What it's like to live in Thibodaux
Thibodaux is a small city in Louisiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. Thibodaux deals with household incomes below the national average, a poverty rate above the national average, a rent burden that leaves many renters stretched thin, and hot summers.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- High poverty rate
- High rent burden for renters
- Hot summers
- Very rainy — 71" of rain per year
- Smaller place — fewer dining and entertainment options
How Thibodaux compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to Thibodaux
Based on Thibodaux's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,920
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $38,400 a year
- 55% of Thibodaux renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$46,500
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $23,250
- Homes cost 4.5× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 32% below US
$960/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $960 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $232,500. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $232,500 · 55% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
3.8% county unemployment
Unemployment in Lafourche Parish is 3.8%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Lafourche Parish (county-wide)
Safety▼ 20% below US
265 violent crimes per 100k
Crime runs about typical for a city this size. Some neighborhoods are safer than others, and one overall rate doesn't tell the whole story, so a neighborhood-level look matters more than the headline stat.
Property crime 2105/100k · Thibodaux Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 20% below US
21 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 20.9 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 8 in 10 workers drive to work; 6% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are mild, with lows rarely dropping below 47°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 3.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforceNear US average
35% bachelor's degree or higher
Education levels run about average, with 35% college-educated. It's a mix of white-collar and blue-collar work, which can be an asset or a limitation depending on the field.
Schools
7 public schools inside the boundary
There are 7 public schools inside the boundary and 3 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 16:1, close to the national average of 16:1. Smaller class sizes are generally a positive sign for a district.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve (40 miles away). There are 2 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
Thibodaux's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and a poverty rate above the national average. A year of median rent ($960/mo) equals 22% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near Thibodaux
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