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Living in
Gonzales.
About
Life in Gonzales
Gonzales is a community of 12,748 people in Louisiana. The median household income is $75,451, median rent runs about $1,500 per month, and median home values are around $225,800. Unemployment is low at 3.5%, suggesting a relatively healthy local job market.
Gonzales at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
38.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
9.0%
Foreign-Born
6.6%
Broadband Internet
89.9%
of households
Population Growth
+15.2%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics6.6% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Gonzales: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Gonzales, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (45.7%), and 12.1% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
20.8%
of residents
65 and Older
17.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
29.3%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
34.3%
of households
Married Couples
37.9%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.33
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 41% above LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Gonzales
In Gonzales, rent runs 41% above the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
31.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
20.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
90.8
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$907
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
63.6%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1999
median year built
Vacant Homes
7.2%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $292,997 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.7 pts below LA average
Unemployment in Gonzales
Unemployment in Ascension Parish, which includes Gonzales, is 0.7 percentage points lower than the LA average.
Unemployment rate
Gonzales: Ascension Parish rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Ascension Parish (county-wide) · Annual averages
Commute24.9 min avg
How Gonzales residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Gonzales, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 63% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 25 mi
Baton Rouge Metropolitan Airport (BTR)
Regional airport · few flights421k passengers boarded in 2025
- 43 mi
Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)
Medium hub6.2M passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 58% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Gonzales runs 58% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
519
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,205.2
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Gonzales Police Department
Natural DisastersExcessive Heat most common — 12 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
92.1 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ascension County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ascension Parish, which includes Gonzales, the most common type is excessive heat, with 12 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 12 | Thunderstorm Wind | $128,000 |
| 2024 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $1.1M |
| 2023 | 36 | Excessive Heat | $16,000 |
| 2022 | 2 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2021 | 9 | Thunderstorm Wind | $18,000 |
| 2020 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | $10,000 |
| 2019 | 8 | Tornado | $52,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
0 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ascension Parish, county-wide
Air Quality33 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ascension Parish, which includes Gonzales, is typically good — 348 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
33
Good Days
348
per year
Moderate Days
15
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Ascension Parish, county-wide
Climate90°F summers, 44°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Gonzales has hot summers (avg high 90°F) and mild winters (avg low 44°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/58°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
90°/73°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
80°/59°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
64°/44°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
65.7"
Annual Snowfall
0.1"
Hot Days/Year
80
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
16
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
111
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 62°F | 42°F | 5.78" |
| Feb | 66°F | 45°F | 4.11" |
| Mar | 72°F | 51°F | 4.03" |
| Apr | 78°F | 57°F | 4.88" |
| May | 85°F | 65°F | 5.64" |
| Jun | 89°F | 72°F | 6.97" |
| Jul | 91°F | 74°F | 6.51" |
| Aug | 91°F | 73°F | 6.37" |
| Sep | 88°F | 69°F | 5.39" |
| Oct | 80°F | 59°F | 4.65" |
| Nov | 71°F | 49°F | 4.21" |
| Dec | 64°F | 44°F | 4.86" |
Healthcare1 hospital
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Gonzales
Gonzales has 1 hospital.
Hospitals
1
within city limits
Uninsured
9.6%
of residents
St James Behavioral Health Hospital, Inc.
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Prevost Memorial Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 9.8 mi away · Donaldsonville
Womans Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 13.6 mi away · Baton Rouge
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.4:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Gonzales
Gonzales's student/teacher ratio is 13.4:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 28.1% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
4
within city limits
Private Schools
1
within city limits
College Degree Rate
28.1%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.4:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Parks & Recreationclosest: Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, 54 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Gonzales
Gonzales has 3 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (54 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
National Historical Park and Preserve
54 mi awayNew Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
National Historical Park
54 mi awayNatchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
96 mi awayPublic Libraries in Gonzales
Ascension Parish Library
708 South Irma Boulevard, Gonzales
Cities Near Gonzales
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Gonzales?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Gonzales FAQ
Is Gonzales, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Gonzales's median rent is $1,497/month, which is close to the national average. The median household income is $75,451/year. Median home value is $225,800.
Is Gonzales, Louisiana safe?⌄
Gonzales's violent crime rate was 519 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3205 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Gonzales, Louisiana?⌄
Ascension Parish, which includes Gonzales, has an unemployment rate of 3.6%, which is solid, slightly below the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Gonzales, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Gonzales is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,497/month and median household income is $75,451/year. The median home value is $225,800. About 32% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Gonzales, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Gonzales is 25 minutes, which is about average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from