Is Jennings, LA a Good Place to Live?
Jennings is a small town of 9,819 in Louisiana, with a median household income of $39,888 and a 5.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 87 (US average = 100), which is 13% below the national average.
Strengths: Jennings stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (B-).
Trade-offs: Potential downsides include a higher-than-average crime index, longer commutes, an elevated unemployment rate. Whether Jennings is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All Jennings city data on this page comes from official government sources — the US Census Bureau, FBI, NCES, BEA, and NOAA — updated annually.
Cost of Living
Index: 87.3Jennings's overall cost of living index is 87.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Jennings costs roughly 13% less than the average American city.
| Metric | Jennings, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Median Home Value | $129,500 | $244,900 |
| Median Monthly Rent | $773 | $1,163 |
| Homeownership Rate | 66.6% | 65.9% |
| Median Household Income | $39,888 | $74,755 |
Crime & Safety
High CrimeJennings's violent crime rate is 1007.6 per 100,000 residents — 165% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Jennings is served primarily by Jefferson Davis Parish. The student-to-teacher ratio is 14.6:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).
| Metric | Jennings, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| School District | Jefferson Davis Parish | — |
| Elementary Schools | 5 | — |
| Middle Schools | 1 | — |
| High Schools | 4 | — |
| Student/Teacher Ratio | 14.6:1 | 16:1 |
| Bachelor's Degree or Higher | 15.5% | 35.4% |
| High School Diploma or Higher | 79.1% | 91.1% |
Weather & Climate
Jennings sees average highs of 60.1°F in January and 90.2°F in July, with 63.5 inches of annual precipitation and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
| Metric | Jennings, LA |
|---|---|
| Average High — January | 60.1°F |
| Average High — July | 90.2°F |
| Annual Precipitation | 63.5" |
| Annual Snowfall | 0.1" |
Demographics
| Metric | Jennings, LA | National Avg |
|---|---|---|
| Population | 9,819 | — |
| Median Age | 37.1 | 38.9 |
| Unemployment Rate | 5.1% | 3.7% |
| Avg Commute Time | 32.0 min | 26 min |
| White (non-Hispanic) | 65.8% | 59.3% |
| Black or African American | 25.2% | 13.6% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 4.1% | 18.9% |
| Asian | 0.0% | 6.3% |
| Under 18 | 27.1% | 22.2% |
| 65 and over | 22.4% | 16.8% |
Nearby Cities
ZIP Codes in Jennings
Jennings, LA is covered by 1 ZIP code: