Small-town market profile · Louisiana
Ruston, LA area market data
Population, household spending and competition for 56 business types in the Ruston area, each scored against other small-town markets.
- Population, 2025
- 48,360
- +0.1% since 2020
- Households
- 18,487
- Median household income
- $39,172
- +10.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Median home value
- $210,100
- Jobs located here
- 18,570
- Highest market score
- 62
- Chiropractors, #118 of 426 scored small-town markets
A site report maps the competitors on map listings around any address in the Ruston area by name and distance, and the households and spending within reach. Or open the report at the center of the Ruston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardSurvey estimates 2020–2024 · population estimates 2025 · official business counts 2023 · map listings September 2026 · Data credits · How we measure
What this means
An estimated 48,360 people live in the Ruston area, in 18,487 households. Population estimates show the Ruston area grew 0.1% from 2020 to 2025, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). The median household income in the Ruston area is $39,172 a year, 51% below the U.S. median of $80,734. That rose 10.5% from the 2015–2019 survey, before inflation.
Set against the U.S., households in the Ruston area spend the most on vehicle insurance (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and the least on memberships, classes and admissions (52).
The highest Groundwork market scores in the Ruston area are for chiropractors (62), collision repair and body shops (55) and pet businesses (51). The Ruston area ranks #118 of 426 scored small-town markets for chiropractors.
The Ruston area is made up of one county, Lincoln Parish. For its number of households, the Ruston area has the most map listings, relative to the U.S., for gas stations (94% above the U.S. rate) and the fewest for real estate agents and brokers (56% below the U.S. rate).
All 56 business types in the Ruston area
Highest Groundwork market score first. Each score compares the Ruston area with other small-town markets for that business type, from 0 to 100. Spending per listing divides a whole spending line (all vehicle repairs, all eating out) by one type’s listings: the demand for each competitor, not a business’s revenue. Compare it across markets with its index, where 100 is the U.S. figure for the same type; the real estate types, whose line is all housing costs, show the index only. How the score works.
| Business type | Score | Rank among small-town markets | Listings | Per 10k households | Spending per listing | Spending per listing vs. U.S. (100) | Official establishments |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chiropractors | 62 | #118 of 426 | 5 | 2.7 | $3.4M | 142 | 3 |
| Collision repair and body shops | 55 | #150 of 387 | 5 | 2.7 | $3M | 96 | 3 |
| Pet businesses | 51 | #269 of 527 | 19 | 10.3 | $684K | 78 | 6 |
| Auto repair shops | 50 | #282 of 538 | 36 | 19.5 | $411K | 92 | 12 |
| Lawn, cleaning and pest control | 46 | #270 of 481 | 14 | 7.6 | $1.6M | 95 | 23 |
| House cleaning | 45 | #80 of 142 | 6 | 3.2 | $3.7M | 58 | 4 |
| Auto repair and car care | 45 | #323 of 538 | 66 | 35.7 | $224K | 83 | 22 |
| Electricians | 42 | #197 of 295 | 6 | 3.2 | $7M | 58 | 9 |
| Real estate agents and brokers | 41 | #364 of 533 | 25 | 13.5 | Index only | 172 | 14 |
| Insurance agencies | 40 | #353 of 537 | 32 | 17.3 | $1.3M | 103 | 24 |
| Grocery and convenience stores | 40 | #381 of 538 | 46 | 24.9 | $2.1M | 62 | 8 |
| Veterinarians | 39 | #275 of 398 | 7 | 3.8 | $1.9M | 68 | 6 |
| Optometrists and eye care | 39 | #290 of 400 | 6 | 3.2 | $2.8M | 90 | 4 |
| Grocery stores | 38 | #371 of 506 | 15 | 8.1 | $6.4M | 69 | 6 |
| Pet grooming and boarding | 36 | #304 of 387 | 8 | 4.3 | $1.6M | 64 | Under 3 |
| Gas stations | 35 | #426 of 536 | 39 | 21.1 | $1.3M | 53 | 21 |
| Child care and preschools | 32 | #369 of 454 | 12 | 6.5 | $541K | 54 | 12 |
| Convenience stores | 30 | #436 of 529 | 20 | 10.8 | $4.8M | 61 | Under 3 |
| Sit-down restaurants | 30 | #467 of 538 | 118 | 63.8 | $471K | 71 | 29 |
| Mortgage brokers and lenders | 28 | #155 of 177 | 6 | 3.2 | Index only | 100 | Under 3 |
