Ruston, LA · standard
ZIP Code 71270
Lincoln Parish, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.
- 30,887
- 58/sq mi Moderate-density area
- $36,791
- Median income Below-median income area
- $222,300
- Median home value Near-median home value
- 38.4%
- Bachelor's or higher Above-average bachelor's attainment
National ZIP placement
Ruston pairs one of the lowest household incomes in the country with above-median home values, in a rural, mixed-tenure area.
- 4th pct
- household income, US ZIPs
- Top 50%
- home value, US ZIPs
- 58
- people per sq mi
- 50%
- owner-occupied homes
Source: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 5-Year Estimates (2019–2023). Percentiles rank ZIP 71270 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 71270 (Ruston, LA) rose +2.6% from 2023 to 2024. The all-transactions index moved from 204.4 in 2023 to 209.8 in 2024 (2000 = 100).
ZIP code 71270 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ruston, Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, with 30,887 residents across 529.8 square miles, a density of 58 people per square mile, in the Chicago time zone.
ZIP 71270 sits on the lower end of the income spectrum: median household income is $36,791 (38% below the average Louisiana ZIP), while per-capita income is $25,231. The poverty rate is 34.7%, so the area-level income figures should not be treated as typical household experience. Median home value is $222,300 (26% above the average Louisiana ZIP) and median rent is $827; 50.0% of occupied homes are owner-occupied.
A solid share of residents have a four-year degree: 38.4% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher, the median age is 28.8, and the average commute is 17 minutes. The page also surfaces 3 ZIP codes within roughly 10 miles and 5 more in Lincoln Parish, so 71270 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 71270
Top 5 sectors by establishment count in Ruston, LA
Which industries have the most business establishments in ZIP 71270.
- Health care and social assistance
Health care and social assistance
154 establishments
- Retail trade
Retail trade
149 establishments
- Accommodation and food services
Accommodation and food services
98 establishments
- Professional, scientific, and technical services
Professional, scientific, and technical services
90 establishments
- Other services (except public administration)
Other services (except public administration)
79 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 71270, Ruston, 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
30,887
Population
529.8
Area (sq mi)
58
People / sq mi
Chicago
Time Zone
standard
ZIP Type
Who lives in ZIP 71270?
28.8
Median Age
47.1%
Male
52.9%
Female
3.4%
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?
$36,791
Median Household Income
-38% vs state ZIP avg
$25,231
Per Capita Income
34.7%
Poverty Rate
4.5%
Unemployment Rate
17.4 min
Mean Commute Time
How ZIP 71270 ranks nationally
Ruston, LA household income vs. every US ZIP code
Median household income, the full national distribution, with this ZIP marked
$36,791 4th percentile higher than 4% of 30,318 US ZIPs
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US 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
14,553housing units
14,553
Total Housing Units
13,042
Occupied Units
1,511
Vacant Units
2.44
Avg Household Size
Occupancy Type
$222,300
Median Home Value
+26% vs state ZIP avg
$827
Median Rent
1986
Median Year Built
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)
How have home values changed over time?
FHFA House Price Index, annual appreciation data based on repeat sales and appraisals
+2.6%
YoY Change (2024)
210
HPI Index (2000 = 100)
+110%
Total Change Since 2000
Home values in ZIP 71270 have increased 2.6% over the past year (2024). Since 2000, this ZIP has seen +110% cumulative appreciation.
| Year | Annual Change | HPI Index |
|---|---|---|
| 2020 | +0.0% | 170 |
| 2021 | +4.9% | 178 |
| 2022 | +8.1% | 193 |
| 2023 | +6.0% | 204 |
| 2024 | +2.6% | 210 |
Source: Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) House Price Index, All-Transactions, Five-Digit ZIP Codes (Developmental Index). Index base = 100 in year 2000. Data through 2024. ZIP codes with few transactions may show missing values.
What businesses operate in this ZIP?
Census Bureau data shows 953 business establishments in ZIP 71270, employing approximately 12,865 people with a combined annual payroll of $511,254,000.
