Lafourche County

Lafourche Parish (often referred to as Lafourche County in general usage) is located in southeastern Louisiana, stretching from the outer suburbs of the New Orleans metropolitan area southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Centered on Bayou Lafourche, the parish developed through French and Spanish colonial-era settlement and later became closely tied to sugarcane agriculture and Gulf shipping and fisheries. Lafourche is a mid-sized parish by population, with roughly 100,000 residents. Its landscape includes bayous, wetlands, and low-lying coastal areas that are central to local livelihoods and to ongoing flood and hurricane risk. The parish is largely suburban-to-rural, with economic activity spanning energy services linked to offshore oil and gas, petrochemical-related industries, commercial fishing and seafood processing, and agriculture. Cultural influences reflect French Louisiana and coastal communities, including Cajun and Creole traditions. The parish seat is Thibodaux.

Lafourche County (parish) is in southeastern Louisiana, extending from the Bayou Lafourche corridor southward into coastal wetlands along the Gulf of Mexico. The parish seat is Thibodaux, and the area is part of the broader Acadiana/coastal Louisiana region.

Population Size

According to the U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts for Lafourche Parish, Louisiana, the parish had:

• Population (2020 Census): 97,557
• Population (2023 estimate): 96,318

For local government and planning resources, visit the Lafourche Parish Government official website.

Age & Gender

According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts (ACS-based indicators for recent years), Lafourche Parish’s age and sex profile includes:

• Persons under 5 years: 5.7%
• Persons under 18 years: 22.4%
• Persons 65 years and over: 17.3%
• Female persons: 49.5%
  • Male persons: 50.5% (derived as the remainder)

Racial & Ethnic Composition

According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, the parish’s racial and ethnic composition includes:

• White alone: 76.2%
• Black or African American alone: 12.4%
• American Indian and Alaska Native alone: 1.0%
• Asian alone: 1.1%
• Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone: 0.1%
• Two or more races: 2.8%
• Hispanic or Latino (of any race): 7.0%

Household & Housing Data

According to U.S. Census Bureau QuickFacts, Lafourche Parish household and housing indicators include:

• Households: 35,817
• Persons per household: 2.62
• Owner-occupied housing unit rate: 75.7%
• Median value of owner-occupied housing units: $190,200
• Median gross rent: $896
• Housing units: 41,872
• Building permits (recent annual total as reported in QuickFacts): 241

Lafourche Parish (County), Louisiana includes bayous, wetlands, and dispersed rural communities along the Gulf Coast, where lower population density and storm exposure can complicate last‑mile broadband buildout and service reliability, affecting routine digital communication such as email.

Direct, county-level email usage statistics are generally not published; broadband and device access are standard proxies because email typically requires reliable internet and a computer or smartphone. The U.S. Census Bureau (data.census.gov) provides parish estimates on broadband subscriptions and computer/Internet access (American Community Survey), which indicate the share of households positioned to use email regularly. Age structure also influences adoption: older populations tend to have lower rates of online account creation and frequent email use than working-age groups; the Census Bureau’s Lafourche age distribution tables support this proxy relationship. Gender differences in email use are typically smaller than age and access effects; Lafourche’s gender distribution is available from the same Census tables.

Connectivity constraints are shaped by rural coverage gaps and disaster impacts; the FCC National Broadband Map documents provider availability and technology types, and local context appears on the Lafourche Parish Government site.

Lafourche County (Lafourche Parish) is in southeastern Louisiana along the Gulf Coastal Plain, extending from the Bayou Lafourche corridor toward coastal marshes and barrier-island environments. Settlement is concentrated in and around Thibodaux, Raceland, and communities aligned with major corridors (notably LA-1 and the Bayou Lafourche spine), with lower population density and more difficult backhaul and tower siting conditions in coastal/wetland areas. These physical and geographic characteristics can affect both network availability (where coverage is technically present) and adoption (whether households subscribe to and use mobile service).

County context relevant to mobile connectivity

• Geography and terrain: Predominantly low-lying coastal plain with extensive wetlands and water bodies, which can complicate tower placement, power resiliency, and fiber/microwave backhaul in more remote southern portions of the parish.
• Population distribution: More dense residential and institutional land uses around Thibodaux and Raceland support higher site density and generally stronger network performance than sparsely populated coastal areas.
• Exposure to severe weather: Hurricanes and storm surge risk affect network resilience and restoration timelines, influencing experienced reliability even where coverage exists.

Primary reference sources for county context include the U.S. Census Bureau geography and population products (see Census.gov QuickFacts for Lafourche Parish) and local government information (see the Lafourche Parish Government website).

Availability vs. adoption (definitions used in this overview)

• Network availability refers to provider-reported coverage/service areas (for 4G LTE and 5G) and the presence of infrastructure capable of delivering mobile broadband.
• Household adoption refers to whether residents subscribe to mobile service and/or rely on mobile connections for internet access, typically measured through surveys and subscriptions rather than coverage maps.

These measures frequently diverge in rural/coastal areas where coverage exists but affordability, device availability, digital skills, or service quality constraints limit adoption.

Mobile penetration or access indicators (adoption)

County-specific “mobile penetration” statistics (such as SIM subscriptions per capita) are not commonly published at the parish level in public datasets. The most directly relevant adoption indicators available at local geographies come from the U.S. Census Bureau’s household surveys and tables that describe:

• Households with a cellular data plan
• Households that rely on cellular data as their primary internet access (“cellular-only” internet households)
• Device and internet subscription types (broadband, cellular, satellite, etc.)

For Lafourche Parish, the Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS) is the standard public source, though estimates are subject to sampling error at smaller geographies. Useful entry points include:

• Census.gov QuickFacts (Lafourche Parish) (high-level demographics that correlate with adoption, such as income and age structure)
• data.census.gov (for detailed ACS tables on internet subscription types; parish-level filtering can be applied)

Limitation: The ACS measures household-reported subscription status and device access, not signal quality, speed, or whether service is reliably usable in all parts of the parish.

Mobile internet usage patterns and network availability (4G/5G)

4G LTE and 5G availability (coverage)

Publicly accessible, map-based indicators of mobile broadband coverage and availability are primarily derived from federal reporting:

• The FCC’s Broadband Data Collection (BDC) provides provider-reported mobile broadband coverage (including 4G LTE and 5G categories) and is the primary federal dataset for “where service is claimed to be available.” See the FCC National Broadband Map.
• The Louisiana broadband office (statewide planning and mapping context) provides program and statewide connectivity context; see ConnectLA (Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity).

Key distinction: FCC mobile availability layers indicate where providers report service could be available outdoors (and, depending on reporting parameters, may not represent indoor coverage). They do not measure actual uptake or typical speeds experienced by users.

Typical usage patterns (what can be stated without overreaching)

• In U.S. counties with mixed urban/rural settlement patterns like Lafourche Parish, mobile internet usage generally reflects a combination of:
  • Smartphone-based internet access in populated corridors and towns.
  • Hotspot/tethering and fixed-wireless substitution behavior in areas where wired broadband is less available or less reliable.
• County-level breakdowns of the share of users on 4G vs. 5G by technology are not typically published as official statistics. Provider and third-party performance analytics exist, but they are not standardized public administrative datasets at the parish level.

Limitation: Without citing carrier engineering disclosures or paid third-party measurement products specific to Lafourche Parish, definitive statements about the proportion of traffic on 4G vs. 5G in the parish are not available from standard public reference sources.

Common device types (smartphones vs. other devices)

Public datasets that distinguish device ownership types (smartphone, computer, tablet) are most commonly available via Census survey tables and related federal survey programs. At local geographies, the ACS can indicate:

• Presence of a computer (desktop/laptop/tablet) and
• Types of internet subscriptions, including cellular data plans

These measures provide indirect evidence of device mix:

• Smartphones are the dominant personal mobile device for internet access nationally, and “cellular data plan” subscription reporting in ACS is closely aligned with smartphone ownership and use.
• Non-phone mobile devices (tablets, mobile hotspots, IoT devices) are generally not enumerated comprehensively in public county-level datasets.

