Poverty and living standards in Louisiana, United States: official figures
The Census Bureau estimates that 18.6% of people in Louisiana lived below the federal poverty line in 2024, about 829,482 people; the highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 12.1%).
Has poverty in Louisiana gone up or down?
In 2019 the estimate for Louisiana was 18.8% (847,739 people), so the rate is down 0.2 percentage points over five years; the national rate moved from 12.3% to 12.1%.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many children live in poverty in Louisiana?
25.0% of children under 18 in Louisiana were in poverty in 2024, about 261,696 children; joint highest among the 50 states and DC. For children under 5 the rate was 26.6% (U.S.: 15.5% for under-18s, 16.5% for under-5s).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow unequal are incomes in Louisiana?
The Gini index of household income inequality in Louisiana was 0.4922 in 2024 (0 means every household has the same income, 1 means one household has it all); 4th most unequal among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 0.4809).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many renters in Louisiana are cost-burdened?
54.1% of renting households in Louisiana spent 30% or more of their income on rent and utilities in 2024, and 28.4% spent half or more; the 30% share is 5th highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 51.8%).
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many households in Louisiana get food stamps?
16.7% of households in Louisiana (309,670) said they received SNAP food benefits at some point in the previous 12 months in the 2024 American Community Survey; 3rd highest among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 11.8%). 51% of those households had incomes below the poverty line, and 55% of households below the poverty line did not receive SNAP.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · saved copyHow many people get SNAP in Louisiana?
An average of 818,438 people in Louisiana received SNAP benefits each month in fiscal year 2025 (October 2024 to September 2025), down 3.4% on fiscal 2024 (847,132), according to USDA administrative data; nationally the average was 42.14 million.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow much are SNAP benefits in Louisiana?
SNAP benefits paid in Louisiana totaled $1.8 billion in fiscal 2025, an average of $187.43 per person per month (U.S.: $189.36); 23rd largest average benefit among the 50 states and DC.
Source: USDA Food and Nutrition Service · saved copyHow many homeless people are there in Louisiana?
Local counts on a single night in January 2025 found 3,688 people experiencing homelessness in Louisiana, up 6.3% on 2024 (3,469) and up 25.4% on 2019 (2,941); 18th smallest count among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 745,652).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many homeless people in Louisiana sleep outside?
Of those counted in Louisiana in January 2025, 2,136 were in emergency shelters or transitional housing and 1,552 (42.1%) were unsheltered, sleeping outside or in places not meant for housing; 16th highest unsheltered share among the 50 states and DC (U.S.: 35.7%).
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyWho is homeless in Louisiana?
The January 2025 count in Louisiana included 740 people in families with children, 474 children under 18, 462 chronically homeless individuals and 234 veterans.
Source: U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development · saved copyHow many households in Louisiana are food insecure?
On average over 2021 to 2023, 16.2% of households in Louisiana were food insecure, meaning they had difficulty at some time in the year providing enough food because of a lack of resources; joint 3rd highest among the 50 states and DC and statistically higher than the national average of 12.2%, according to USDA.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyIs food insecurity in Louisiana getting worse?
6.1% of households in Louisiana had very low food security in 2021-23, with some members eating less or skipping meals. Overall food insecurity was 14.8% in 2018-20 and 16.5% in 2011-13; the move from 2018-20 to 2021-23 is +1.4 percentage points, a change USDA does not rate as statistically significant.
