Scores by category

Each category averages its indicators' percentile scores among US metro and micro areas.

Safety3#895/924
Economy56#408/925
Housing32#627/925
Health30#649/925
Healthcare67#302/923
Environment7#850/917
Education57#396/925
Infrastructure39#569/925
Community32#625/925
Leisure & amenities82#169/925

Strengths · Weaknesses

Indicators where Baton Rouge, LA metro area ranks highest and lowest among US metro and micro areas (score = percentile, 100 = best).

Strengths

Gyms and fitness centers · high1.7 /10k
91/100Louisiana 1.4 /10kUnited States 1.3 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
New business applications · high17.4 /1k
88/100Louisiana 16.4 /1kUnited States 16.6 /1k2025U.S. Census BureauAggregated from counties
Pharmacies · high2.3 /10k
86/100Louisiana 2.7 /10kUnited States 1.8 /10k2025U.S. Bureau of Labor StatisticsAggregated from counties
Average weekly wage · high$1,298
85/100Louisiana $1,213United States $1,5142025U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Suicide rate · low13.5 /100k
84/100Louisiana 14.6 /100kUnited States 14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Effective property tax rate · low0.54%
80/100Louisiana 0.55%United States 0.94%2020-2024U.S. Census Bureau Census table B25090

Weaknesses

Property crime rate · high2,985 /100k
1/100Louisiana 1,966 /100kUnited States 1,535 /100k2023Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) · high9.4 µg/m³
4/100Louisiana 8.9 µg/m³United States 8.0 µg/m³2022Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection AgencyAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Homicide rate · high14.1 /100k
4/100Louisiana 11.8 /100kUnited States 4.8 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026Centers for Disease Control and PreventionAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Median Air Quality Index · high54
5/1002025U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Violent crime rate · high528 /100k
9/100Louisiana 515 /100kUnited States 328 /100k2023Federal Bureau of InvestigationAggregated from countiesCovers part of the area: some reporting agencies or member counties have no figure
Injury deaths · high128 /100k
10/100Louisiana 121 /100kUnited States 87 /100k2019-2023University of Wisconsin Population Health InstituteAggregated from counties

Trends

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

Drought exposureWorsening
1% (2021) → 19% (Oct 2025–Sep 2026)
+19 pts5 yearsUS 40% → 43%
High ozone daysImproving
3 days (2017) → 1 days (2022)
−81%5 yearsUS 9 days → 7 days
Drug overdose deathsImproving
62.8 /100k (2021) → 22.2 /100k (Mar 2025–Feb 2026)
−65%5 yearsUS 30.8 /100k → 18.4 /100k
Flu vaccinationsWorsening
48.8% (2019) → 39.4% (2023)
−9.4 pts4 yearsUS 48.0% → 44.0%
Homicide rateImproving
25.1 /100k (2021) → 14.1 /100k (May 2025–Apr 2026)
−44%5 yearsUS 7.8 /100k → 4.8 /100k
Broadband subscriptionsImproving
81.6% (2015-2019) → 90.4% (2020-2024)
+8.7 pts5 yearsCensus table B28002US 82.7% → 91.0%

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, Baton Rouge, LA metro area improved on 12 of 29 measures with a comparison and declined on 6. 6 moved within the margin of error and 5 barely changed.

Earlier period
Latest period
Lower standingHigher standing

Position is the place's standing among metro and micro areas: further right is better, whichever way the measure counts. Periods differ by measure (most compare 2015-2019 with 2020-2024); each row names its own in its tooltip and in the table.

