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St. James Parish, LA: population growth, jobs and income

St. James Parish lost 174 residents between 2024 and 2025 (−0.9%).

St. James Parish had an estimated 18,938 residents in 2025, down 5.9% (1,179 fewer people) since 2020. That is slower than Louisiana as a whole (−0.7%), and the 55th fastest growth of 64 counties in Louisiana.

Data as of 2025 · updated

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In the St. James Parish report

One-time $99 PDF: everything on this page for St. James Parish, ranked against Louisiana and the U.S., plus these figures that are not on the free page:

  • Median gross rent$903/mo2020–24
  • Vacant homes, incl. seasonal and second homes13.1%2020–24
  • New homes permitted, last 12 months642025-10/2026-09
  • Rent growth, 5 yearsIn the report
  • Permits in 5+ unit buildingsIn the report
  • IRS income moving in (net AGI)In the report
  • Neighbouring-county comparison tableIn the report

What's inside: 5 pages

  1. 1 Summary, headline numbers and ranks (free preview)
  2. 2 Ranks and the neighbouring-county table
  3. 3 Migration, with IRS mover and income flows
  4. 4 Rent, vacant homes, permits and employers
  5. 5 Every source and the methods
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Headline numbers

What the numbers say

Net domestic migration was negative in 2025: 148 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in.

Private employers had 6,480 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −2.7% since 2018 (County Business Patterns).

Unemployment averaged 5.0% in 2025, 0.5 points lower than in 2019 (before the pandemic).

Builders were authorized to start 64 new homes in 2025, or 3.4 per 1,000 residents.

Median household income was $65,531 in the 2020–24 American Community Survey, +23.2% since 2016–20.

Across the 3,107 U.S. counties with a comparable estimate, its population growth ranks 2,983rd.

Part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area.

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St. James Parish population by year

Resident population, July 1 estimate (Census Bureau)
YearPopulationChange
202518,938−174
202419,112−89
202319,201−194
202219,395−403
202119,798−319
202020,117–

Census Bureau population estimates, July 1 of each year.

What drove the change in St. James Parish

St. James Parish lost 1,179 people since 2020; the biggest drag was domestic migration (−1,079).

Components of population change, people (Census Bureau)
Component20252020–25Share
Natural changebirths minus deaths−43−155
International migrationfrom and to other countries+18+50
Domestic migrationfrom and to other U.S. counties−148−1,079
Census adjustmentbalancing residual−1+5
Total change−174−1,179

Census Bureau population estimates, components of change, each year July 1 to June 30. The components add up to the change in the estimate; the Census adjustment is the small balancing figure the Bureau publishes.

How it ranks

MeasureIn LouisianaAmong U.S. counties
Population growth55th of 642,983rd of 3,107
Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents48th of 642,767th of 3,108
Private-sector job growth40th of 642,226th of 3,092
Median household income17th of 641,570th of 3,107
Lowest unemployment rate42nd of 642,510th of 3,108
New homes permitted per 1,000 residents16th of 64997th of 3,005

1st = highest (lowest for unemployment). Counties are ranked only against others with a figure for the same period.

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The County Growth and Demographics Report for St. James Parish, LA as a PDF, from federal data: population and migration, housing and rents, permits, private employers and jobs, unemployment, ranks in the state and the country, and neighbouring counties, with a source next to every number. Pay once, no subscription.

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Neighbouring counties

Over 2020–25, St. James Parish's population change (−5.9%) was behind 2 of its 4 neighbouring counties (Ascension Parish and Lafourche Parish) and level with St. John the Baptist Parish and Assumption Parish.

2 of its 4 neighbouring counties had a higher median household income than St. James Parish's $65,531 (2020–24).

St. James Parish, LA and its 4 neighbouring counties: public federal figures
CountyPopulation2025Population change2020–25Net domestic migration per 1,000 residents2025Homes permitted per 1,000 residents2025Median household income2020–24
St. James Parish, LA This county18,938−5.9%−7.83.4$65,531
Ascension Parish, LA135,105+6.4%0.54.7$91,549
St. John the Baptist Parish, LA39,875−5.9%−2.81.5$66,630
Assumption Parish, LA19,720−5.9%−11.51.9$51,423
Lafourche Parish, LA95,505−2.0%−1.73.6$63,135

Census Bureau population estimates and building permits, American Community Survey 5-year income. Rates per 1,000 residents. – means no figure, or a base too small for a change or rate (it would swing on a few people). A figure from another period shows its year and is left out of the comparison.

All 64 Louisiana counties · Every state

Questions

Is St. James Parish growing?

No. Its population fell 5.9% between 2020 and 2025, about 1,179 fewer people (Census Bureau population estimates). Louisiana as a whole changed −0.7% over the same years. That ranks 55th of 64 counties in Louisiana for population growth.

How many people moved to St. James Parish?

On net, none in 2025: about 148 more people moved out to other U.S. counties than moved in (Census Bureau net domestic migration estimate).

What is the unemployment rate in St. James Parish?

It averaged 5.0% in 2025 (BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, annual average).

What is the population of St. James Parish?

About 18,938 people, according to the U.S. Census Bureau's population estimate for July 1, 2025.

How many jobs are in St. James Parish?

Private employers there had 6,480 paid employees in mid-March 2023, −2.7% since 2018 (Census Bureau County Business Patterns; government jobs and the self-employed are not counted).

What Beacon CRE covers in Louisiana

Map, parcel and listing layers cover North and South Carolina only for now. This page and the other Louisiana county pages carry the public federal growth figures.

St. James Parish data alerts

Email me when St. James Parish gets new Census numbers: population, building permits, jobs and income. About 4 emails a year, one click to stop.

We use your address only to email you when new data for St. James Parish is out: what changed, with a link to that county's report. No newsletter, no other sales emails. Delete it any time with the link in every email. We'll email you a link to confirm first; nothing starts until you click it. Privacy notice.

Sources and method

Each number shows its own period. Changes compare the latest period with five years earlier (or the earliest period available). Beacon CRE last refreshed these figures on 2026-11-05. Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how we compute every number. More on every layer: data sources and licences.

Jobs outside North and South Carolina use County Business Patterns (paid private-sector employees in mid-March); wages and government jobs are not included.