Primary references for device and subscription-type tabulations include data.census.gov (ACS tables on computer and internet use).

Limitation: Public household surveys do not comprehensively inventory all connected device categories (for example, dedicated hotspots, connected vehicles, industrial IoT), and they do not provide an official parish-level “smartphone share” metric.

Demographic and geographic factors influencing mobile usage in Lafourche Parish

Demographic correlates of adoption

Common determinants of mobile subscription and mobile-only reliance that can be evaluated using Census demographic profiles include:

• Income and poverty rates: Lower-income households are more likely to rely on smartphones and cellular plans as their primary internet connection, and more sensitive to device replacement and plan costs.
• Age distribution: Older populations tend to have lower rates of smartphone-dependent internet use and may place greater emphasis on reliability/voice service.
• Educational attainment and workforce composition: These correlate with digital skills and the need for mobile data access for work, school, and services.

These characteristics can be sourced for Lafourche Parish via Census.gov QuickFacts and supporting ACS tables on data.census.gov.

Geographic and infrastructure correlates of availability and experience

• Settlement pattern and corridor dependence: More continuous coverage and higher-capacity sites are typically deployed along highways and population centers; sparsely populated coastal and marsh areas can have fewer sites and less redundancy.
• Backhaul constraints: Areas distant from fiber routes can depend more on microwave backhaul, which can influence capacity and restoration complexity.
• Weather vulnerability: Coastal Louisiana’s storm exposure affects continuity of service, which is distinct from “coverage exists” claims on maps.

Network-availability claims for these areas are best checked using the FCC National Broadband Map, which can be explored at the parish and sub-parish geographies.

Practical interpretation: separating availability from adoption in Lafourche Parish

• Availability in Lafourche Parish is best represented by provider-reported mobile broadband coverage layers in the FCC National Broadband Map and statewide broadband planning context from ConnectLA.
• Adoption is best represented by household survey measures in the ACS accessible through data.census.gov, including households with cellular data plans and households that use cellular data as their primary internet service.
• Limitations at the county level include the lack of an official parish-level “mobile penetration rate,” limited publicly standardized breakdowns of 4G vs. 5G usage share, and the difference between mapped outdoor coverage and indoor/real-world performance.

Lafourche Parish (often referred to as Lafourche County in non-Louisiana contexts) sits in southeast Louisiana along Bayou Lafourche, with notable population centers including Thibodaux, Raceland, and Lockport. The parish’s economy and identity are shaped by coastal and energy-industry ties (including offshore support activities), commercial fishing and seafood, and Cajun/Creole cultural influence, alongside storm and flood risk common to Louisiana’s coastal parishes—factors that tend to support practical, mobile-first social media use for local news, community updates, and weather/emergency information.

User statistics (penetration / activity)

• No authoritative, parish-level social-media penetration series is published consistently (most reputable datasets report at national or statewide levels, and commercial estimates at small geographies are typically model-based and not publicly auditable).
• For context, U.S. adult social media use is widespread: national survey data show a large majority of U.S. adults report using at least one social media site. The most-cited benchmark is from the Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Local implication for Lafourche Parish: given typical patterns for similarly sized, mixed urban–rural parishes in the Gulf South, social media activity is generally best characterized as high penetration among working-age adults and near-universal among teens/young adults, with lower participation among older residents (patterns aligned with national survey findings).

Age group trends

Nationally reported age gradients are strong and are the most reliable proxy for expected local patterns:

• Highest use: teens and young adults (roughly ages 18–29) consistently show the highest likelihood of using multiple platforms and higher daily usage intensity, as summarized in the Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Middle-age adults (30–49): high adoption with heavier use of platforms associated with family/community updates and messaging, alongside video.
• Older adults (50–64 and 65+): lower overall adoption than younger groups, but substantial use remains, especially on platforms oriented to keeping up with family/community and local news. Pew’s age-by-platform distributions show the steepest drop-offs typically occur in the 65+ group.

