Louisiana · 59 places of 5,000+
Fastest-growing cities in Louisiana, 2020 to 2024
Short answer
- Fastest
- +37.5%
- Growing
- 19
- Shrinking
- 40
The 20 fastest-growing
Carencro grew fastest, from 9,372 in July 2020 to 12,883 in July 2024, +37.5%. It is the 27th largest of the 59 places ranked. 19 places grew and 40 shrank or held flat; the median change was -2.7%.
By raw numbers the biggest gain was in Hammond, +3,718 people. At the other end, Tallulah changed by -9.2%. Growth is measured between the July 2020 and July 2024 estimates for places with 5,000 or more residents in 2024, so fast growth from a small base can outrank larger absolute gains.
- 01Carencro+37.5%
- 02Hammond+18.9%
- 03Youngsville+18.7%
- 04Scott+15.7%
- 05Broussard+13.1%
- 06Gonzales+12.7%
- 07Addis+11.0%
- 08St. Gabriel+6.4%
- 09Zachary+4.5%
- 10Donaldsonville+3.5%
- 11Central+2.0%
- 12Breaux Bridge+1.4%
- 13Mandeville+1.1%
- 14Covington+1.0%
- 15Bossier City+0.8%
- 16Ruston+0.8%
- 17Lafayette+0.7%
- 18Walker+0.5%
- 19Denham Springs+0.2%
- 20Slidell-0.7%
Dots: the 20 places in the chart. Orange pin: Carencro, ranked first.
All 59 places of 5,000+ ranked
| # | Place | 2024 | Since 2020 | County |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carencro | 12,883 | +37.5% | Lafayette Parish |
| 2 | Hammond | 23,426 | +18.9% | Tangipahoa Parish |
| 3 | Youngsville | 19,038 | +18.7% | Lafayette Parish |
| 4 | Scott | 9,468 | +15.7% | Lafayette Parish |
| 5 | Broussard | 15,312 | +13.1% | Lafayette Parish +1 |
| 6 | Gonzales | 13,837 | +12.7% | Ascension Parish |
| 7 | Addis | 7,538 | +11.0% | West Baton Rouge Parish |
| 8 | St. Gabriel | 6,857 | +6.4% | Iberville Parish |
| 9 | Zachary | 20,370 | +4.5% | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| 10 | Donaldsonville | 6,945 | +3.5% | Ascension Parish |
| 11 | Central | 30,161 | +2.0% | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| 12 | Breaux Bridge | 7,582 | +1.4% | St. Martin Parish |
| 13 | Mandeville | 12,973 | +1.1% | St. Tammany Parish |
| 14 | Covington | 11,686 | +1.0% | St. Tammany Parish |
| 15 | Bossier City | 63,218 | +0.8% | Bossier Parish |
| 16 | Ruston | 22,330 | +0.8% | Lincoln Parish |
| 17 | Lafayette | 122,280 | +0.7% | Lafayette Parish |
| 18 | Walker | 6,402 | +0.5% | Livingston Parish |
| 19 | Denham Springs | 9,321 | +0.2% | Livingston Parish |
| 20 | Slidell | 28,440 | -0.7% | St. Tammany Parish |
| 21 | Grambling | 5,278 | -1.1% | Lincoln Parish |
| 22 | Ponchatoula | 7,735 | -1.2% | Tangipahoa Parish |
| 23 | Thibodaux | 15,569 | -2.1% | Lafourche Parish |
| 24 | Monroe | 46,622 | -2.1% | Ouachita Parish |
| 25 | Abbeville | 10,902 | -2.4% | Vermilion Parish |
| 26 | Baton Rouge | 220,907 | -2.4% | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| 27 | Baker | 12,147 | -2.4% | East Baton Rouge Parish |
| 28 | Bogalusa | 10,367 | -2.4% | Washington Parish |
| 29 | Kenner | 64,650 | -2.5% | Jefferson Parish |
| 30 | Oakdale | 6,490 | -2.7% | Allen Parish |
| 31 | Ville Platte | 6,148 | -2.7% | Evangeline Parish |
| 32 | Pineville | 13,966 | -2.9% | Rapides Parish |
| 33 | St. Martinville | 5,229 | -3.0% | St. Martin Parish |
| 34 | Harahan | 8,819 | -3.1% | Jefferson Parish |
| 35 | Gretna | 17,185 | -3.2% | Jefferson Parish |
| 36 | DeRidder | 9,508 | -3.3% | Beauregard Parish +1 |
| 37 | Rayne | 6,983 | -3.6% | Acadia Parish |
| 38 | Eunice | 9,044 | -3.6% | St. Landry Parish +1 |
| 39 | Westwego | 8,231 | -3.6% | Jefferson Parish |
| 40 | Opelousas | 15,176 | -3.8% | St. Landry Parish |
| 41 | Plaquemine | 5,985 | -3.8% | Iberville Parish |
| 42 | Crowley | 11,216 | -4.0% | Acadia Parish |
| 43 | Alexandria | 43,133 | -4.4% | Rapides Parish |
| 44 | Lake Charles | 81,157 | -4.4% | Calcasieu Parish |
| 45 | West Monroe | 12,476 | -4.4% | Ouachita Parish |
| 46 | Patterson | 5,614 | -5.0% | St. Mary Parish |
| 47 | Houma | 31,671 | -5.0% | Terrebonne Parish |
| 48 | Natchitoches | 17,165 | -5.1% | Natchitoches Parish |
| 49 | Morgan City | 10,813 | -5.2% | St. Mary Parish |
| 50 | Jennings | 9,280 | -5.3% | Jefferson Davis Parish |
| 51 | New Orleans | 362,701 | -5.4% | Orleans Parish |
| 52 | Shreveport | 176,578 | -5.5% | Caddo Parish +1 |
| 53 | New Iberia | 26,849 | -5.5% | Iberia Parish |
| 54 | Minden | 11,195 | -5.6% | Webster Parish |
| 55 | Leesville | 5,339 | -5.7% | Vernon Parish |
| 56 | Sulphur | 20,572 | -5.7% | Calcasieu Parish |
| 57 | Franklin | 6,284 | -5.8% | St. Mary Parish |
| 58 | Bastrop | 8,922 | -7.1% | Morehouse Parish |
| 59 | Tallulah | 5,677 | -9.2% | Madison Parish |
Questions people ask
What is the fastest-growing city in Louisiana?
Carencro, up 37.5% from July 2020 to July 2024 among places of 5,000+, to 12,883 residents.
Which Louisiana city added the most people?
Hammond, which gained 3,718 residents from July 2020 to July 2024.
How many Louisiana cities are shrinking?
40 of 59 places of 5,000+ had the same or fewer residents in July 2024 than in July 2020.
Why use places of 5,000 or more?
Small towns can swing by double-digit percentages from a few new homes, and Census estimates for them carry more uncertainty. The 5,000 floor keeps the ranking to places where a percentage means something.
Sources and data as of
Data as of: Census Vintage 2024 population estimates, 2024 Gazetteer land area and internal points, SAIPE 2023 median household income.
How every number is computed: methodology. Spotted a wrong figure? Report an error.