Median Income
$32,877
household / year
Median Home Value
$208,000
owner-occupied
Median Rent
$833
gross / month
Cost of Living
90
national avg = 100

Is Ruston, LA a Good Place to Live?

Ruston is a small city of 22,282 in Louisiana, with a median household income of $32,877 and a 3.1% unemployment rate. Its cost of living index is 90 (US average = 100), which is 10% below the national average.

Strengths: Ruston stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, solid school ratings (A), a well-educated population, short average commutes.

Trade-offs: No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether Ruston is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.

All Ruston 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: 90.3

Ruston's overall cost of living index is 90.3, where 100 represents the US national average. Living in Ruston costs roughly 10% less than the average American city.

Metric Ruston, LA National Avg
Median Home Value $208,000 $244,900
Median Monthly Rent $833 $1,163
Homeownership Rate 34.1% 65.9%
Median Household Income $32,877 $74,755

Crime & Safety

Near National Average

Ruston's violent crime rate is 426.8 per 100,000 residents — 12% higher than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.

Violent Crime
426.8 /100k
Property Crime
2956.1 /100k

Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.

Schools & Education

Ruston is served primarily by Lincoln Parish. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1 (better than the national average of ~16:1).

Metric Ruston, LA National Avg
School District Lincoln Parish —
Elementary Schools 7 —
Middle Schools 2 —
High Schools 2 —
Student/Teacher Ratio 12.9:1 16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 42.0% 35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher 92.6% 91.1%

Weather & Climate

Ruston sees average highs of 57.3°F in January and 92.2°F in July, with 55.6 inches of annual precipitation and 0.4 inches of snow per year.

MetricRuston, LA
Average High — January57.3°F
Average High — July92.2°F
Annual Precipitation55.6"
Annual Snowfall0.4"

Demographics

MetricRuston, LANational Avg
Population22,282—
Median Age23.638.9
Unemployment Rate3.1%3.7%
Avg Commute Time13.9 min26 min
White (non-Hispanic)48.6%59.3%
Black or African American42.0%13.6%
Hispanic or Latino2.4%18.9%
Asian2.5%6.3%
Under 1815.4%22.2%
65 and over11.2%16.8%

Nearby Cities

ZIP Codes in Ruston

Ruston, LA is covered by 2 ZIP codes:

Ruston vs Other Cities

Frequently Asked Questions

Ruston's cost of living index is 90, where 100 is the national average. That makes Ruston roughly 10% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage. The median home price is $208,000 and median rent is $833/month.
Ruston's violent crime rate is 426.8 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 2956.1 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
Public schools in Ruston are operated by Lincoln Parish. The district has 7 elementary, 2 middle, and 2 high schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 12.9:1. 42.0% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Ruston, LA has a population of 22,282, a median household income of $32,877, and an unemployment rate of 3.1%. It offers below-average costs of living, which stretches take-home pay further than in most American cities. Whether it's right for you depends on your priorities — use the compare tool above to stack it against another city you're considering.
Ruston averages 57.3°F in January and 92.2°F in July. Annual rainfall is 55.6 inches with about 0.4 inches of snow per year. Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
Ruston, LA is covered by 2 ZIP codes: 71270, 71272.
The population of Ruston, Louisiana is 22,282 with a median age of 23.6. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in Ruston: cost of living index 90 (100 = US average), median home $208,000, median household income $32,877, crime index 124 (100 = US average, lower is safer), schools rated A. Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare Ruston side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.