Gender breakdown

• At the U.S. level, gender differences vary by platform more than by “social media overall.” Pew’s platform tables show some services skew modestly toward women and others skew toward men, while several are closer to parity overall. See the platform-by-demographic splits in the Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Local implication for Lafourche Parish: platform mix is likely to drive observed gender differences more than county-specific factors (e.g., heavier Facebook and Pinterest usage tends to correlate with higher female shares; heavier YouTube and certain discussion/video platforms can correlate with higher male shares in some age bands).

Most-used platforms (percentages where possible; best-available benchmarks)

Because robust parish-level percentages are not typically published, the most reliable figures come from national survey measurement:

• YouTube and Facebook are consistently among the most widely used platforms by U.S. adults, according to the Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet.
• Instagram has strong reach among younger adults and remains a major platform nationally.
• TikTok shows high penetration among younger cohorts and is a leading short-form video platform.
• Snapchat is concentrated among teens/young adults.
• X (formerly Twitter) tends to have lower overall adult reach than the largest platforms, with concentration among certain demographics.
• For ad-reach style estimates (model-based, not survey-based), Meta publishes planning estimates via its ad tools; these are not official population counts but can indicate relative scale. For survey-grade benchmarks, Pew remains the most commonly cited source.

Behavioral trends (engagement patterns / preferences)

• Mobile-first usage: National research consistently shows heavy smartphone reliance for social media and messaging; coastal/rural–suburban contexts like Lafourche Parish often reinforce mobile dependence for local updates and coordination (school closures, storm prep, road conditions).
• Community and local-information utility: In parishes with strong community institutions (schools, churches, youth sports, civic organizations), Facebook groups/pages and messaging typically function as key channels for event coordination and localized announcements (aligned with Facebook’s widespread adult reach in Pew’s summaries).
• Video-centric engagement: The prominence of YouTube and short-form video platforms nationally corresponds to high consumption of how-to content, local-interest clips, and entertainment. Pew’s platform reach figures place video platforms among the most-used services in the U.S.
• Age-segmented platform roles:
  • Younger users: heavier short-form video (TikTok), visual messaging (Snapchat), and Instagram-style feeds.
  • Older users: higher reliance on Facebook for keeping up with acquaintances and community information, with video consumption spread across YouTube and Facebook video.
• Event-driven spikes: In coastal Louisiana, engagement commonly spikes around severe weather and emergency communications, with rapid sharing in community groups and local media pages; this is a recurring pattern observed anecdotally across Gulf Coast communities and consistent with the utility role of major platforms rather than entertainment-only use.

Sources used for reputable usage benchmarks: the Pew Research Center’s Social Media Fact Sheet (U.S. survey-based platform reach and demographic patterns) and related Pew survey reporting on platform-by-demographic usage.

Lafourche County family and associate-related public records are primarily maintained through Louisiana’s state agencies and the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court. Vital records (birth and death certificates) are created and held by the Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Public Health, Vital Records Registry; certified copies are issued through state vital records and authorized ordering channels rather than the parish courthouse. Louisiana marriage licenses and certified marriage certificates are generally obtained through the parish Clerk of Court, while divorce records are filed in the parish court system and accessed through the Clerk of Court. Adoption records are not public; they are maintained under strict confidentiality and are typically accessible only to eligible parties through court or state procedures.

Public-facing databases for Lafourche commonly include recorded property-related instruments and court docket/case access portals maintained by the Clerk of Court, along with statewide search tools. In-person access is commonly available at the Clerk of Court’s office for recorded documents and many court records, subject to record type and access rules.

Online access is provided through official portals for parish services and records, including the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court and Louisiana vital records information via the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH). Privacy restrictions apply to protected vital records (especially birth records), sealed adoption matters, juvenile proceedings, and certain sensitive filings; redactions may be required for identifiers such as Social Security numbers.

