PlainZIP

Ruston, LA · standard

ZIP Code 71270

Lincoln County, Louisiana - Census ACS demographics, housing tenure, and business patterns, benchmarked against every US ZIP.

30,887
58/sq mi
$36,791
Median income
$222,300
Median home value
38.4%
Bachelor's or higher

The verdict

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.

ZIP code 71270 is a densely settled ZIP (a standard USPS delivery area) in Ruston, Lincoln County, 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 Louisiana average), while per-capita income is $25,231. 34.7% of residents live below the poverty line, and the unemployment rate reads 4.5%. Housing costs here run $222,300 for a typical home value (26% above the state average), with rent averaging $827 a month; 50.0% of 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. A geography-based comparison follows: 3 ZIP codes within about 10 miles of 71270, plus 5 more within Lincoln County, give a clearer read than the national average alone.

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.

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 · ZIP Code Business Patterns (ZBP) As of 2023

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

Neighborhood Scorecard
Get an A-F grade across income, safety, housing, rent, education, commute, and childcare for this ZIP code.
View Scorecard →

Who lives in ZIP 71270?

28.8

Median Age

47.1%

Male

52.9%

Female

3.4%

Foreign-Born

White 51.4%
African American 38.3%
Asian 1.5%
American Indian or Alaska Native 1.1%
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander 0.1%
Two or More Ethnicities 6.3%
Hispanic or Latino 3.5%

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

$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

$0–$20,000: 118 US ZIPs (0%). Below this entry. $20,000–$40,000: 1,573 US ZIPs (5%). This entry sits in this band. $40,000–$60,000: 7,092 US ZIPs (23%). Above this entry. $60,000–$80,000: 9,980 US ZIPs (33%). Above this entry. $80,000–$100,000: 5,778 US ZIPs (19%). Above this entry. $100,000–$120,000: 2,855 US ZIPs (9%). Above this entry. $120,000–$140,000: 1,362 US ZIPs (4%). Above this entry. $140,000–$160,000: 686 US ZIPs (2%). Above this entry. $160,000–$180,000: 364 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $180,000–$200,000: 186 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. $200,000–$220,000: 324 US ZIPs (1%). Above this entry. This ZIP $0 $200K+ every reporting US ZIP, bucketed by value

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?

High School Graduate or Higher 67.0%
Bachelor's Degree or Higher 38.4%

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-Year Estimates (2023)

What does housing look like?

14,553

Total Housing Units

13,042

Occupied Units

1,511

Vacant Units

2.44

Avg Household Size

Occupancy Type

Owner 50.0%
Renter 50.0%

$222,300

Median Home Value

+26% vs state

$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.

residents

What this shows Among its immediate neighbors, ZIP 71270 ranks the most populous - useful context the national average alone can't give.

Source U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 5-Year Estimates As of 2019–2023
ZIP Code City Population Distance
71272 Ruston, LA 1,893 2.3 mi
71245 Grambling, LA 4,718 5.4 mi
71268 Quitman, LA 2,819 11.8 mi

More ZIP Codes in Lincoln County

71245 standard
Grambling, LA
Pop: 4,718
71235 standard
Dubach, LA
Pop: 4,280
71227 standard
Choudrant, LA
Pop: 3,635
71275 standard
Simsboro, LA
Pop: 2,453
71272 standard
Ruston, LA
Pop: 1,893

Related Areas

Lincoln County Ruston, LA Louisiana

Frequently Asked Questions

What county is ZIP code 71270 in? ▼
ZIP code 71270 (Ruston) is located in Lincoln County, Louisiana. Lincoln County 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.

Read our methodology to see how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.