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Ponchatoula, LA

Full City Profile · Louisiana · Tangipahoa Parish County

2.9 /5.0
C+ Fair
7,839 Population 1,661/sq mi density
$47,821 Median Income $31,521 per capita
$194,300 Home Value $244,302 Zillow
$1,079 Median Rent 27.5% income on rent
71°F Avg Temperature 313 sunny days/yr
1,043 Violent Crime/100K 6,994 property/100K
C+
Overall
2.9 / 5.0
Fair overall score based on economy, affordability, safety and education
B
Economy
3.4 / 5.0
$47,821 median income, 0.8% unemployment
A
Affordability
4.4 / 5.0
$194,300 home value, $1,079/mo rent
F
Safety
1.0 / 5.0
1,043 violent crimes/100K (174% above avg)
C+
Education
2.8 / 5.0
22.4% bachelor's degree or higher

Ponchatoula, LA

At a Glance

Median Income
$47,821
36% below
$31,521 per capita
Home Value
$194,300
31% below
Zillow: $244,302
Median Rent
$1,079/mo
7% below
27.5% of income on rent
Violent Crime
1,043/100K
174% above
6,994/100K property
Bachelor's Degree+
22.4%
34% below
87.5% high school+
Unemployment
0.8%
78% below
16.8% poverty rate
Obesity Rate
43.4%
35% above
19.2% smoking rate
Avg Temperature
71°F
313 sunny days/yr

How Ponchatoula Compares to the U.S. Average

Each bar shows Ponchatoula's value as a percentage of the national average (100% = U.S. avg)

Income
64%
Home Value
69%
Rent
93%
Poverty
135%
Bachelor's
66%
Unemployment
22%
Crime
274%
Thin vertical line = U.S. national average (100%)

Is Ponchatoula a Good Place to Live?

C+
2.9 / 5.0 — Fair
Based on economy, affordability, safety, and education metrics compared to national averages.

Economy & Jobs

Ponchatoula residents earn a median household income of $47,821 , which is 36% below the national average of $75,149. Per capita income is $31,521. The unemployment rate stands at 0.8% (78% below the U.S. rate of 3.6%). 16.8% of residents live below the poverty line. The area is home to 3,747 business establishments, including 289 restaurants.

Housing & Cost of Living

The median home value in Ponchatoula is $194,300 , 31% below the national median of $281,900. Zillow estimates the typical home at $244,302. Median rent is $1,079/month, with 27.5% of renters spending more than 30% of income on housing. The cost of living index is 88.2 (100 = national average). The median home was built in 1992.

Safety & Crime

Ponchatoula reports 1,043 violent crimes per 100,000 residents , which is 174% above the national average of 380/100K. Property crime is 6,994/100K. The murder rate is 0.0/100K.

Education

22.4% of adults in Ponchatoula hold a bachelor's degree or higher (34% below the national average). 87.5% have completed high school. Local schools score 3.9/10 in standardized testing.

Climate & Weather

Ponchatoula has an average annual temperature of 71°F (22°C). Winters average 54°F in January while summers reach 84°F in July. The area gets 313 sunny days per year. Annual precipitation totals 60.1 inches. Air quality is rated Good with a median AQI of 42.

Data Overview

People

Population7,839
Median Age43.9 yrs
Density1,661/mi²
Male / Female46% / 54%
Foreign Born13.6%
Veterans6.5%

Economy

B
Median Income$47,821
Per Capita$31,521
Unemployment0.8%
Poverty16.8%
County GDP$6,435M
Avg Weekly Wage$900

Housing

A
Home Value$194,300
Rent$1,079
Ownership77.3%
Zillow$244,302
Housing Units3,837
Rent Burden27.5%

Crime

F
Violent1,043/100K
Property6,994/100K
Murder0.0/100K
Assault669/100K
Burglary1,578/100K

Health

Obesity43.4%
Diabetes13.7%
Smoking19.2%
Heart Disease6.7%
Premature Death13,160/100K

Climate

Avg Temp71°F
Sunny Days313/yr
Rain60.1 in/yr
AQI42 (Good)
Elevation26 ft

Education

C+
Bachelor's+22.4%
High School+87.5%
Graduate+5.7%
School Score3.9/10

Community

2024 VoteR 68% / D 31%
Commute32 min
Broadband80.9%
Internet Speed153 Mbps
EV Stations1
Libraries6

Did You Know?

Ponchatoula was founded in 1820.
The median home in Ponchatoula was built in 1992.
The nearest airport is Louis Armstrong New Orleans International (33 miles).
The Gini coefficient (income inequality) is 0.475 (U.S. avg: 0.490).
Natural hazard risk is rated "Relatively Moderate" by FEMA.
23.1% of the population has a disability.
13.6% of residents are foreign-born.
Average internet download speed is 153 Mbps.
There are 289 restaurants in the area.
The county recorded 39 fatal vehicle crashes.