| Martial arts and dance studios | 28 | #334 of 378 | 7 | 3.8 | $1.4M | 67 | 4 |
| Home repair trades | 28 | #485 of 526 | 29 | 15.7 | $1.4M | 59 | 25 |
| Nail salons | 27 | #334 of 387 | 13 | 7.0 | $1M | 61 | 3 |
| Pizza | 27 | #473 of 520 | 16 | 8.7 | $3.5M | 68 | 41 |
| Hair salons | 27 | #492 of 538 | 49 | 26.5 | $270K | 63 | 6 |
| Real estate | 26 | #519 of 536 | 42 | 22.7 | Index only | 129 | 35 |
| Primary care and pediatrics | 25 | #404 of 458 | 14 | 7.6 | $1.2M | 68 | 26 |
| Dentists and orthodontists | 25 | #483 of 526 | 16 | 8.7 | $1.1M | 108 | 17 |
| Tire shops | 23 | #381 of 431 | 11 | 6.0 | $1.3M | 54 | 5 |
| Bakeries and dessert shops | 23 | #486 of 507 | 16 | 8.7 | $3.5M | 84 | 15 |
| Coffee shops and cafes | 23 | #506 of 529 | 19 | 10.3 | $2.9M | 79 | 15 |
| Salons, barbers and spas | 23 | #514 of 538 | 95 | 51.4 | $139K | 65 | 11 |
| Gyms | 22 | #477 of 506 | 18 | 9.7 | $526K | 40 | 5 |
| HVAC and plumbing | 21 | #468 of 476 | 19 | 10.3 | $2.2M | 46 | 16 |
| Restaurants and cafes | 21 | #512 of 538 | 198 | 107.1 | $281K | 76 | 87 |
| Doctors, dentists and clinics | 20 | #507 of 538 | 124 | 67.1 | $137K | 90 | 70 |
| Property management | 18 | #179 of 180 | 9 | 4.9 | Index only | 47 | 13 |
| Gyms, studios and classes | 18 | #509 of 535 | 26 | 14.1 | $364K | 55 | 9 |
| Spas and skin care | 17 | #493 of 504 | 19 | 10.3 | $696K | 79 | Under 3 |
| Fast food and sandwich shops | 17 | #510 of 537 | 33 | 17.9 | $1.7M | 55 | 41 |
| Clothing, shoes and laundry | 17 | #515 of 536 | 64 | 34.6 | $453K | 51 | 20 |
| Barbershops | 15 | #350 of 377 | 14 | 7.6 | $945K | 50 | Under 3 |
| Clothing and shoe stores | 15 | #521 of 536 | 55 | 29.8 | $527K | 41 | 20 |
| Physical therapy | 12 | #394 of 400 | 13 | 7.0 | $1.3M | 54 | 20 |
| Car washes and detailing | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $3.7M | 147 | Under 3 |
| Funeral homes | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $560K | 83 | 3 |
| Landscaping and lawn care | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $5.6M | 190 | 15 |
| Oil change and quick lube | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $3.7M | 27 | 3 |
| Pest control | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $5.6M | 55 | 4 |
| Roofing and gutters | Not scored | Not scored | 4 | 2.2 | $10.4M | 123 | Under 3 |
| Laundromats | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.6 | $9.7M | 77 | Under 3 |
| Pet stores | Not scored | Not scored | 3 | 1.6 | $4.3M | 96 | Under 3 |
| Dry cleaners | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | $14.5M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Home inspectors | Not scored | Not scored | 2 | 1.1 | Index only | Too few | Under 3 |
| Urgent care and walk-in clinics | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $17M | Too few | Under 3 |
| Yoga, Pilates and fitness studios | Not scored | Not scored | 1 | 0.5 | $9.5M | Too few | 5 |
Household spending in the Ruston area
What households here spend in a year on each line, in total and per household, with the index against the U.S. average (100).
| Spending line | A year, all households | Per household | Index vs. U.S. (100) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vehicle maintenance and repairs | $14.8M | $800 | 84 |
| Gasoline and other fuels | $49.1M | $2,654 | 102 |
| Food away from home | $55.6M | $3,005 | 74 |
| Groceries | $96.1M | $5,197 | 82 |
| Personal care products and services | $13.2M | $715 | 71 |
| Child care and other personal services | $6.5M | $351 | 61 |
| Memberships, classes and admissions | $9.5M | $512 | 52 |
| Medical and dental services | $17M | $920 | 71 |
| Pets | $13M | $703 | 77 |
| Clothing, shoes and related services | $29M | $1,567 | 76 |
| Vehicle insurance | $41.4M | $2,239 | 114 |
| Home repairs, maintenance and insurance | $41.8M | $2,259 | 75 |
| Lawn care, cleaning and other household services | $22.3M | $1,206 | 85 |
| Rent and homeowner costs | $235.1M | $12,718 | 76 |
Household spending is estimated from the incomes of the households in each neighborhood, using what households at each income spent nationally in 2024, adjusted for the region. It counts what residents spend, wherever they spend it.
