St. James is a small town of 622 in Louisiana, with a median household income of $52,266
and a 3.1% unemployment rate.
Its cost of living index is 91 (US average = 100), which is
9% below the national average.
Strengths:
St. James stands out for an affordable cost of living, below-average home prices, short average commutes.
Trade-offs:
No major red flags stand out in the available data. Whether St. James is right for you depends on your priorities — the full breakdown is below.
All St. James 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: 91.1
St. James's overall cost of living index is 91.1,
where 100 represents the US national average.
Living in St. James costs roughly 9% less than the average American city.
Metric
St. James, LA
National Avg
Median Home Value
$156,800
$244,900
Median Monthly Rent
N/A
$1,163
Homeownership Rate
89.7%
65.9%
Median Household Income
$52,266
$74,755
Crime & Safety
Safer than Average
St. James's violent crime rate is 369.7 per 100,000 residents
— 3% lower than the national average of ~380 per 100,000.
Violent Crime
369.7 /100k
Property Crime
1270.4 /100k
Vertical marker = national average. Source: FBI UCR Program.
Schools & Education
Metric
St. James, LA
National Avg
School District
N/A
—
Elementary Schools
N/A
—
Middle Schools
N/A
—
High Schools
N/A
—
Student/Teacher Ratio
N/A
16:1
Bachelor's Degree or Higher
17.7%
35.4%
High School Diploma or Higher
81.3%
91.1%
Weather & Climate
St. James sees average highs of 62.1°F in January
and 90.6°F in July,
with 67.8 inches of annual precipitation
and 0.1 inches of snow per year.
St. James's cost of living index is 91, where 100 is the national average.
That makes St. James roughly 9% less expensive than a typical US city — a meaningful affordability advantage.
The median home price is $156,800 and median rent is N/A/month.
St. James's violent crime rate is 369.7 per 100,000 residents — the national average is ~380 per 100,000. Property crime is 1270.4 per 100,000 (national avg ~2,100). Data from the FBI Uniform Crime Reporting Program.
School district information is sourced from NCES Common Core of Data.
St. James, LA has a population of 622, a median household income of $52,266, 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.
St. James averages 62.1°F in January and 90.6°F in July. Annual rainfall is 67.8 inches
with about 0.1 inches of snow per year.
Based on NOAA 30-year climate normals (1991–2020).
St. James, LA is covered by 1 ZIP code: 70086.
The population of St. James, Louisiana is 622 with a median age of 55.4. Source: US Census ACS 5-Year Estimates.
Key numbers for living in St. James: cost of living index 91 (100 = US average), median home $156,800, median household income $52,266, crime index 83 (100 = US average, lower is safer). Whether these are benefits or drawbacks depends on where you're coming from — compare St. James side by side with your current city to see the trade-offs.