The Town FilesLake Arthur, Louisiana
Town in Jefferson Davis Parish · population 2,595 (2020 Census)
- Median home
- $83,600
- Household income
- $53,920
- Jan low / Jul high
- 44° / 91°
- Snow a year
- 0 in
- Tornadoes ≤10 mi since 1950
- 30
- Median age
- 37.3
Lake Arthur is a town of 2,595 people in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. The median home is worth $83,600, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). It ranks more walkable than 92% of Louisiana towns, hipper than 87% of Louisiana towns, more of a college town than 84% of Louisiana towns.
How Lake Arthur ranks
Percentile among Louisiana towns with at least 500 people on The Town Files lifestyle rankings. 50 is typical for the state; 90 means better than 90% of Louisiana towns.
Homes and cost of living
The median home in Lake Arthur is worth $83,600, below the typical Louisiana town ($166,450). Homes cost about 1.6 times the median household income of $53,920, which is more affordable than 97% of Louisiana towns. Median rent is $723 a month. 66.3% of households own their home.
| Housing | Lake Arthur | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $83,600 | $166,450 |
| Median rent | $723 | $887 |
| Median household income | $53,920 | $52,134 |
| Home value ÷ income | 1.6× | 3.0× |
| Homeownership | 66.3% | 70.4% |
| Median year built | 1971 | 1979 |
| Seasonal / vacation homes | 4.9% | — |
Who lives in Lake Arthur
| People | Lake Arthur | Typical Louisiana town |
|---|---|---|
| Median age | 37.3 | 38.4 |
| Age 65 and over | 15.4% | 17.0% |
| Under 18 | 21.8% | — |
| Bachelor's degree or higher | 13.5% | 15.8% |
| Below the poverty line | 23.3% | 20.4% |
| Veterans | 6.3% | — |
| Born outside the U.S. | 0.2% | — |
| Work from home | 0.0% | 4.7% |
| Average commute | 46.9 min | 25.8 min |
| Homes with broadband | 84.3% | 84.6% |
Weather in Lake Arthur
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 43.5°F. About 59.9 inches of rain and melted snow fall a year, with 0.1 inches of snow (typical Louisiana town: 0.0 in). Expect about 83 days a year at 90°F or hotter and 10 nights at or below freezing.
Tornadoes, storms and disasters
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Arthur since 1950, compared with 27 for the typical Louisiana town. 5 rated (E)F2 or stronger. The strongest, an F3, struck on October 29, 1974 about 1.4 miles from the town center. Tornadoes within 10 miles have caused 3 deaths and 61 injuries since 1950. The most recent was on June 6, 2019.
Hail of 1 inch or larger has been reported within 10 miles 8 times; the largest was 2.50 inches on May 12, 2024.
Severe weather in Jefferson Davis Parish since 1996
Jefferson Davis Parish has been included in 42 federal disaster or emergency declarations since 1953, most often for fire, flood, hurricane.
| Declared | Incident | Declaration |
|---|---|---|
| January 24, 2026 | Winter Storm | EM-3638: Severe Winter Storm |
| September 10, 2024 | Hurricane | EM-3614: Tropical Storm Francine |
| September 13, 2021 | Coastal Storm | EM-3574: Tropical Storm Nicholas |
| August 29, 2021 | Hurricane | DR-4611: Hurricane Ida |
| August 27, 2021 | Hurricane | EM-3568: Tropical Storm Ida |
Jobs and pay in Jefferson Davis Parish
Jefferson Davis Parish had 8,020 jobs in 2024, paying an average of $44,133 a year. Unemployment was 3.8% in 2023; in Lake Arthur itself the ACS puts it at 4.7%.
Public schools in Lake Arthur
2 public schools with 855 students, about 16.1 students per teacher.
| School | Grades | Students | Per teacher |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Arthur Elementary School | PK-6 | 465 | 16.6 |
| Lake Arthur High School | 7-12 | 390 | 15.6 |
Towns near Lake Arthur
- Mermentau, LA9.3 mi · 516 people · home $55,300
- Jennings, LA10.0 mi · 9,837 people · home $136,700
- Gueydan, LA10.8 mi · 1,165 people · home $74,300
- Morse, LA11.1 mi · 599 people · home $82,600
- Welsh, LA13.4 mi · 3,333 people · home $174,900
- Estherwood, LA14.6 mi · 694 people · home $88,900
- Hayes, LA14.9 mi · 676 people · home $173,100
- Egan, LA15.1 mi · 618 people · home $220,000
Lake Arthur questions
Is Lake Arthur, Louisiana a good place to retire?
On The Town Files lifestyle rankings, Lake Arthur scores better for retirees than 68% of Louisiana towns and quieter than 56%. 15.4% of residents are 65 or older (median age 37.3).
How much does a house cost in Lake Arthur?
The median owner-occupied home in Lake Arthur is valued at $83,600 (Census ACS 2020–2024), against a median household income of $53,920, so homes cost about 1.6 times income. Median rent is $723 a month.
What is the weather like in Lake Arthur?
July highs average 91.4°F and January lows 43.5°F (NOAA 1991–2020 normals). It gets about 59.9 inches of precipitation a year and 0.1 inches of snow.
Does Lake Arthur get tornadoes?
30 tornadoes have passed within 10 miles of Lake Arthur since 1950 (NOAA Storm Events); the strongest was a F3 on October 29, 1974. The typical Louisiana town has had 27.
- U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates (2020–2024)
- U.S. Census Bureau, 2020 Census and 2025 Gazetteer (2020 / 2025)
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals (1991–2020)
- NOAA NCEI Storm Events Database (1950–2026)
- FEMA OpenFEMA Disaster Declarations (this product uses the FEMA OpenFEMA API but is not endorsed by FEMA) (1953–2026)
- NCES Common Core of Data (2023–24)
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages; USDA ERS county unemployment (BLS LAUS) (2000–2024)
- The Town Files lifestyle rankings, built from federal demographic, school, crime and housing data (2025)