Zachary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Morgan City
Zachary
Opportunity
53 · Bottom 43%
vs66 · Top 29%
Growth
37 · Bottom 27%
vs80 · Top 5%
Climate
79 · Top 19%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
25 · Bottom 21%
vs46 · Bottom 36%
Housing affordability
97 · Top 16%
vs91 · Top 30%
Schools
64 · Top 34%
vs82 · Top 11%
Access
73 · Bottom 15%
vs67 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
34 · Bottom 10%
vs73 · Top 23%
Measured values
| Metric | Morgan City | Zachary | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 11,064 | 19,952 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $56,474 | $84,480 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $29,178 | $45,997 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 1,849/sq mi | 743/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $155,200 | $259,100 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $917 | $1,527 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 57.1% | 79.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.7% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 1.6% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 15.3% | 32.7% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 17.4% | 8.5% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 22 | 182 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 2.0 | 9.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | -12.0% | 44.4% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 90°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 46°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 47 mi | 58 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 24.1 min | 30.4 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.6 | 38.3 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 8 | 7 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 13.79 | 14.02 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 38.1% | 45.2% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 42.6% | 59.5% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 70.7% | 61.8% | 2024-25 school year |
A bolded value is the more favorable of the two where the metric has a clear direction. Metrics like population and density have no inherent better or worse and are shown unweighted.
Physical risk tradeoff
Morgan City
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought, coastal flooding.
Zachary
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Morgan City
58
Your Score
57
Area Score
Zachary
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Morgan City, LA · Zachary, LA · How this is calculated: methodology