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Living in
Ruston.
About
Life in Ruston
Ruston is a community of 22,224 people in Louisiana. The median household income is $31,120, median rent runs about $819 per month, and median home values are around $226,700. The unemployment rate is 4.6%.
Ruston at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
24.3 yrs
Poverty Rate
39.8%
Foreign-Born
4.0%
Broadband Internet
84.6%
of households
Population Growth
+1.1%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics4.0% foreign-born, most often from Iran
Who lives in Ruston: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Ruston, the largest foreign-born group is from Iran (15.4%), and 1.7% of residents speak Other Indo-European at home.
Under 18
14.3%
of residents
65 and Older
12.1%
of residents
Households with Kids
20.1%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
36.9%
of households
Married Couples
26.3%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.24
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 23% below LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Ruston
In Ruston, rent runs 23% below the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.2%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
40.2%
spending 50%+
Median Property Tax
$1,110
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
36.2%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1983
median year built
Vacant Homes
8.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $229,546 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment about average for LA
Unemployment in Ruston
Unemployment in Lincoln Parish, which includes Ruston, is close to the LA average.
Unemployment rate
Ruston: Lincoln Parish rate (county-wide) · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
Lincoln Parish (county-wide) · Annual averages
What Ruston Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute15.1 min avg
How Ruston residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Ruston, most residents drive alone to work (71%), and 87% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 35 mi
Monroe Regional Airport (MLU)
Regional airport · few flights116k 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 13% below national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Ruston runs 13% below the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
286.1
per 100,000 residents
Below average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
3,499.6
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Ruston Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 18 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Low
64.3 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Lincoln County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Lincoln Parish, which includes Ruston, the most common type is heat, with 18 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18 | Heat | None reported |
| 2024 | 18 | Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 24 | Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 22 | Heat | None reported |
| 2021 | 15 | Heat | None reported |
| 2020 | 10 | Heat | None reported |
| 2019 | 16 | Heat | $50.1M |
| 2018 | 15 | Drought | $1.4M |
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.
24 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Lincoln Parish, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ouachita Parish, LA (the nearest EPA-monitored county, about 28 miles from Ruston) is typically good — 227 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
227
per year
Moderate Days
138
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Nearest EPA monitor county: Ouachita Parish, LA (28 mi away)
Climate91°F summers, 37°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Ruston has hot summers (avg high 91°F) and mild winters (avg low 37°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
76°/53°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
91°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/37°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
55.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.4"
Hot Days/Year
85
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
46
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
105
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 35°F | 5.55" |
| Feb | 61°F | 39°F | 5.24" |
| Mar | 69°F | 45°F | 5.38" |
| Apr | 76°F | 52°F | 5.51" |
| May | 83°F | 61°F | 4.35" |
| Jun | 89°F | 69°F | 3.85" |
| Jul | 92°F | 72°F | 3.61" |
| Aug | 93°F | 71°F | 3.81" |
| Sep | 88°F | 65°F | 3.80" |
| Oct | 78°F | 53°F | 4.79" |
| Nov | 68°F | 44°F | 4.27" |
| Dec | 58°F | 38°F | 5.45" |
Healthcare2 hospitals, avg 2.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Ruston
Ruston has 2 hospitals, averaging 2.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating — below-average care.
Hospitals
2
within city limits
Uninsured
6.9%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
2.0 / 5
Northern Louisiana Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
- Main campus: Northern Louisiana Medical Center · 401 East Vaughn Avenue
- Hospital campus: Northern Louisiana Medical Center · 1118 S Farmerville St, Ruston
Serenity Springs Specialty Hospital
Psychiatric
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. Campus locations © OpenStreetMap contributors.
Education13.1:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Ruston
Ruston's student/teacher ratio is 13.1:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 40.2% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
9
within city limits
Private Schools
3
within city limits
College Degree Rate
40.2%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.1:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Ruston
Public · 4-year · 8,312 students · in-state tuition $10,734 · 59% graduate · median earnings $58,121 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Cane River Creole National Historical Park, 64 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Ruston
Ruston has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Cane River Creole National Historical Park (64 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Cane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
64 mi awayPoverty Point National Monument
National Monument
72 mi awayPresident William Jefferson Clinton Birthplace Home National Historic Site
National Historic Site
96 mi awayNatchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
100 mi awayPublic Libraries in Ruston
Lincoln Parish Library
910 North Trenton Street, Ruston
Cities Near Ruston
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Ruston?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Ruston FAQ
Is Ruston, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Ruston's median rent is $816/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $31,120/year. Median home value is $225,300.
Is Ruston, Louisiana safe?⌄
Ruston's violent crime rate was 286 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is below the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 3500 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Ruston, Louisiana?⌄
Lincoln Parish, which includes Ruston, has an unemployment rate of 4.5%, which is close to the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Ruston, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Ruston is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $816/month and median household income is $31,120/year. The median home value is $225,300. About 58% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Ruston, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Ruston is 15 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