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MICROPOLITAN AREA · 2000 CENSUS

Ruston Micro

Ruston, LA · 1 counties · 42,509 residents · 471.636 sq mi
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The short version

Ruston has notably lower household income than the US average, with a median household income of $26,977. Population has held roughly steady since 1990. Median home value is $72,300. At a median age of 26.5, residents skew younger than the country as a whole. The poverty rate of 26.5% is well above the national figure. 32% of adults hold a bachelor's degree, well above the US average, yet household income trails the national figure — a profile common to graduate-student tracts and academic hubs.

At a glance
Lower income
below the US median
US median: $42,589
Younger
median age 26.5
US median: 35.2
More educated
32% hold a bachelor's degree
US average: 24%
Stable housing
home values roughly flat, inflation adjusted
US median home: $120,530
Section 01

Population & growth

Total population
42,509
+2%since 1990
from 41,745 in 1990
1990 – 2025
Population density
90 / sq mi
+2%since 1990
from 89 / sq mi in 1990
Median age
26.5
+7%since 1990
from 24.7 in 1990
US average: 35.2
Population, 1990 – 2024
41K43K45K47K49K1990201020202024Ruston
202448K
1990201020202024
Age distribution, 2000
Under 56%(2,547)
US avg: 6.8%
5 to 95.9%(2,494)
US avg: 7.3%
10 to 146.2%(2,619)
US avg: 7.3%
15 to 1913.1%(5,577)
US avg: 7.2%
20 to 2416.7%(7,098)
US avg: 6.7%
25 to 3411.5%(4,894)
US avg: 14.2%
35 to 4411.7%(4,973)
US avg: 16%
45 to 5410.5%(4,472)
US avg: 13.4%
55 to 647.1%(3,016)
US avg: 8.6%
65 to 745.6%(2,401)
US avg: 6.5%
75 to 844%(1,715)
US avg: 4.4%
85 and over1.7%(703)
US avg: 1.5%
BAR + DOT: THIS PLACE · TICK: US AVERAGE
Section 02

Income & economy

Median household income
$26,977
+6%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $19,254 in 1990
US average: $42,589
1990 – 2024
Per capita income
$14,313
+53%since 1990
from $9,342 in 1990
US average: $21,522
Poverty rate
26.5%
−0.1 ptssince 1990
from 26.6% in 1990
US average: 12.4%
Section 03

Housing

Median home value
$72,300
−1%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $55,700 in 1990
US average: $120,530
1990 – 2024
Median gross rent
$436
+2%inflation adjusted, since 1990
from $326 in 1990
US average: $602
Owner-occupied
60.0%
−2.2 ptssince 1990
from 62.1% in 1990
40.0% rent
RELATED:See current rent listings in Ruston on RentDataNow
Section 04

Race & ethnicity

1990
White, non-Hispanic59.2%(24,732)
Black39.4%(16,466)
Hispanic / Latino0.8%(328)
Asian0.9%(377)
2000
White, non-Hispanic56.9%(24,206)
Black39.6%(16,846)
Hispanic / Latino1.2%(492)
Asian1.3%(538)

No data for the years selected.

Section 04 · Origins

Detailed origins & ancestry

Detailed origin tables are available for 2024; showing 2024 data.

