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
Morgan City
Opportunity
66 · Top 29%
vs53 · Bottom 43%
Growth
80 · Top 5%
vs37 · Bottom 27%
Climate
77 · Top 25%
vs79 · Top 19%
Physical resilience
46 · Bottom 36%
vs25 · Bottom 21%
Housing affordability
91 · Top 30%
vs97 · Top 16%
Schools
82 · Top 11%
vs64 · Top 34%
Access
67 · Bottom 10%
vs73 · Bottom 15%
Economic stability
73 · Top 23%
vs34 · Bottom 10%
Measured values
| Metric | Zachary | Morgan City | Source period |
|---|---|---|---|
| Population | 19,952 | 11,064 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median household income | $84,480 | $56,474 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Per capita income | $45,997 | $29,178 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Population density | 743/sq mi | 1,849/sq mi | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median home value | $259,100 | $155,200 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median gross rent | $1,527 | $917 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Homeownership rate | 79.6% | 57.1% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Unemployment rate | 4.8% | 4.7% | June 2026 |
| Employment change (year over year) | 2.0% | 1.6% | June 2026 |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 32.7% | 15.3% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Poverty rate | 8.5% | 17.4% | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Housing units permitted (12 months) | 182 | 22 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permits per 1,000 residents | 9.1 | 2.0 | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Permit change (year over year) | 44.4% | -12.0% | 12 months ending July 2026 |
| Average July high | 92°F | 90°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Average January low | 42°F | 46°F | 1991-2020 Normals |
| Distance to major airport | 58 mi | 47 mi | NASR current cycle |
| Average commute | 30.4 min | 24.1 min | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Median age | 38.3 | 38.6 | 2024 ACS 5-Year |
| Public schools | 7 | 8 | 2024-25 school year |
| Students per teacher | 14.02 | 13.79 | 2024-25 school year |
| Math proficiency | 45.2% | 38.1% | 2019-20 school year |
| Reading proficiency | 59.5% | 42.6% | 2019-20 school year |
| Free or reduced-price lunch eligibility | 61.8% | 70.7% | 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.
Morgan City
Elevated or high exposure: hurricane, drought, coastal flooding.
Your best match
Weight what matters to you. Your preferences stay in this browser and never change either Area Score.
Zachary
73
Your Score
71
Area Score
Morgan City
58
Your Score
57
Area Score
Select your priorities to see which of the two fits them better.
Full profiles: Zachary, LA · Morgan City, LA · How this is calculated: methodology