Improved12

Restaurants+13%8.1 /10k → 9.1 /10k
Gyms+27%1.3 /10k → 1.7 /10k
Real income+36%$52,884 → $71,957
Overdose deaths−52%45.9 /100k → 22.2 /100k
Unemployment−4 points8.1% → 4.1%

Declined6

New businesses−15%20.6 /1k → 17.4 /1k
Suicides+25%10.8 /100k → 13.5 /100k
Rent / income+1.5 points31.2% → 32.7%
Rent burden+2.9 points51.9% → 54.8%
Traffic deaths+11%18.7 /100k → 20.7 /100k

All 29 measures

Change of every measure of Baton Rouge, LA metro area between two periods about five years apart
Measure	Before	After	Change	Reading	Favourable vs peers
Arts, entertainment and recreation	3.6 /10k2020	4.3 /10k2025	+21%	Improved	76%
Average commute time	27.0 min2015-2019	27.2 min2020-2024	+0.2 min	Within the margin of error	57%
Bachelor's degree or higher	27.6%2015-2019	30.4%2020-2024	+2.8 points	Improved	50%
Broadband subscriptions	81.6%2015-2019	90.4%2020-2024	+8.7 points	Improved	48%
Child poverty rate	21.8%2015-2019	20.7%2020-2024	−1.1 points	Within the margin of error	34%
Distance to an airport	57 mi2020	57 mi2025	−0 mi	Little change	96%
Drug overdose deaths	45.9 /100k2020	22.2 /100kMar 2025–Feb 2026	−52%	Improved	83%
Effective property tax rate	0.51%2015-2019	0.54%2020-2024	+0 points	Little change	4%
Firearm deaths	25.0 /100k2020	22.0 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−12%	Improved	69%
Grocery stores	2.0 /10k2020	2.0 /10k2025	+1.4%	Little change	56%
Gyms and fitness centers	1.3 /10k2020	1.7 /10k2025	+27%	Improved	77%
High school diploma or higher	87.4%2015-2019	89.0%2020-2024	+1.6 points	Improved	47%
Home price to income ratio	3.1×2015-2019	3.5×2020-2024	+0.4×	Declined	58%
Homicide rate	19.6 /100k2020	14.1 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	−28%	Improved	53%
Income adjusted for local prices	$52,8842019	$71,9572024	+36%	Improved	77%
Income inequality (Gini index)	0.4792015-2019	0.4812020-2024	+0.002	Within the margin of error	50%
Median household income	$58,9122015-2019	$69,5992020-2024	+18%	Improved	9%
New business applications	20.6 /1k2020	17.4 /1k2025	−15%	Declined	1%
Pharmacies	2.4 /10k2020	2.3 /10k2025	−4%	Little change	60%
Poverty rate	15.9%2015-2019	16.6%2020-2024	+0.8 points	Within the margin of error	15%
Public libraries	0.6 /10k2019	0.6 /10k2024	−3.1%	Little change	37%
Public transit commuters	0.8%2015-2019	0.7%2020-2024	−0.2 points	Within the margin of error	64%
Rent as share of income	31.2%2015-2019	32.7%2020-2024	+1.5 points	Declined	26%
Rent-burdened households	51.9%2015-2019	54.8%2020-2024	+2.9 points	Declined	33%
Restaurants and bars	8.1 /10k2020	9.1 /10k2025	+13%	Improved	84%
Suicide rate	10.8 /100k2020	13.5 /100kMay 2025–Apr 2026	+25%	Declined	20%
Traffic deaths	18.7 /100k2015-2019	20.7 /100k2020-2024	+11%	Declined	44%
Unemployment rate	8.1%2020	4.1%2025	−4 points	Improved	79%
Uninsured residents (under 65)	9.6%2015-2019	9.0%2020-2024	−0.6 points	Within the margin of error	60%

“Against peers” compares the change with the same change in the 786 metro and micro areas that have the same two periods. It describes how common a change is, not why it happened.

Sources: Regional Economic Accounts; Local Area Unemployment Statistics; Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; Mapping Injury, Overdose, and Violence; American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates; Business Formation Statistics; Public Libraries Survey; Fatality Analysis Reporting System; Distance to airports and intercity rail. 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 925 metro and micro areas 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.