Types of records available

Marriage records (licenses and certificates)

• Marriage license application and issued license: Created by the parish when applicants apply and a license is issued authorizing the marriage.
• Marriage return/certificate (proof the ceremony occurred): The officiant completes the return section and it is filed back with the parish to document the marriage.

Divorce records

• Divorce case file: Court pleadings and filings (petition, answers, motions, judgments, and related orders) maintained by the clerk of court for the district court.
• Divorce decree/judgment of divorce: The final judgment signed by the judge and filed in the case record.

Annulment records

• Annulment case file and judgment: Annulments are handled as civil court matters; the case file and any judgment are maintained by the clerk of court.

Where records are filed and how they can be accessed

Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court (local filing)

• Marriage records: Marriage licenses and returns are recorded and maintained by the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court (the parish’s recorder for marriage documents). Access is commonly provided by in-person request and, where available, by request through the clerk’s records services.
• Divorce and annulment records: Filed in the 17th Judicial District Court for Lafourche Parish and maintained by the Lafourche Parish Clerk of Court as clerk of the district court. Access is typically through the clerk’s civil court records (in person and, where available, via the clerk’s online/electronic services).

Louisiana Department of Health, Office of Vital Records (state-maintained copies)

• Marriage certificates: Louisiana maintains vital-record copies of marriages; certified copies are typically issued through the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH), Office of Vital Records for eligible requesters.
• Divorce data: Louisiana maintains divorce records in a vital-records context for statistical/verification purposes; certified court judgments generally remain the authoritative record from the parish/district court file.

Access methods (general)

• Certified copies: Issued by the appropriate custodian (Clerk of Court for parish-recorded marriage documents and court judgments; LDH Vital Records for state-held vital record copies), usually requiring identification and payment of statutory fees.
• Non-certified/inspection copies: Court and recorded documents may be viewable as public records unless sealed or restricted by law; access is generally through the clerk’s public terminals, copy requests, or authorized online portals.

Typical information included in these records

Marriage license/return

• Full names of the parties (including maiden name where applicable)
• Date and place of marriage (parish and venue/location)
• Date the license was issued and date the marriage was performed
• Ages or dates of birth (varies by form and time period)
• Residences/addresses and places of birth (often included historically; current forms vary)
• Names of parents (often included on applications; availability varies by record era)
• Officiant name/title and signature
• Witnesses (names/signatures commonly present)
• Clerk’s filing/recording information (book/page or instrument number; filing date)

Divorce decree/judgment and case file

• Names of parties and court docket/case number
• Court (17th Judicial District Court), parish, and judge
• Date the judgment was signed/filed and the legal basis cited in pleadings
• Disposition of the case (granting of divorce or dismissal)
• Orders addressing custody, visitation, child support, spousal support, and property/community property issues when adjudicated
• Name changes ordered by the court when applicable

Annulment judgment and case file

• Names of parties and case number
• Findings and legal grounds for annulment
• Judgment language declaring the marriage null (and related orders)
• Any orders addressing custody, support, property, or name changes where applicable

Privacy or legal restrictions

• Public records baseline: Parish-recorded instruments (including many marriage documents) and court records are generally public unless a law or court order provides otherwise.
• Certified vital record access limits: Certified copies of vital records held by LDH Vital Records are typically restricted to the registrant(s) and other legally authorized individuals, with identity verification required.
• Sealed or restricted court matters: Divorce/annulment files or portions of files may be sealed or otherwise restricted by court order; records involving minors (especially custody evaluations, certain affidavits, and sensitive personal data) are more likely to be limited in distribution or redacted.
• Redaction and sensitive identifiers: Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, and certain personally identifying information may be subject to redaction policies in publicly provided copies, and may be protected by state and federal privacy rules.
• Certified judgment authority: The court’s judgment/decree as maintained by the clerk is the authoritative record for legal proof of a divorce or annulment; vital-records summaries do not substitute for a certified court judgment where a decree is required.