Hispanic origin
Mexican2.8%(1,345)
Colombian0.2%(86)
Puerto Rican0.1%(72)
Guatemalan0.1%(28)
Cuban0%(24)
Peruvian0%(24)
Honduran0%(20)
Asian origin
Vietnamese0.3%(140)
Pakistani0.2%(93)
Chinese0.1%(72)
Korean0.1%(58)
Japanese0.1%(57)
Nepalese0.1%(51)
Bangladeshi0.1%(30)
Filipino0%(17)
Taiwanese0%(14)
Malaysian0%(12)
Ancestry
American16.3%(7,876)
English10.9%(5,243)
Irish6.8%(3,289)
German5.8%(2,804)
French3.4%(1,616)
Italian2.1%(1,005)
Scottish2%(976)
Scotch-Irish0.7%(359)
Welsh0.5%(261)
Norwegian0.4%(212)
+ 24 more ancestry groups with data
Dutch0.4%(173)
British0.3%(164)
Iranian0.3%(153)
Nigerian0.2%(94)
Arab0.2%(84)
Lebanese0.2%(84)
Portuguese0.1%(69)
Brazilian0.1%(61)
Polish0.1%(57)
Greek0.1%(51)
Russian0.1%(45)
West Indian0.1%(43)
Swedish0.1%(42)
Syrian0.1%(37)
Croatian0.1%(33)
Belgian0.1%(32)
Austrian0%(23)
Danish0%(18)
Hungarian0%(15)
Romanian0%(14)
Slovak0%(14)
Ukrainian0%(14)
Swiss0%(2)
RANKED:Largest American population · Largest English population · Largest Irish population · Largest German population · Largest French population
Section 05

Education

Bachelor's degree or higher
31.8%
+5.6 ptssince 1990
from 26.2% in 1990
US average: 24.4%
High school or higher
80.4%
+5.9 ptssince 1990
from 74.5% in 1990
US average: 80.3%
Graduate degree
15.3%
+3.1 ptssince 1990
from 12.2% in 1990
US average: 8.8%
Section 06

Commute & transportation

Average commute
13.3 min
−14%since 1990
from 15.4 min in 1990
US average: 17.6
Section 07

Work & employment

No data for the years selected.

Section 08

People & community

No data for the years selected.

Marital status
Men 15+
Never married43.2%(7,151)
Married48.8%(8,063)
Widowed2.5%(416)
Divorced5.5%(905)
Women 15+
Never married37.4%(6,809)
Married45.1%(8,210)
Widowed10.2%(1,864)
Divorced7.3%(1,337)
SHARE WITHIN EACH SEX · POPULATION 15 AND OVER · 2000
In this metro

Largest cities

RustonCENTRAL22,397Grambling5,314Choudrant1,032Dubach899Simsboro805Vienna475Downsville113
What's inside

1 component county

Lincoln ParishCENTRAL48,360
Drill deeper

Metros similar to Ruston

Greenville
Pop 40,446
McComb
Pop 52,640
Bogalusa
Pop 44,937
Kinston
Pop 55,837
Places similar to Ruston
Head to head

Compare Ruston side by side

RUSTON VS
Greenville
Income$42,165+56%
Home value$104,000+44%
Population40,446−16%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSTON VS
McComb
Income$45,132+67%
Home value$114,892+59%
Population52,640+9%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSTON VS
Bogalusa
Income$45,380+68%
Home value$155,700+115%
Population44,937−7%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
RUSTON VS
Kinston
Income$45,143+67%
Home value$120,500+67%
Population55,837+15%
SEE FULL COMPARISON →
Frequently asked

How many people live in Ruston, LA?

Ruston, LA has about 42,509 residents according to the 2000 Census.

What is the median household income in Ruston, LA?

The typical household in Ruston, LA earns about $26,977 a year. Half of households make more than that, and half make less.

Is Ruston, LA expensive?

In Ruston, LA, the median home is worth about $72,300, and the typical rent is about $436 a month.

How educated are people in Ruston, LA?

About 31.8% of adults age 25 and over in Ruston, LA hold a bachelor's degree or higher.

What is the poverty rate in Ruston, LA?

About 26.5% of people in Ruston, LA live below the federal poverty line.

Has Ruston, LA grown since 1990?

Yes, Ruston, LA has grown since 1990. The population has added about 764 residents, a change of about 2 percent over that period.

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DATA: US CENSUS BUREAU ACS 5-YEAR + DECENNIAL CENSUS · METRO ROLLUP OF COMPONENT COUNTIES · UPDATED 2024

How we source and harmonize this data →