Metro and micro areas like Baton Rouge, LA metro area five years ago that improved

The places whose measures looked most like those of Baton Rouge, LA metro area 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, Baton Rouge, LA metro area itself moved +0.3 points in standing on average over the same 28 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

875,313 residents

Men
Women

80 and over
70–79
60–69

Income

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

Household income

332,585 households (±2,020)

Baton Rouge, LA metro area
United States share

Under $25k19%62,394
$25k–50k19%61,853
$50k–75k16%51,974

Homes

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

Owners and renters

332,585 households (±2,020)

Baton Rouge, LA metro area
United States share

Own69%229,860
Rent31%102,725

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

Table view

Getting to work

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

How people get to work

394,020 workers (±3,662)

Baton Rouge, LA metro area
United States share

Drive alone80%315,212
Carpool9.1%35,799
Public transit0.7%2,635

Jobs and pay

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

The 10 largest occupations in Baton Rouge, LA employ 78,820 people. 1 pay a median above the US median and 9 below it.

Above the US median
Below the US median

The largest occupations in Baton Rouge, LA by employment, with median annual pay and how it compares with the United States
Occupation	Jobs	Median pay	vs USCompared with the US	Concentration
Cashiers9,130 jobs	9,130	$27,110US $32,880	−18%	1.12×
Retail Salespersons9,020 jobs	9,020

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.

Baton Rouge, LA has 19,589 employer establishments, 223 for every 10,000 residents (0.90× the US rate of 248), with 351,260 paid employees at an average annual pay of $61,321. The Census Bureau also counts 84,451 nonemployer businesses, mostly sole proprietors.

Establishments: 19,589; 84,451 nonemployers
Per 10,000 residents: 223; US 248
Paid employees: 351,260
Average annual pay: $61,321; US $68,342

Employer establishments, employees, average pay and nonemployers of Baton Rouge, LA by industry, with the density per resident against the nation

Restaurants and other eating places	1,462	16.6	0.91×About typical	29,702	$19,484	523
Ambulatory health care services	1,453	16.5	0.79×Fewer than typical	19,885	$71,769	4,075
Specialty trade contractors	1,126	12.8	0.83×About typical	23,158	$82,048	5,674
Lessors of real estate	828	9.4	0.77×Fewer than typical	2,899	$52,687	7,385
Limited-service restaurants	771	8.8	1.09×About typical	13,982	$16,824	169
Legal services	623	7.1	1.32×More than typical	3,557	$80,222	988
Construction of buildings	518	5.9	0.78×Fewer than typical	5,486	$73,492	2,485
Building equipment contractors	514	5.9	0.97×About typical	13,462	$89,270	1,158
Full-service restaurants	487	5.5	0.72×Fewer than typical	13,489	$22,521	151
Religious organizations	482	5.5	0.99×About typical	4,847	$25,851	—
Architectural, engineering and related services	481	5.5	1.57×More than typical	9,643	$86,957	751
Services to buildings and dwellings	442	5	0.75×Fewer than typical	4,374	$34,970	7,743

Rank places for an industry

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

Per-resident figures divide by the population estimate of 2023: 878,512 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.
A metro area's figures are the exact sums of its counties.
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 contract spending

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $261.1M on contracts performed in Baton Rouge, LA metro area: $294 per resident (US $1,994).

Obligations: $261.1M; −26% vs FY2025
Per resident: $294; US $1,994
Sole-source: 5.7%; US 30%
Single offer: 1.0%; US 8.8%

A signal is a reason to look closer, not evidence of wrongdoing: most sole-source awards are lawful and justified.

Top buying agencies

Defense Logistics Agency$161.2M62%
Department of the Army$48.9M19%
U.S. Customs and Border Protection$21.2M8.1%
Federal Emergency Management Agency$13.8M5.3%
Environmental Protection Agency$3.7M1.4%
Public Buildings Service$3.3M1.3%
Department of Veterans Affairs$1.8M0.7%
Department of the Navy$1.5M0.6%

Top recipients

PLACID REFINING COMPANY LLC$160.6M62%
APTIM FEDERAL SERVICES, LLC$35M13%
GULF SOUTH RESEARCH CORP$21.2M8.1%
MLU SERVICES, LLC$7.7M3.0%
BASCOM HUNTER TECHNOLOGIES, INC.$7.3M2.8%