Lafourche County is in south‑central coastal Louisiana along Bayou Lafourche, with a population of roughly 100,000 and a settlement pattern split between incorporated communities (notably Thibodaux and Raceland) and extensive rural/unincorporated areas tied to coastal, energy, marine, and service economies. The county’s community context reflects a mix of parish‑seat institutions in Thibodaux, industry and logistics corridors near LA‑1/US‑90, and lower‑density housing outside town centers.

Education Indicators

Public schools (count and names)

K–12 public schools are primarily operated by the Lafourche Parish School District. A current, authoritative school roster (including individual school names and grade spans) is maintained by the district via its Lafourche Parish School District website.
Note: A single consolidated, up‑to‑date count of “public schools” can vary by whether alternative programs, academies, and special schools are included; the district roster is the most reliable reference for names.

Student–teacher ratios and graduation rates

• Student–teacher ratio (proxy): District- or school-level ratios are typically published on Louisiana’s school accountability and profile pages. The most consistent source for official ratios and school performance is the Louisiana Department of Education’s Louisiana Believes portal and associated school report cards.
• Graduation rate: Louisiana publishes cohort graduation rates through statewide accountability reporting. Lafourche Parish high school graduation outcomes are reported in the state’s annual accountability results and school report cards (same source above).
  Data note: The most recent year available is reported by the state; values can differ by school within the parish.

Adult educational attainment (adults 25+)

Adult attainment is most consistently measured by the U.S. Census Bureau’s American Community Survey (ACS):

• High school diploma or higher: reported for Lafourche Parish through ACS “Educational Attainment” tables.
• Bachelor’s degree or higher: reported through the same ACS tables.
  Primary reference: U.S. Census Bureau data.census.gov (ACS 5‑year estimates are the standard small‑area source).
  Data note: ACS 5‑year estimates provide the most stable parish-level percentages; single‑year ACS is often unavailable or less reliable for smaller geographies.

Notable programs (STEM, vocational, AP/dual enrollment)

• Career and technical education (CTE): Louisiana districts commonly provide industry‑aligned pathways (e.g., skilled trades, health sciences, IT, maritime/industrial support), often coordinated with regional community/technical colleges. District offerings and pathway lists are typically described in district curriculum/CTE pages and school program guides (district source above).
• Advanced coursework: Advanced Placement (AP), dual enrollment, and industry‑based credentials (IBCs) are commonly tracked in Louisiana accountability reporting and school performance profiles (state source above).
• Local higher education anchor: Nicholls State University in Thibodaux contributes to educator preparation, health, business, and applied programs that influence local workforce pipelines; reference: Nicholls State University.

School safety measures and counseling resources

Lafourche Parish schools follow Louisiana school safety requirements (emergency operations planning, drills, visitor controls, and coordination with local law enforcement). District-level student support typically includes school counselors and related student services; the most accurate descriptions are provided through district student services/safety pages and school handbooks (district source above).
Data note: Publicly detailed, school-by-school inventories of security hardware and staffing are not consistently published for operational reasons; district policy summaries are the usual public reference.

Employment and Economic Conditions

Unemployment rate (most recent available)

The official local unemployment rate is published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS), typically as monthly series with annual averages:

• Reference: BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics.
  Data note: The “most recent year available” is the latest completed calendar year annual average (or the latest month for current conditions), depending on reporting use.

Major industries and employment sectors

Lafourche County’s employment base is shaped by coastal and industrial South Louisiana:

• Energy and industrial services (including offshore support services and related contracting)
• Transportation and warehousing (linked to regional freight corridors and marine activity)
• Healthcare and social assistance (regional service employment centered in population hubs)
• Retail trade and accommodation/food services (local consumer and visitor demand)
• Construction (influenced by industrial maintenance and residential rebuilding cycles)
• Public administration and education (parish/city services and school employment)

Sector shares are available in ACS “Industry by Occupation/Industry by Sex” and workforce tables via data.census.gov.

