Franklin, LA · standard
ZIP Code 70538
St. Mary Parish, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 14,844
- 37/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $52,407
- Median income Below-median income area
- $117,800
- Median home value Below-median home value
- 13.6%
- Bachelor's or higher Below-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Franklin pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with among the most affordable home values nationally, in a rural, homeowner-dominated area.
- 17th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- 16th pct
- home value, US ZIPs
- 37
- people per sq mi
- 74%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 70538 against every reporting US ZIP.
FHFA HPI release change
What changed in the latest House Price Index year
- FHFA House Price Index values in ZIP 70538 (Franklin, LA) rose +17.0% from 2023 to 2024.
ZIP code 70538 is a mid-sized community (a standard USPS delivery area) in Franklin, St. Mary Parish, Louisiana, home to 14,844 residents across 401.2 square miles, a density of 37 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 70538 reports a modest median household income of $52,407 (12% below the average Louisiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $26,127. The poverty rate is 22.7%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Home values sit below the statewide ZIP benchmark: the median is $117,800 (33% below the average Louisiana ZIP), and median rent is $733; owner occupancy is 74.4%.
Formal educational attainment runs low here: just 13.6% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 40.8, and the average commute is 21 minutes. The page also surfaces 2 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in St. Mary Parish, so 70538 can be compared with both its immediate and county-level context.
Every figure on this page is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (including median rent) and the FHFA House Price Index, no estimates, no proprietary scoring. Verify with Census →
Top industries in ZIP 70538
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Franklin, LA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 70538.
- Retail trade
Retail trade
33 establishments
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
31 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
25 establishments
- Finance and insurance
Finance and insurance
23 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
17 establishments
What this shows Establishment counts come from the Census ZIP Code Business Patterns program, which counts physical business locations rather than employees or revenue.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates + ZIP Code Business Patterns + FHFA HPI ACS demographics and median rent, ZBP business establishments, FHFA HPI for ZIP 70538, Franklin, LA · 2023 Census ACS 5-Year Estimates use a rolling 60-month sample for stable small-geography estimates; ZBP updated annually; FHFA HPI updated quarterly/annually.
Quick Facts
14,844
Population
401.2
Area (sq mi)
37
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 70538?
40.8
Median Age
47.4%
Male
52.6%
Female
1.4%
Foreign-Born
Hispanic or Latino is an ethnicity category from the Census Bureau and may overlap with other categories above.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How much do residents earn?
$52,407
Median Household Income
-12% vs state ZIP avg
$26,127
Per Capita Income
22.7%
Poverty Rate
2.6%
Unemployment Rate
21.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 70538 ranks among Louisiana ZIPs
Franklin, LA household income vs. every Louisiana ZIP code
Median household income among 457 reporting Louisiana ZIPs (this ZIP's population is too small for a reliable national-corpus placement)
$52,407 43rd percentile higher than 43% of 457 Louisiana ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more Louisiana ZIPs. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates · 2019–2023
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What is the education profile here?
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What does housing look like?
Housing stock: occupied vs vacant
6,296housing units
6,296
Total Housing Units
4,895
Occupied Units
1,401
Vacant Units
2.46
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$117,800
Median Home Value
-33% vs state ZIP avg
$733
Median Rent
1974
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 214 business establishments in ZIP 70538, employing approximately 3,204 people with a combined annual payroll of $178,839,000.
214
Businesses
3,204
Employees
$178.8M
Annual Payroll
14
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Retail trade | 33 | 15.4% |
| Health care and social assistance | 31 | 14.5% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 25 | 11.7% |
| Finance and insurance | 23 | 10.8% |
| Accommodation and food services | 17 | 7.9% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 14 | 6.5% |
| Construction | 10 | 4.7% |
| Manufacturing | 10 | 4.7% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 10 | 4.7% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 10 | 4.7% |
| Wholesale trade | 7 | 3.3% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 7 | 3.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 6 | 2.8% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 5 | 2.3% |
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP), 2023. Employment figures may include noise for disclosure avoidance.
Nearby ZIP Codes
Want a side-by-side? Compare 70538 vs 70392 →
ZIP 70538 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 70538
Franklin (70538)
14,844 residents
- 70392
Patterson (70392)
8,456 residents
- 70514 2,545
Baldwin (70514)
2,545 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 70538 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
ZIP 70538 vs its nearest neighbors, by median income
Median household income of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 70392
Patterson (70392)
$57,959 median income
- 70538
Franklin (70538)
$52,407 median income
- 70514
Baldwin (70514)
$31,817 median income
What this shows By household income, ZIP 70538 ranks #2 of 3 neighboring ZIPs, local affluence varies block to block, not just metro to metro.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 70538, both outside LA so the neighborhoods are not geographic containment (Nearby and same-county blocks stay local).
Similar population
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by resident population (14,844 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in St. Mary Parish
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What parish is ZIP code 70538 in?
ZIP code 70538 (Franklin) is located in St. Mary Parish, Louisiana. St. Mary Parish contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/st-mary-la.
What is the population of ZIP code 70538?
ZIP code 70538 in Franklin, LA has a population of 14,844 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 70538?
The median household income in ZIP 70538 is $52,407, which is 31% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 70538?
The median home value in ZIP 70538 is $117,800, which is 58% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 70538?
The largest racial group in ZIP 70538 is White at 49.0%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 4.7% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 70538?
ZIP code 70538 has 214 business establishments employing approximately 3,204 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 70538?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 70538 are: Retail trade (33), Health care and social assistance (31), Other services (except public administration) (25). There are 14 industry sectors represented in total.
What is the education level in ZIP code 70538?
In ZIP code 70538, 64.7% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 13.6% hold a bachelor's degree or higher. These figures come from the Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023).
What is the average commute time in ZIP 70538?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 70538 is 21.4 minutes according to Census ACS data. The national average is roughly 26 minutes, so commuters here spend less time traveling to work than typical.
What percentage of residents own vs. rent in ZIP 70538?
In ZIP code 70538, approximately 74.4% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 25.6% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 70538?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 70538 is 22.7% according to Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates. This measures the percentage of the population living below the federal poverty threshold.
Related
Take this with you
What to do with ZIP 70538's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 70538 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Franklin, LA ranks among every U.S. ZIP code on income, education, or homeownership View national rankings
- Save this ZIP to your shortlist to track alongside others you're considering View your shortlist
ZIP Code Tabulation Areas (ZCTAs) are Census Bureau approximations of USPS ZIP codes; figures describe the ZCTA area, not any single address within it.