953
Businesses
12,865
Employees
$511.3M
Annual Payroll
19
Industry Sectors
| Industry | Establishments | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Health care and social assistance | 154 | 16.2% |
| Retail trade | 149 | 15.6% |
| Accommodation and food services | 98 | 10.3% |
| Professional, scientific, and technical services | 90 | 9.4% |
| Other services (except public administration) | 79 | 8.3% |
| Finance and insurance | 78 | 8.2% |
| Real estate and rental and leasing | 67 | 7.0% |
| Construction | 65 | 6.8% |
| Administrative and support and waste management and remediation services | 43 | 4.5% |
| Wholesale trade | 37 | 3.9% |
| Manufacturing | 25 | 2.6% |
| Transportation and warehousing | 13 | 1.4% |
| Information | 13 | 1.4% |
| Educational services | 12 | 1.3% |
| Arts, entertainment, and recreation | 9 | 0.9% |
| Mining, quarrying, and oil and gas extraction | 7 | 0.7% |
| Agriculture, forestry, fishing and hunting | 5 | 0.5% |
| Management of companies and enterprises | 5 | 0.5% |
| Utilities | 3 | 0.3% |
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 71270 vs 71272 →
ZIP 71270 vs its nearest neighbors, by population
Resident population of this ZIP and the closest reporting ZIP codes within ~10 miles.
- 71270
Ruston (71270)
30,887 residents
- 71245 4,718
Grambling (71245)
4,718 residents
- 71268 2,819
Quitman (71268)
2,819 residents
- 71272 1,893
Ruston (71272)
1,893 residents
What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 71270 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.
Nationwide ZIPs with similar ACS profiles
Two Census-derived peer sets for ZIP 71270, 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 (30,887 here; floor ≥1,000).
Similar median household income
Nearest cross-state ZIPs by ACS median household income.
More ZIP Codes in Lincoln Parish
Related Areas
Frequently Asked Questions
What parish is ZIP code 71270 in?
ZIP code 71270 (Ruston) is located in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana. Lincoln Parish contains multiple ZIP codes, see the full list at /counties/lincoln-la.
What is the population of ZIP code 71270?
ZIP code 71270 in Ruston, LA has a population of 30,887 according to the Census Bureau ACS 2023 estimates.
What is the median household income in ZIP 71270?
The median household income in ZIP 71270 is $36,791, which is 52% below the national average of $76,288.
What is the average home value in ZIP 71270?
The median home value in ZIP 71270 is $222,300, which is 20% below the national average of $278,155.
What is the demographic makeup of ZIP 71270?
The largest racial group in ZIP 71270 is White at 51.4%. Hispanic or Latino residents make up 3.5% of the population.
How many businesses are in ZIP code 71270?
ZIP code 71270 has 953 business establishments employing approximately 12,865 people, according to Census Bureau ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) 2023 data.
What are the main industries in ZIP code 71270?
The top industries by establishment count in ZIP 71270 are: Health care and social assistance (154), Retail trade (149), Accommodation and food services (98). There are 19 industry sectors represented in total.
How have home values changed in ZIP code 71270?
According to the FHFA House Price Index, home values in ZIP 71270 increased by 2.6% in 2024. Since 2000, home values in this ZIP have appreciated by approximately 110%. This is a developmental index based on repeat sales and appraisal data from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
What is the education level in ZIP code 71270?
In ZIP code 71270, 67.0% of residents aged 25+ have a high school diploma or higher, and 38.4% 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 71270?
The mean commute time for workers in ZIP code 71270 is 17.4 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 71270?
In ZIP code 71270, approximately 50.0% of occupied housing units are owner-occupied and 50.0% are renter-occupied, based on Census ACS 2023 data.
What is the poverty rate in ZIP code 71270?
The poverty rate in ZIP code 71270 is 34.7% 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 71270's numbers, next.
- See how ZIP 71270 compares to a neighboring ZIP code on the same Census fields Compare this ZIP
- Check where Ruston, 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.