Spending by fiscal year

319.5MFY2017
328.1MFY2018
221.2MFY2019
277.7MFY2020
557.4MFY2021
922MFY2022
368.9MFY2023
533M

Top industries (NAICS)

Petroleum and coal products manufacturing · 3241$160.8M62%
Facilities support services · 5612$37.8M14%
Management, scientific, and technical consulting services · 5416$28.7M11%
Scientific research and development services · 5417$7.1M2.7%
Nonresidential building construction · 2362$6.1M2.4%
Other heavy and civil engineering construction · 2379

Largest awards

USACE RMMR POJ, CONTRACTOR SHALL PROVIDE ALL LABOR, MANAGEMENT, SUPERVISION, QUALITY CONTROL, TRANSPORTATION, SUPPLIES, VEHICLES, TOOLS, MATERIALS, FACILITIES, EQUIPMENT, AND INCIDENTALS NECESSARY TO CONDUCT THE WORK DESCRIBED IN THE PWS.$88.1M
APTIM FEDERAL SERVICES, LLC· East Baton Rouge Parish, LA· Construction & real property· Jul 13, 2022 – Jan 26, 2026· W912DY22F0271
WEST SHORE LAKE PONTCHARTRAIN, LA HURRICANE AND STORM DAMAGE RISK REDUCTION PROJECT, WSLP-114A, ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST AND ST. CHARLES PARISH, LOUISIANA$74.3M
OMEGA FOUNDATION SERVICES, INC.· East Feliciana Parish, LA· Construction & real property· Sep 23, 2024 – Apr 30, 2026· W912P824C0037
COMITE AND HIGHWAY 61 RIVER DIVERSION PROJECT, PERFORMED IN VARIOUS LOCATION AROUND THE STATE OF LOUISIANA.$58.6M
JAMES CONSTRUCTION GROUP LLC· East Baton Rouge Parish, LA

Source: Federal contract transactions (Federal Procurement Data System) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026.

Federal grants & assistance

Grants, loans (counted at their subsidy cost), direct payments and insurance, by fiscal year of the action (USAspending.gov, FABS). Reported apart from contracts and never added to them.

In FY2026, federal agencies obligated $6.8B in grants, loans, direct payments and insurance for Baton Rouge, LA metro area: $7,661 per resident (US $12,955).

Assistance · FY2026: $6.8B; +1.5% vs FY2025
Per resident: $7,661; US $12,955
Loan face value: $731.2M; lent or guaranteed
To individuals: 0.3%; counted, never named

Top programs

96.002 · Social Security Retirement Insurance$2.6B39%
97.036 · Disaster Grants - Public Assistance (Presidentially Declared Disasters)$826M12%
93.774 · Medicare Supplementary Medical Insurance$422.1M6.2%
64.109 · Veterans Compensation for Service-Connected Disability$408.7M6.0%
96.004 · Social Security Survivors Insurance$403.5M5.9%
96.001 · Social Security Disability Insurance$387.7M5.7%
93.773 · Medicare Hospital Insurance$269.9M4.0%
96.006 · Supplemental Security Income$205.8M3.0%

Top recipients (organizations)

HOMELAND SECURITY & EMERGENCY$1.1B16%
BATON ROUGE, LA
LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY$174.9M2.6%
BATON ROUGE, LA
TRANSPORTATION & DEVELOPMENT LOUISIANA D$123.7M1.8%
BATON ROUGE, LA
LOUISIANA HOUSING CORPORATION$56.3M0.8%
BATON ROUGE, LA
SOUTHERN UNIVERSITY AND A & M COLLEGE

Organizations only: awards to individuals and county aggregate records count in the totals but are never listed. Grants to state governments recorded at the agency's own address are counted statewide, not in the capital's county.

