West Monroe has 12,729 residents (ACS 2020–2024), about 0.3% of the population of Louisiana. It covers 8 square miles of land, which works out to roughly 1,586 people per square mile. The median age is 35.4, 7% younger than the state median (35.4 against 38.0).
The median gross rent is $826 a month (rent plus utilities), 22% below the state median ($826 against $1,064). Over a year that is 20.1% 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 $192,400, which is 3.9 times the median household income ($49,386); a ratio under 4 usually means ownership is within reach for many households. 44.7% of households own their home, 34% below the state average (44.7% against 67.4%). A low ownership share points to a rental-heavy market with more apartments and shorter stays.
The Monroe, LA metropolitan area has 87,500 jobs in the BLS wage survey, and the median pay across all occupations is $38,150 a year, 25% below the national median ($38,150 against $50,980). The biggest occupation groups are office and administrative support (11,040 jobs, median $37,320); transportation and material moving (8,440 jobs, median $37,690); food preparation and serving related (8,000 jobs, median $22,090). The area is most specialised in healthcare support (1.7 times) and healthcare practitioners and technical (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 healthcare practitioners and technical ($66,010) and transportation and material moving ($37,690). In 2026M09 the unemployment rate of Ouachita Parish was 3.8%. 58.8% of residents aged 16 and over are in the labour force. The city lies in Ouachita Parish; its jobs, pay by industry and GDP are on the county page.
Among workers, 81.7% drive alone, 1.5% use public transit, 1.2% walk, 5.2% work from home. 8.1% of workers commute 45 minutes or more, 47% below the state average (8.1% against 15.2%).
22.0% of adults aged 25 and over hold a bachelor's degree or higher, 18% below the state share (22.0% against 27.0%). 4.9% of residents were born outside the United States, about the same as the state share (4.9% against 4.9%). The poverty rate is 26.3%, 39% above the state rate (26.3% against 18.9%).
The warmest month is Jul, averaging 84°F (28.9°C), and the coolest is Jan at 45°F (7.0°C). About 1,413 mm (56 inches) of precipitation falls in a year; Dec is the wettest month (139 mm) and Sep the driest (93 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: Claiborne (3 miles, rent 46% higher); Monroe (4 miles, rent 7% higher); Bastrop (23 miles, similar rent); Ruston (28 miles, similar rent). Rent differences are against West Monroe; use the Compare tab to put any two cities side by side.
Federal jobs in Louisiana (780) →State guide: LouisianaCountry guideOuachita 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home Health and Personal Care Aides | 4,530 | 1.87 | $21,720 | $18,710 | $33,140 | -39% |
| Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, Hand | 2,830 | 1.71 | $35,260 | $22,770 | $44,300 | -12% |
| Retail Salespersons | 2,350 | 1.07 | $27,710 | $20,990 | $42,830 | -22% |
| Registered Nurses | 2,340 | 1.23 | $78,270 | $61,970 | $97,460 | -20% |
| Cashiers | 2,330 | 1.34 | $24,490 | $18,350 | $31,010 | -26% |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | 2,060 | 0.95 | $21,550 | $17,620 | $27,610 | -31% |
| Office Clerks, General | 2,060 | 1.48 | $30,280 | $20,810 | $45,910 | -33% |
| General and Operations Managers | 1,740 | 0.88 | $94,240 | $47,680 | $198,620 | -11% |
| Food Preparation Workers | 1,630 | 3.25 | $22,430 | $17,170 | $34,000 | -36% |
| Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 1,530 | 1.23 | $28,120 | $20,800 | $35,490 | -24% |
| Waiters and Waitresses | 1,370 | 1.07 | $15,080 | $15,080 | $43,180 | -57% |
| Nursing Assistants | 1,340 | 1.64 | $29,880 | $27,580 | $35,250 | -29% |
| Elementary School Teachers, Except Special Education | 1,250 | 1.60 | $50,300 | $37,670 | $59,250 | -21% |
| Heavy and Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | 1,240 | 1.07 | $47,300 | $35,090 | $59,180 | -19% |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | 1,210 | 0.76 | $31,070 | $26,700 | $43,210 | -17% |
| Maintenance and Repair Workers, General | 1,200 | 1.39 | $46,140 | $27,870 | $86,880 | -7% |
| Secretaries and Administrative Assistants, Except Legal, Medical, and Executive | 1,150 | 1.20 | $37,320 | $24,710 | $51,960 | -21% |
| Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses | 1,130 | 3.11 | $55,360 | $44,950 | $62,790 | -14% |
| Customer Service Representatives | 1,110 | 0.76 | $34,520 | $26,640 | $48,190 | -23% |
| First-Line Supervisors of Office and Administrative Support Workers | 1,030 | 1.28 | $51,530 | $36,390 | $77,680 | -26% |
These figures are for the whole Monroe, LA metropolitan area, not the city alone.
