Which metro areas in Louisiana are people moving to?
Lake Charles, LA (2.1 per 1,000 residents), Lafayette, LA (1.4 per 1,000 residents) and Baton Rouge, LA (−0.9 per 1,000 residents) drew the most people from the rest of the U.S. for their size among Louisiana metro areas in 2025.
Data as of 2025 · updated
All 8 ranked Louisiana metro areas
| Rank | Metro area | Per 1,000 residents, 2025 | Net movers 2025 | Residents |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake Charles, LA | 2.1 | +519 | 244,655 |
| 2 | Lafayette, LA | 1.4 | +613 | 423,758 |
| 3 | Baton Rouge, LA | −0.9 | −773 | 888,699 |
| 4 | Alexandria, LA | −1.6 | −238 | 147,952 |
| 5 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | −2.6 | −1,000 | 383,474 |
| 6 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | −2.9 | −571 | 199,668 |
| 7 | Monroe, LA | −4.7 | −1,052 | 222,390 |
| 8 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | −9.2 | −8,906 | 970,849 |
How this is ranked
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Population Estimates Program (Vintage 2025). Figures come from public federal statistics and are informational only, not investment advice. Check the source before relying on a number. Methodology: how ranks and figures are built.
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Questions
Which metro area in Louisiana gains the most people from the rest of the country?
Lake Charles, LA: 2.1 per 1,000 residents, ahead of Lafayette, LA (1.4 per 1,000 residents) and Baton Rouge, LA (−0.9 per 1,000 residents), of 8 Louisiana metro areas ranked.
How is this ranking calculated?
Net domestic migration from the Census Bureau's population estimates for 2025: people who moved in from the rest of the U.S. minus people who moved out, per 1,000 residents. Moves between the area's own counties cancel out; moves from and to other countries are not included. Only metropolitan statistical areas of two or more counties are ranked (OMB Bulletin 23-01): a one-county area's figures are its county's, and micro areas are left out. Areas without a figure for the same period as the others are not ranked. An area that crosses a state line is ranked in each of its states.