Ruston, LA vs Minden, LA

Side-by-side comparison from the latest government data.

MetricRuston, LAMinden, LA
Population22,28411,455
Median Household Income$31,120$34,294
Median Rent$816/mo$895/mo
Median Home Value$225,300$130,200
Cost of Living (US = 100)——
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income58.2%55.2%
Poverty Rate39.8%26.7%
Unemployment Rate4.5% (county)5% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k286761
Property Crime Rate /100k3,5002,529
Median AQI——
Good AQI Days /yr——
Summer Highs91°F93°F
Winter Lows37°F36°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute15.1 min22.3 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher13.115.7
College Degree Rate40.2%16.7%
Foreign-Born %4%1.3%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.1%-6.8%

Green = clearly better (more than 5% apart). Population, growth, weather, hospital count and foreign-born share aren’t scored.