Census-designated place · St. James Parish, Louisiana

Paulina, Louisiana

Paulina is a census-designated place in St. James Parish, Louisiana, part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area. It has 1,785 residents. Paulina, Louisiana has a quality-of-life score of 34 out of 100 (low), ranking #10,369 of 15,651 US cities and towns. Within Louisiana it ranks #23 of 262 cities and towns. It ranks best on unemployment rate (low), time spent in the emergency room (low) and poverty rate (low). It ranks worst on access to exercise opportunities (low), public EV charging ports (low) and natural hazard risk (high).

34Low

Quality-of-life score: #10,369 of 15,651 cities and towns
Louisiana: #23 of 262 in LA
Population: 1,785 (2020-2024)
Land area: 5 mi²
Density: 386.6 /mi²
FIPS code: 2259375

Percentile-based score (100 is the best in the country) from 73 of 80 indicators, with the default “Explorer” weights.

Open in the map

Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US cities and towns.

Safety22#12,190/15,637
Economy79#3,230/15,631
Housing—
Health31#10,762/15,609
Healthcare47#8,250/15,650
Environment30#10,792/15,453
Education51#7,618/15,649
Infrastructure27#11,410/15,650
Community25#11,681/15,651
Leisure & amenities61#6,141/15,651

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Paulina, Louisiana ranks highest and lowest among US cities and towns (score = percentile, 100 = best). Values marked “St. James Parish value” are the county’s: the source publishes no figure for this city or town, and the county holding most of its residents stands in.

Strengths

Unemployment rate · low0.0%
98/100Louisiana 4.3%United States 4.3%2020-2024U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Census table B23025
Time spent in the emergency room · low100 min
96/100Louisiana 135 minUnited States 170 minOct 2024–Sep 2025Centers for Medicare & Medicaid ServicesSt. James Parish value
Poverty rate · low2.1%
95/100Louisiana 18.6%United States 12.1%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B17001High uncertainty
Uninsured residents (under 65) · low1.4%
94/100Louisiana 9.2%United States 9.8%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B27010High uncertainty
Voter turnout · high78.9%
94/100Louisiana 59.2%United States 65.2%2024U.S. Election Assistance CommissionSt. James Parish value
Median Air Quality Index · low33
91/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection AgencySt. James Parish value

Weaknesses

Access to exercise opportunities · low33.8%
3/100Louisiana 75.6%United States 84.5%2022 & 2024University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteSt. James Parish value
Public EV charging ports · low0.0 /10k
3/100Louisiana 1.8 /10kUnited States 7.6 /10kOct 2026U.S. Department of EnergySt. James Parish value
Natural hazard risk · high93.2
7/100Louisiana 71.72025Federal Emergency Management AgencySt. James Parish value
Income inequality (Gini index) · high0.480
8/100Louisiana 0.495United States 0.4832020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B19083
Traffic deaths · high28.7 /100k
8/100Louisiana 18.5 /100kUnited States 12.3 /100k2020-2024National Highway Traffic Safety AdministrationProvisional dataSt. James Parish value
Homicide rate · high10.2 /100k
8/100Louisiana 11.8 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionModel-based estimateProvisional dataSt. James Parish value

Trends

The largest changes over about five years, next to the country's over the same periods.

PopulationRising
1,280 (2015-2019) → 1,785 (2020-2024)
+39%5 yearsCensus table B01003US 328,329,953 → 340,003,797
Bachelor's degree or higherWorsening
39.8% (2015-2019) → 30.3% (2020-2024)
−9.5 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 32.1% → 35.7%
Income inequality (Gini index)Worsening
0.362 (2015-2019) → 0.480 (2020-2024)
+33%5 yearsCensus table B19083US 0.482 → 0.483
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
81.5% (2015-2019) → 86.2% (2020-2024)
+4.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%
Median household incomeWorsening
$104,911 (2015-2019) → $88,839 (2020-2024)
−15%5 yearsCensus table B19013US $65,712 → $81,604
High school diploma or higherWorsening
95.9% (2015-2019) → 93.7% (2020-2024)
−2.2 pts5 yearsCensus table B15003US 88.0% → 89.6%

What changed in five years

How each measure moved between two periods about five years apart, read against whether more or less is better, the published margin of error and the same change in other places.

Over about five years, Paulina, Louisiana improved on 0 of 9 measures with a comparison and declined on 1. 8 moved within the margin of error and 0 barely changed.

