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Living in
Houma.
About
Life in Houma
If you're considering Houma, you're looking at a place where Cajun culture, fishing heritage, and modern Gulf Coast industry coexist. The cost of living is genuinely affordable—median home values around $208,000 and rents near $1,058 monthly are reasonable by current standards—and the job market is stable with unemployment under 4 percent. You'll find work in traditional fishing and shrimping, oil and gas operations, shipbuilding, and service industries.
Houma at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
34.9 yrs
Poverty Rate
16.3%
Foreign-Born
3.4%
Broadband Internet
89.4%
of households
Population Growth
-5.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics3.4% foreign-born, most often from Mexico
Who lives in Houma: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Houma, the largest foreign-born group is from Mexico (37.4%), and 3.7% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
27.4%
of residents
65 and Older
16.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
36.2%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
29.6%
of households
Married Couples
40.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
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 about average for LA
Rent, home values, and income in Houma
Rent and home values here are close to the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
44.1%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
21.5%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
85.1
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$778
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
72.4%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1973
median year built
Vacant Homes
10.7%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $186,767 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 0.4 pts below LA average
Unemployment in Houma
Unemployment in Houma is 0.4 percentage points lower than the LA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Houma Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute19.7 min avg
How Houma residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Houma, most residents drive alone to work (80%), and 78% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 39 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 49% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Houma runs 49% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
489.3
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
2,744
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Houma Police Department
Natural DisastersExcessive Heat most common — 7 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
94.2 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Terrebonne County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Terrebonne Parish, which includes Houma, the most common type is excessive heat, with 7 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | Flash Flood | None reported |
| 2024 | 5 | Storm Surge/Tide | $40.0M |
| 2023 | 32 | Excessive Heat | $87,500 |
| 2022 | 3 | Lightning | $400,000 |
| 2021 | 5 | Flash Flood | $1500.8M |
| 2020 | 10 | Storm Surge/Tide | $75.3M |
| 2019 | 6 | Thunderstorm Wind | None reported |
| 2018 | 2 | Hail | None reported |
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
Terrebonne Parish, county-wide
Air Quality42 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Terrebonne Parish, which includes Houma, is typically good.
Median AQI
42
Terrebonne Parish, county-wide
Climate91°F summers, 46°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Houma has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and warm winters (avg low 46°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
79°/60°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/74°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
81°/61°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
66°/46°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
65.4"
Annual Snowfall
0.0"
Hot Days/Year
76
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
9
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
115
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 64°F | 44°F | 5.57" |
| Feb | 67°F | 48°F | 4.44" |
| Mar | 73°F | 54°F | 4.48" |
| Apr | 78°F | 60°F | 3.99" |
| May | 85°F | 67°F | 4.38" |
| Jun | 90°F | 73°F | 8.40" |
| Jul | 91°F | 74°F | 9.06" |
| Aug | 91°F | 75°F | 6.50" |
| Sep | 89°F | 71°F | 5.77" |
| Oct | 82°F | 61°F | 4.31" |
| Nov | 72°F | 52°F | 4.35" |
| Dec | 66°F | 46°F | 4.17" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 3.5/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Houma
Houma has 2 hospitals, averaging 3.5 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
5.8%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.5 / 5
Terrebonne General Medical Center - Parish
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Leonard J Chabert Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Physicians Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · 3 mi away · Houma
Compass Behavioral Center of Houma, Llc
Psychiatric · 7.1 mi away · Houma
Ochsner St Anne General Hospital
Critical Access Hospitals · ER available · 12.1 mi away · Raceland
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.
Education16.2:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Houma
Houma's student/teacher ratio is 16.2:1, close to the national average of 16:1, and 23.8% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
10
within city limits
Private Schools
5
within city limits
College Degree Rate
23.8%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
16.2:1
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, 38 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Houma
Houma has 2 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (38 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve
National Historical Park and Preserve
38 mi awayNew Orleans Jazz National Historical Park
National Historical Park
47 mi awayPublic Libraries in Houma
Terrebonne Parish Library
151 Library Drive, Houma
East Houma Branch
778 Grand Caillou Road, Houma
Cities Near Houma
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Houma?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Houma FAQ
Is Houma, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Houma's median rent is $1,058/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $58,194/year. Median home value is $205,900.
Is Houma, Louisiana safe?⌄
Houma's violent crime rate was 489 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 2744 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Houma, Louisiana?⌄
Houma has an unemployment rate of 3.9%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Houma, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Houma is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $1,058/month and median household income is $58,194/year. The median home value is $205,900. About 44% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Houma, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Houma is 20 minutes, which is shorter than 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