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Baton Rouge Regional Facts at a Glance

Population:
2000 Census: 705,973
2005 Estimate pre-Katrina: 729,282
2005 Estimate post-Katrina: 780,000 - 805,000
2010 Projection: 809,282
Source: Demographics Now (nine-parish MSA)

Civilian Labor Force:
January 2006: 356,250
Source: U.S.Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census

Unemployed:
January 2006: 17,736
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census

Unemployment Rate:
January 2006: 5.0%
Source: U.S. Department of Commerce, Bureau of the Census

Average Annual Pay – All Sectors: $32,910
Source: Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, Baton Rouge MSA, Nov. 2004

Right-To-Work: Yes
Louisiana is an "at will" employment state.
Source: National Right-To-Work Foundation

Educational Attainment:
More than 83% of residents age 25 and over are high school graduates. About 14% hold bachelor's degrees or higher. Another 23% have some college credit.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2000)

Median Age: 33.7
National median age is 35.3
Source: Demographics Now (nine-parish MSA)

New Spec Single-Family Home Average Sale Price: $266,423
Over $23,000 (or 9%) lower than the national average price of $289,484.
(2,400 sq. ft. newly site-built multi-level, central air, gas heat, 3 bedrooms, 2 full baths, living-dining room, kitchen with built-in cabinets, family room, fireplace, utility room, finished basement, attached 2-car garage. 8,000 sq. ft. lot in desirable subdivision)
Source: ACCRA Cost of Living Survey (Q2-2006)

Existing Single-Family Home Median Sale Price: $164,600
$51,300 (or 31%) below the national median price of $215,900.
Source: National Association of Realtors (12/2005)

Two-Bedroom Apartment Average Rent: $623
Nearly $150 (or 21%) lower than the national average of $771.
Source: Spring 2005 Apartment Survey

Average One-Way Commute Time: 21.1 minutes
Approximately 14% shorter than the national average of 24.7 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau (2003), East Baton Rouge Parish