Earlier (2015-2019)
Latest (2020-2024)
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among cities and towns: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts.

Improved0

No measure improved by more than its margin of error.

Declined1

Inequality+0.1180.362 → 0.480

All 9 measures

Change of every measure of Paulina, Louisiana between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Average commute time	24.9 min2015-2019	24.5 min2020-2024	−0.4 min	Within the margin of error	53%
Bachelor's degree or higher	39.8%2015-2019	30.3%2020-2024	−9.5 points	Within the margin of error	2%
Broadband subscriptions	81.5%2015-2019	86.2%2020-2024	+4.7 points	Within the margin of error	30%
Child poverty rate	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	42%
Effective property tax rate	0.57%2015-2019	0.49%2020-2024	−0.1 points	Within the margin of error	31%
High school diploma or higher	95.9%2015-2019	93.7%2020-2024	−2.2 points	Within the margin of error	14%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.3622015-2019	0.4802020-2024	+0.118	Declined	3%
Public transit commuters	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	60%
Unemployment rate	0.0%2015-2019	0.0%2020-2024	0 points	Within the margin of error	49%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 5712 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates. Values are the latest and the one five years earlier of the same publisher dataset; datasets that changed publisher in between are never compared.

Survey estimates (American Community Survey) compare the two most recent 5-year windows that do not share years, so the margin of error of the difference holds. The 2015-2019 window predates the pandemic and 2020-2024 includes it.
A change counts only when it is larger than 1.645 times the square root of the two standard errors squared, summed (a 90% margin). Measures published without a margin must change by at least 5% to count.
“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 15651 cities and towns that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.
Standing is a percentile among the same places: 0 is the lowest value on the measure (or the worst when lower is better), 100 the best.

Cities and towns like Paulina, Louisiana five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Paulina, Louisiana in the earlier period, ranked by how many measures improved beyond the margin of error, minus how many declined. A comparison of published data, not a forecast and not advice.

For comparison, Paulina, Louisiana itself moved −22.5 points in standing on average over the same 6 measures (standings of all places average about zero).

How the ranking works

Similarity is the root-mean-square difference of standings in the earlier period over the measures most places have. Places are ranked by measures that improved beyond the margin of error minus those that declined (a count that estimation noise in small places cannot inflate), then by the mean change of standing over the measures a place has in both periods. Only places with more improvements than declines and a rise in standing are listed. Standings are relative, so a place can improve in absolute terms and still lose standing.

Who lives here

Age, race and education of residents, from the American Community Survey. Shares are of all residents (age), residents of every origin (race) or adults 25 and over (education).

Age and sex

1,785 residents (±447)

Men
Women

80 and over†
70–79†
60–69†
50–59†
40–49†
30–39†
20–29†
10–19†
Under 10†

Share of all residents, each sex

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B01001View table on data.census.gov

Race and Hispanic origin

1,785 residents (±447)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

White91%1,624
Black1.7%†31
Hispanic or Latino5.9%†106

Education

1,143 residents (±280)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

No high school diploma6.3%†72
High school or GED26%†292
Some college20%†

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Income

How household income is spread, not just the middle: each bar is the share of households in that income range.

Household income

763 households (±216)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $25k4.8%†37
$25k–50k39%†297
$50k–75k2.8%†21
$75k–100k8.9%†68
$100k–150k9.0%†69
$150k–200k15%†116
$200k or more20%†155

Biggest shift since 2015–2019: $25k–50k (+29.9 points).

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B19001View table on data.census.gov

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Homes

Who owns and who rents, what homes cost, and what the housing stock looks like.

Owners and renters

763 households (±216)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Own99%753
Rent1.3%†10

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B25003View table on data.census.gov

Rent paid

10 households (±15)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $7500.0%0
$750–1,000100%†10
$1,000–1,5000.0%0

Home values

753 homes (±219)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under $150k24%†178
$150k–250k24%†178
$250k–400k10%†77

Age of homes

838 homes (±211)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

2010 or later47%†393
2000–200917%†145
1980–19996.2%†52

Size of homes

838 homes (±211)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Studio0.4%†3
1 bedroom0.0%0
2 bedrooms9.3%†78

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Getting to work

How workers travel to their job and how long it takes them.

How people get to work

720 workers (±238)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Drive alone96%†688
Carpool0.0%0
Public transit0.0%0
Walk0.0%0
Bike0.0%0
Work from home4.4%†32
Other0.0%0

No change since 2015–2019 is larger than the margin of error.