Source: USDA Economic Research Service · saved copyHow Louisiana compares with other states
People in poverty (all ages) (2024)
Louisiana ranks 1 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | People in poverty (all ages) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 18.6% |
| 2 | Mississippi | 17.8% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 16.4% |
| 4 | West Virginia | 16.2% |
| 5 | New Mexico | 15.8% |
| 6 | Kentucky | 15.4% |
| 7 | Arkansas | 15.3% |
Children under 18 in poverty (2024)
Louisiana ranks 1 of 51, highest first. Census Bureau SAIPE model estimates
| Rank | Region | Children under 18 in poverty |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Louisiana | 25.0% |
| 2 | Mississippi | 25.0% |
| 3 | District of Columbia | 25.0% |
| 4 | New Mexico | 20.5% |
| 5 | Alabama | 20.4% |
| 6 | West Virginia | 20.1% |
| 7 | Arkansas | 19.6% |
Gini index of household income inequality (2024)
Louisiana ranks 4 of 51, highest first. 0 = perfect equality, 1 = one household has all income
| Rank | Region | Gini index of household income inequality |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 0.5244 |
| 2 | New York | 0.5186 |
| 3 | Connecticut | 0.4989 |
| 4 | Louisiana | 0.4922 |
| 5 | California | 0.4852 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | 0.4820 |
| 7 | Illinois | 0.4802 |
Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent (2024)
Louisiana ranks 5 of 51, highest first. Share of renter households for which the ratio can be computed
| Rank | Region | Renters paying 30% or more of income on rent |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | Nevada | 57.6% |
| 3 | California | 55.8% |
| 4 | Hawaii | 55.0% |
| 5 | Louisiana | 54.1% |
| 6 | Connecticut | 54.1% |
| 7 | Georgia | 53.1% |
| 8 | Texas | 52.7% |
Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months (2024)
Louisiana ranks 3 of 51, highest first. American Community Survey
| Rank | Region | Households that received SNAP in the past 12 months |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Mexico | 19.3% |
| 2 | West Virginia | 17.0% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 16.7% |
| 4 | Oregon | 16.4% |
| 5 | New York | 16.2% |
| 6 | District of Columbia | 15.9% |
| 7 | Pennsylvania | 15.1% |
Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) (2021-2023)
Louisiana ranks 3 of 51, highest first. Low or very low food security
| Rank | Region | Households with food insecurity (average 2021-23) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arkansas | 18.9% |
| 2 | Texas | 16.9% |
| 3 | Louisiana | 16.2% |
| 4 | Mississippi | 16.2% |
| 5 | Oklahoma | 15.4% |
| 6 | Kentucky | 14.5% |
| 7 | South Carolina | 14.4% |
People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) (2025)
Louisiana ranks 34 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | People experiencing homelessness (one night in January) |
|---|---|---|
| 31 | South Carolina | 4,398 |
| 32 | Alabama | 4,137 |
| 33 | Connecticut | 3,735 |
| 34 | Louisiana | 3,688 |
| 35 | Vermont | 3,386 |
| 36 | Iowa | 2,816 |
| 37 | Arkansas | 2,720 |
Share of homeless people who were unsheltered (2025)
Louisiana ranks 16 of 51, highest first. HUD point-in-time count
| Rank | Region | Share of homeless people who were unsheltered |
|---|---|---|
| 13 | West Virginia | 45.9% |
| 14 | New Mexico | 45.8% |
| 15 | Texas | 43.4% |
| 16 | Louisiana | 42.1% |
| 17 | Mississippi | 41.7% |
| 18 | Oklahoma | 37.4% |
| 19 | Kentucky | 34.5% |
People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) (FY2025)
Louisiana ranks 15 of 51, highest first. USDA FNS National Data Bank
| Rank | Region | People receiving SNAP (monthly average, FY2025) |
|---|---|---|
| 12 | Washington | 902,996 |
| 13 | Arizona | 889,563 |
| 14 | New Jersey | 827,628 |
| 15 | Louisiana | 818,438 |
| 16 | Virginia | 817,733 |
| 17 | Oregon | 770,894 |
| 18 | Alabama | 740,270 |
More on Louisiana: overview · economy and jobs · health · education and schools · government budget · the United States
Sources
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gini index of income inequality (B19083), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 dc8a2b21190b…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Receipt of food stamps/SNAP by poverty status for households (B22003), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 53dc663e0426…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: American Community Survey 2024 1-year estimates, table-based summary file: Gross rent as a percentage of household income (B25070), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 edf1abe1970b…)
- USDA Economic Research Service: Household Food Security in the United States in 2023 (ERR-337), tables 4 and 5: food insecurity by State, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c0eebe273d83…)
- U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development: 2007-2025 Point-in-Time Estimates of Homelessness by State (2025 Annual Homelessness Assessment Report, Part 1), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 c04ebcbe51c8…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2024 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 cb52c47d75c1…)
- U.S. Census Bureau: Small Area Income and Poverty Estimates (SAIPE): 2019 poverty and median household income, states and counties, read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 229d90cb3e05…)
- USDA Food and Nutrition Service: SNAP Monthly State Participation and Benefit Summary, fiscal years 1969 to current (FY24.xlsx and FY25.xlsx), read 23 October 2026 · saved copy (SHA-256 d31418fd3b4b…)
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