Ruston, LA vs West Monroe, LA

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

MetricRuston, LAWest Monroe, LA
Population22,28412,729
Median Household Income$31,120$49,386
Median Rent$816/mo$826/mo
Median Home Value$225,300$192,400
Cost of Living (US = 100)—84
Renters Paying 30%+ of Income58.2%41.5%
Poverty Rate39.8%26.3%
Unemployment Rate4.5% (county)4.5% (county)
Violent Crime Rate /100k2861,070
Property Crime Rate /100k3,5005,391
Median AQI—45
Good AQI Days /yr—227
Summer Highs91°F92°F
Winter Lows37°F39°F
Snowfall0 in/yr0 in/yr
Avg Commute15.1 min19.8 min
Hospitals21
Avg Hospital Rating2.0 / 52.0 / 5
Students per Teacher13.116.6
College Degree Rate40.2%22%
Foreign-Born %4%4.9%
Population Growth (2020–2025)+1.1%-4.7%

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