Common occupations and workforce breakdown

Common occupational groups in Lafourche typically include:

• Office/administrative support
• Sales and related
• Transportation and material moving
• Construction and extraction
• Production
• Healthcare support and practitioner roles
• Education, training, and library (driven by K–12 and higher education presence)

Occupational distributions and estimates are published through ACS occupation tables (data.census.gov). For employer-based job counts by industry, state labor market tools and BLS datasets complement ACS resident-worker profiles.

Commuting patterns and mean commute time

• Primary mode: Driving alone is the dominant commuting mode in parish-level ACS commuting data, with smaller shares for carpooling, work-from-home, and limited transit usage typical of low-density Gulf Coast parishes.
• Mean travel time to work: Published by ACS (“Travel Time to Work”); Lafourche’s mean commute is generally consistent with exurban/rural parishes where cross-parish commuting to regional job centers occurs.
  Reference: ACS commuting tables on data.census.gov.

Local employment vs. out-of-county work

Out-of-parish commuting is common due to proximity to regional employment centers (e.g., Terrebonne Parish/Houma area, Jefferson/Orleans metro access via US‑90 corridors, and industrial sites distributed across coastal Louisiana). The most direct measurement of where residents work is available via:

• LEHD OnTheMap (U.S. Census Bureau), which reports inflow/outflow and work-destination patterns using administrative employment data.

Housing and Real Estate

Homeownership vs. renting

Homeownership and rental shares are reported through ACS “Tenure” tables:

• Owner-occupied share and renter-occupied share are available for Lafourche Parish on data.census.gov.
  Context: Lafourche’s housing stock includes substantial owner-occupied single-family housing outside the Thibodaux core, with renting more concentrated near town centers and around major employers and the university.

Median property values and recent trends

• Median home value: ACS provides median value for owner-occupied housing units, and trend context can be inferred by comparing sequential ACS 5‑year releases.
• Recent trends (proxy): South Louisiana markets have generally seen higher median values compared with pre‑2020 levels, with variation by flood risk, insurance costs, and post-storm rebuilding cycles.
  References: ACS median value tables on data.census.gov; local assessor and parish sales data are often used for transactional trend detail, but ACS is the consistent parishwide benchmark.

Typical rent prices

• Median gross rent: Reported through ACS “Gross Rent” tables for Lafourche Parish (data.census.gov).
  Data note: “Typical” rent varies substantially by unit size and location; ACS median gross rent is the standard summary measure.

Housing types and built environment

• Housing types: Predominantly single-family detached homes, with smaller shares of mobile/manufactured homes (more common in rural areas) and apartments concentrated in Thibodaux and other denser nodes.
  ACS “Units in Structure” tables quantify this distribution (data.census.gov).
• Rural lots and dispersed development: Unincorporated areas commonly feature larger lots, limited sidewalks, and reliance on personal vehicles for access to schools, groceries, and services.

Neighborhood characteristics (proximity to schools/amenities)

• Thibodaux-area neighborhoods: Greater proximity to Nicholls State University, parish services, medical facilities, and higher concentrations of multifamily rentals.
• Raceland/Lockport and corridor communities: Mixed residential patterns with access shaped by arterial routes (LA‑1/LA‑308/US‑90 connections), often closer to industrial/service job nodes and regional retail.
• Rural/coastal areas: Lower density with longer travel times to schools and amenities; flood risk and elevation influence housing placement and renovation decisions.
  Proxy note: Walkability and transit-access metrics are not uniformly published at the parish level; proximity characteristics are inferred from settlement patterns and land use.

Property tax overview (rates and typical cost)

Louisiana property taxes are assessed on taxable assessed value (a fraction of market value) and levied by multiple taxing authorities (parish, schools, municipalities, special districts). Parish-level millage and assessment practices are documented by:

• the Lafourche Parish Assessor (assessment and homestead exemption guidance), and
• the Louisiana Tax Commission (state oversight and general property tax framework).

Data note: A single “average tax rate” for the entire parish varies materially by municipality and taxing district. Typical homeowner tax cost is most accurately estimated from an individual parcel’s assessed value, applicable millages, and homestead exemption eligibility rather than a parishwide flat rate.*