Zachary receives the higher standardized Area Score. That reflects AreaProfile's weighting, not a judgment about which place is better to live in.
Signals
Zachary
Baker
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs55 · Bottom 48%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs44 · Bottom 39%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs91 · Top 29%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs69 · Bottom 11%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs38 · Bottom 15%
Measured values
| Metric | Zachary | Baker | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,952 | 12,253 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,480 | $54,750 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,997 | $23,746 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 743/sq mi | 1,453/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,100 | $157,900 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,527 | $993 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 69.9% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.8% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 20.6% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 29.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 182 | 9 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.1 | 0.7 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 44.4% | 12.5% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 92°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 42°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Annual precipitation | 61.9" | 61.9" | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 56 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 26.5 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 33.5 | 2024 ACS 5-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
Zachary
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Baker
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Zachary, LA · Baker, LA · How this is calculated: methodology