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
Central
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs77 · Top 11%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs52 · Top 47%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs77 · Top 25%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs47 · Bottom 39%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs97 · Top 14%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs51 · Top 50%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs66 · Bottom 10%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs66 · Top 37%
Measured values
| Metric | Zachary | Central | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,952 | 29,783 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,480 | $89,554 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,997 | $43,056 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 743/sq mi | 478/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,100 | $288,700 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,527 | $1,309 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 88.8% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.0% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 2.0% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 35.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 5.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 182 | 63 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.1 | 2.1 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 44.4% | -14.9% | 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 | 61 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 31.2 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 40.4 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 13 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.02 | 15.06 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.2% | 35.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.5% | 40.7% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.8% | 73.0% | 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
Zachary
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Central
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane.
Full profiles: Zachary, LA · Central, LA · How this is calculated: methodology