Ruston is a city of 22,284 people in Louisiana. This skews young, with a median age of 24.3. The poverty rate is 39.8%, above the 12.5% national rate. 36% of homes are owner-occupied. Households here earn about 49% less than in Louisiana as a whole. Median household income is $31,120, under the $82,259 national median.
At a glance
Lower income
median household income $31,120, below the US median
US median: $82,259
Younger
median age 24.3
US median: 38.9
More educated
40% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 36%
Less affordable
home values up 55%, inflation adjusted
US median home: $376,019
Unique to this place
What stands out about Ruston
What changed most since 1990
Homes owned by their occupants49.8% → 36.2%(−13.6 pts)US over the same years: +0.9 pts
Poverty rate30.3% → 39.8%(+9.6 pts)US over the same years: −0.8 pts
Black share33.6% → 43.2%(+9.7 pts)US over the same years: +0.2 pts
Ruston's population equals 46% of Lincoln Parish's. Its number of veterans equals 31% of the county's. Its number of households earning $100,000 or more equals 34% of the county's.
Shares are "alone or in combination": a person with both Medicare and Medicaid counts in each, so categories overlap and do not sum to 100%.
Section 09 · Service history
Veterans
Veterans by period of service, 2024
Gulf War (2001 or later)9.5%(52)
US avg: 26.4%
Gulf War (1990s)16.3%(89)
US avg: 24.3%
Vietnam era29.7%(162)
US avg: 33.1%
Korean War16.9%(92)
US avg: 4.5%
World War II0%(0)
US avg: 1%
Share of the 545 veterans here. A veteran who served across eras counts in each, so shares can total more than 100%. Peacetime-only service is included in the total but not shown as an era.
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Over time
Ruston, decade by decade
Ruston population, inflation-adjusted income and home value, education, and diversity by year
Year
Population
Median household income
Median home value
Bachelor's degree+
Diversity score
1990
20,027
$42,784
$141,604
34.0%
60.1
2000
20,546
$41,900
$145,550
39.6%
66.4
2010
21,859
$45,685
$193,344
41.0%
70.0
2020
22,166
$39,143
$205,925
41.1%
72.8
2024
22,284
$31,120
$225,300
40.2%
73.3
Census years come from the decennial census and the latest year from the American Community Survey, so part of any change between those two rows can reflect the different surveys. Dollar figures are adjusted for inflation to 2024 dollars; a figure ending in "+" was at the Census Bureau's reporting cap that year. The diversity score runs from 0 to 100; see how it's calculated.