† Wide margin of error (more than 30% of the estimate): read with care.

Table view

American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020–2024 · Table B08301View table on data.census.gov

Time to get to work

688 workers (±231)

Paulina, Louisiana
Louisiana share

Under 15 min25%†172
15–29 min40%†274
30–44 min23%†160

Counts are survey estimates, each with a margin of error. The grouping into ranges is ours; every count is the Census Bureau's.

Jobs and pay

What the largest occupations here pay, from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics publishes pay by metro area, not by county or city. The metro area page lists its largest occupations and lets you look up any job.

Pay in the New Orleans-Metairie, LA

Local businesses

Employer businesses and sole proprietors by industry, per resident and against the state and the nation. Counts of businesses next to counts of people, not a measure of demand.

The Census Bureau publishes business counts by county, not by city, so these are the figures of St. James Parish, the county holding most of Paulina's residents.

St. James Parish has 339 employer establishments, 177 for every 10,000 residents (0.71× the US rate of 248; 0.75× Louisiana's), with 6,480 paid employees at an average annual pay of $85,537. The Census Bureau also counts 1,359 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 339; 1,359 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 177; US 248 · Louisiana 236
Paid employees: 6,480
Average annual pay: $85,537; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of St. James Parish by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Ambulatory health care services	33	17.2	0.82×About typical	200	$57,125	65
Restaurants and other eating places	22	11.5	0.62×Fewer than typical	293	$17,399	26
Gasoline stations	14	7.3	2.25×More than typical	126	$26,206	—
Truck transportation	14	7.3	1.44×More than typical	139	$65,647	56
Specialty trade contractors	13	6.8	0.44×Fewer than typical	197	$64,203	68
Services to buildings and dwellings	12	6.2	0.93×About typical	64	$38,938	168
Limited-service restaurants	11	5.7	0.71×Fewer than typical	132	$17,371	7
Offices of other health practitioners	11	5.7	0.94×About typical	69	$46,754	18
Religious organizations	11	5.7	1.03×About typical	83	$24,217	—
Architectural, engineering and related services	9	4.7	1.34×Too few to compare	69	$51,855	11
Automotive repair and maintenance	9	4.7	0.93×Too few to compare	41	$47,854	24
Banks and credit unions	9	4.7	1.45×Too few to compare	157	$67,618	—

Rank places for an industry Open St. James Parish

County Business Patterns (2023); Nonemployer Statistics (2024)

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 19,201 residents here, 336,755,052 in the United States. County Business Patterns counts establishments in 2023; the Nonemployer Statistics count businesses in 2024.
“More than typical” is a density at least 1.25 times the nation's per resident, “fewer” at most 0.8 times, with at least 10 establishments. It compares counts of businesses with counts of people: it says nothing about demand, incomes, size, quality or profit, and visitors and commuters are not residents.
The Census Bureau adds noise to employment and payroll to protect confidentiality, and withholds some figures: an industry with few establishments can show employees or pay as unavailable.
Industries overlap: a narrower industry (full-service restaurants) is part of a broader one (restaurants), so the rows do not add up.
Industries follow the North American Industry Classification System; the two surveys use different editions (NAICS 2017 and 2022), which this page matches industry by industry.

Federal contracts performed here

No federal contract obligations recorded here in FY2026.

Grants and other federal assistance are counted by county here, not split among cities: Paulina is mostly in St. James Parish.

See federal money in St. James Parish

Representation in Congress

Members serving today, with their record in the current Congress (party-unity votes cast with their caucus, roll calls missed). Not a grade.

Paulina, Louisiana is represented in the 119th Congress by these members.

House

Troy A. CarterD-LA-2 · 100% of residentsWith party 98%Missed 1.3%

Senate

Explore Congress The 2026 races

County

A city can lie in several counties. Some indicators are published for counties only: the page marks them.

St. James Parish32100% of residents

Metro area

The metro or micro area the city belongs to.

New Orleans-Metairie, LA35

Other cities and towns in St. James Parish

Largest first.

Similar cities and towns

Closest indicator profiles across the country (no model: score distances).

Data and sources

Latest published value of each indicator; periods differ by source. Values flagged by their publisher are marked.

PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Population Estimates ProgramU.S. Census Bureau · release 2025
Small Area Health Insurance EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
Small Area Income and Poverty EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2024
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement

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