Median pay across all occupations: $38,150 (US $50,980); unemployment 4.0% (2026M09).
| Industry (residents) ⇅ | Share of employed residents ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Education and health care | 26.1% |
| Retail trade | 15.1% |
| Professional, scientific, management, administrative | 11.2% |
| Construction | 9.5% |
| Transportation, warehousing, utilities | 7.5% |
| Arts, entertainment, accommodation, food | 7.0% |
| Manufacturing | 6.9% |
| Other services | 4.3% |
| Wholesale trade | 4.2% |
| Public administration | 3.3% |
| Information | 2.3% |
| Finance, insurance, real estate | 2.3% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing, mining | 0.5% |
Cities have no official GDP or payroll count of their own. These figures are for the county where West Monroe 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ouachita Parish | 158,480 | $9,307 million | $58,726 | 69,384 | 5,397 | $50,059 | +0.2% | 3.8% | 70,764 |
| Industry ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Share of private jobs ⇅ | Average annual pay ⇅ | Concentration vs US (location quotient) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 14,546 | 24.6% | $49,276 | 1.46 |
| Retail trade | 8,310 | 14.1% | $32,857 | 1.20 |
| Accommodation and food services | 7,018 | 11.9% | $19,839 | 1.11 |
| Administrative and waste services | 5,263 | 8.9% | $45,652 | 1.29 |
| Manufacturing | 4,618 | 7.8% | $77,360 | 0.81 |
| Construction | 3,932 | 6.6% | $59,295 | 1.08 |
| Professional and technical services | 2,694 | 4.6% | $68,181 | 0.56 |
| Finance and insurance | 2,627 | 4.4% | $73,847 | 0.93 |
| Wholesale trade | 1,959 | 3.3% | $76,212 | 0.72 |
| Other services (except public administration) | 1,941 | 3.3% | $50,394 | 0.93 |
| Transportation and warehousing | 1,656 | 2.8% | $53,234 | 0.56 |
| Information | 1,061 | 1.8% | $71,003 | 0.82 |
| Real estate and rental | 957 | 1.6% | $48,527 | 0.89 |
| Arts, entertainment, recreation | 821 | 1.4% | $18,687 | 0.70 |
| Management of companies | 579 | 1.0% | $99,236 | 0.49 |
| Utilities | 490 | 0.8% | $86,896 | 1.86 |
| Educational services | 447 | 0.8% | $42,466 | 0.31 |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing | 108 | 0.2% | $42,158 | 0.19 |
| Mining, oil and gas | 101 | 0.2% | $75,344 | 0.38 |
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 | 81.7% |
| Public transit | 1.5% |
| Walk | 1.2% |
| Work from home | 5.2% |
| Commute of 45 minutes or more | 8.1% |
Shares are of workers aged 16 and over; they describe residents, wherever they work.
| Indicator ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Median household income | $49,386 |
| Income per person | $26,082 |
| Median gross rent per month | $826 |
| Yearly rent as share of median household income | 20.1% |
| Median home value | $192,400 |
| Homeowners | 44.7% |
| Poverty rate | 26.3% |
| Price level of the metro area (US = 100) | 83.6 |
| Metro median pay, all occupations | $38,150 |
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 | 35.4 |
| High school or higher (25+) | 85.2% |
| Bachelor's degree or higher (25+) | 22.0% |
| Born abroad | 4.9% |
| Labour force participation (16+) | 58.8% |
Work permits are federal: see permits and first steps.
| Month ⇅ | Mean temperature (°C) ⇅ | Mean temperature (°F) ⇅ | Precipitation (mm) ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 7.0 | 45 | 122 |
| Feb | 9.2 | 49 | 134 |
| Mar | 13.8 | 57 | 126 |
| Apr | 18.3 | 65 | 130 |
| May | 23.1 | 74 | 118 |
| Jun | 27.4 | 81 | 104 |
| Jul | 28.9 | 84 | 110 |
| Aug | 28.9 | 84 | 99 |
| Sep | 25.9 | 79 | 93 |
| Oct | 19.6 | 67 | 133 |
| Nov | 13.0 | 55 | 105 |
| Dec | 8.6 | 47 | 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 ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Claiborne | LA | 3 mi | 13,308 | $72,420 | $1,206 |
| Monroe | LA | 4 mi | 47,004 | $40,505 | $886 |
| Bastrop | LA | 23 mi | 9,232 | $32,605 | $839 |
| Ruston | LA | 28 mi | 22,284 | $31,120 | $816 |
| El Dorado | AR | 57 mi | 17,115 | $49,244 | $880 |
| Minden | LA | 66 mi | 11,455 | $34,294 | $895 |
| Vicksburg | MS | 75 mi | 20,589 | $45,781 | $820 |
| Natchitoches | LA | 77 mi | 17,577 | $37,133 | $802 |
| Monticello | AR | 80 mi | 8,257 | $27,238 | $707 |
| Natchez | MS | 81 mi | 14,192 | $36,735 | $806 |
Straight-line distance in miles, not driving distance.
Pick two cities.
vs
12,729 (Census Bureau ACS 2020–2024 5-year estimate).
$826 a month (ACS 2020–2024), which is 20.1% of the median household income.
$49,386 (ACS 2020–2024, in 2024 dollars).
3.8% (BLS county, Ouachita Parish (latest month 2026M09)).
Louisiana. See the state guide for minimum wage, taxes and pay.