Top agencies

Social Security Administration$3.6B53%
Federal Emergency Management Agency$1.1B16%
Department of Homeland Security
Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services$799.1M12%
Department of Health and Human Services
Under Secretary for Benefits/Veterans Benefits Administration$469M6.9%
Department of Veterans Affairs
Department of Education

Assistance by fiscal year

7.3BFY2021
7.6BFY2022
7.6BFY2023
6.6BFY2024
6.7BFY2025
6.8BFY2026

County aggregates

72%

Share of obligations reported only as county totals of many small awards (for example Social Security or Medicare payments), with no recipient named.

Source: Federal financial assistance transactions (Financial Assistance Broker Submission) (U.S. Department of the Treasury, USAspending.gov), data current to Oct 3, 2026, loaded Oct 3, 2026 · FY2021–FY2026.

Counties in Baton Rouge, LA

Whole counties, as the U.S. Office of Management and Budget delineates the area. Federal spending below is the exact sum of these counties.

Principal cities

The cities the area is named for.

Baton RougePrincipal city222,771

Largest cities and towns

By population, for places with most of their residents in the area.

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Areas based in Louisiana, best score first.

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Places that share a border, best score first.

Similar metro and micro areas

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.

Mapping Injury, Overdose, and ViolenceCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2026-10-01
PLACES: Local Data for Better HealthCenters for Disease Control and Prevention · release 2025
Daily county PM2.5 and ozone (EPA downscaler model)Centers for Disease Control and Prevention · U.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2022
Care Compare: Hospital General Information and Timely and Effective CareCenters for Medicare & Medicaid Services · release 2026-07-22
Distance to airports and intercity railFederal Aviation Administration · Bureau of Transportation Statistics · U.S. Census Bureau · release 2025+amtrak-2026-04-23
Uniform Crime Reporting Program, Return A master filesFederal Bureau of Investigation · release 2025
Public Libraries SurveyInstitute of Museum and Library Services · release FY2024
U.S. Drought Monitor county statisticsNational Drought Mitigation Center (University of Nebraska–Lincoln), USDA and NOAA · release 2026-09-29
Fatality Analysis Reporting SystemNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration · release 2024
nClimGrid-Daily county averagesNOAA National Centers for Environmental Information · release 2025
Regional Economic AccountsU.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis · release 2024
Local Area Unemployment StatisticsU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2025
Quarterly Census of Employment and WagesU.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · release 2026 Q1
American Community Survey 5-Year EstimatesU.S. Census Bureau · release 2017-2024
Building Permits SurveyU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-08
Business Formation StatisticsU.S. Census Bureau · release 2026-10-01
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
Alternative Fuels Data Center station locatorU.S. Department of Energy · release 2026-10
Election Administration and Voting SurveyU.S. Election Assistance Commission · release 2024
Air Quality Index Annual Summary by CountyU.S. Environmental Protection Agency · release 2025
County Health Rankings & RoadmapsUniversity of Wisconsin Population Health Institute · release 2022-2025+2026-03-supplement
Zillow Home Value Index, Observed Rent Index and affordabilityZillow Research · release 2026-08

JSON · /api/v1/places/M12940

Scores by category

Strengths · Weaknesses

Strengths

Weaknesses

Trends

What changed in five years

Improved12

Declined6

Metro and micro areas like Baton Rouge, LA metro area five years ago that improved

Who lives here

Age and sex

Income

Household income

Homes

Owners and renters

Getting to work

How people get to work

Jobs and pay

Local businesses

Federal contract spending

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

Federal grants & assistance

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

Counties in Baton Rouge, LA

Principal cities

Largest cities and towns

Other metro and micro areas in Louisiana

Neighboring metro and micro areas

Similar metro and micro areas

Data and sources

Improved12

Declined6

Age and sex

Household income

Owners and renters

How people get to work

Race and Hispanic origin

Education

Rent paid

Home values

Age of homes

Size of homes

Time to get to work

Look up any occupation

Top programs

Top recipients (organizations)

Top agencies

Assistance by fiscal year

County aggregates

By type

Top buying agencies

Top recipients

Spending by fiscal year

Top industries (NAICS)

Largest awards

What was bought