Population and households in the Ruston area
- Population, 2025 estimate
- 48,360+0.1% since 2020
- Households
- 18,487
- Median age
- 32.7
- Homes lived in by their owners
- 54%
- Vehicles per household
- 1.8
- Land area
- 472 sq. mi.
- People per square mile
- 102
- Median household income
- $39,172+10.5% vs. 2015–2019, before inflation
- Average household income
- $66,113
- Median home value
- $210,100
- Jobs located here
- 18,570
- Daytime population
- 48,307Residents who don’t work, plus everyone whose job is here
Looking at a specific site in the Ruston area?
These figures cover the whole small-town market. A site report draws rings around one address and counts what’s inside them: households, spending, jobs, and the competitors on map listings by name and distance, for any of the 56 business types.
Or open the report at the center of the Ruston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
Free10 actions over 3 days, no cardRelated markets
Counties in the Ruston area 1
- Lincoln Parish, LA48,174 people
Other markets based in Louisiana 12
- New Orleans-Metairie, LA metro area981,662 people
- Baton Rouge, LA metro area875,313 people
- Lafayette, LA metro area413,428 people
- Shreveport-Bossier City, LA metro area386,819 people
- Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA metro area272,421 people
- Lake Charles, LA metro area244,027 people
- Monroe, LA metro area223,674 people
- Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metro area202,438 people
- Alexandria, LA metro area149,622 people
- Hammond, LA metro area136,738 people
- Opelousas, LA area81,670 people
- New Iberia, LA area68,599 people
Questions
How fast is the Ruston, LA area growing?
Population estimates put the Ruston area at 48,360 people in 2025, up 0.1% since 2020, slower than the U.S. (+3.1%). It has 18,487 households. Against the 2015–2019 survey, median household income rose 10.5%, before inflation.
How much do households in the Ruston, LA area spend?
Households in the Ruston area spend about $235.1M a year on rent and homeowner costs, $96.1M on groceries and $55.6M on food away from home. Relative to the U.S., household spending in the Ruston area runs highest on vehicle insurance (an index of 114, where 100 is the U.S. average) and lowest on memberships, classes and admissions (52).
Which business types have the highest market scores in the Ruston, LA area?
Of the business types scored in the Ruston area, chiropractors (62), collision repair and body shops (55) and pet businesses (51) have the highest Groundwork market scores. For chiropractors, that ranks #118 of 426 scored small-town markets.
How does the Ruston, LA area compare with the U.S.?
Median household income in the Ruston area is $39,172, 51% below the U.S. median of $80,734. The population rose 0.1% from 2020 to 2025, against +3.1% for the U.S. The median home value is $210,100, against $332,700 for the U.S. Against the U.S., map listings per household run highest for gas stations (94% above the U.S. rate) and lowest for real estate agents and brokers (56% below the U.S. rate).
What is the Groundwork market score?
The Groundwork market score runs from 0 to 100 and compares a market with others of its kind for one business type: states with states, metro areas with metro areas, small-town markets and counties with their own. A small-town market is a town of 10,000 to 50,000 people and the county or counties tied to it by commuting. It weighs household spending per competitor (35%), households per business with payroll (25%), population growth (20%) and spending power (20%), each ranked against those peers. A higher score means that, taken together, the market has more household spending and more households for each business already there, faster population growth and more spending per household than similar markets. It describes a market, not any one site or deal. 44 of the 56 business types have a score in the Ruston area, each ranked against other small-town markets.
How can I see the market around a specific site?
Run a Groundwork site report on an address in the Ruston area. It maps the competitors on map listings near the site and sizes the households and spending within the distance you choose. New accounts get 10 actions over 3 days, no card.
All markets in Louisiana · Every U.S. market · How we measure
Screening a site or an acquisition in the Ruston area?
A site report maps the competitors on map listings near an address and sizes the households and spending around it.
The button opens the report at the center of the Ruston area. Signed out, you see a blurred preview; on an account, each report is one action.
This product uses the Census Bureau Data API but is not endorsed or certified by the Census Bureau.
Figures are estimates for research only. Not investment or real estate advice.