Skip to main content
Data from U.S. Census Bureau · 2026 · Methodology
CitySpend

Lafayette, LA

Population: 121,706 (2022) · Mid-Size Cities (100K–250K)

D
44/100

Below average — significant fiscal challenges in multiple areas

Total Spending
$3.7B
Per Capita
$30,028
Total Revenue
$4.6B
Total Debt
$162.4M

Spending Breakdown

Housing & Community Development
28.7%$1.0B
Other
22.3%$816.7M
Utilities
10.7%$389.7M
Fire Protection
6.6%$239.4M
Parks & Recreation
6.4%$234.0M
Education
5.9%$214.0M
Public Welfare
5.2%$191.5M
Hospitals
4.8%$175.3M
Interest on Debt
3.4%$123.3M
Health
2.8%$103.5M
Police
2.0%$74.8M
Highways & Roads
1.2%$43.2M

Spending data sourced from the Census Bureau's Annual Survey of State & Local Government Finances. Per-capita comparisons use the Lincoln Institute's Fiscally Standardized Cities methodology for fair cross-city benchmarking.

Revenue Sources

Sales Tax
4.7%$216.3M
Income Tax
4.2%$192.3M
Intergovernmental
2.5%$116.3M
Charges & Fees
6.7%$307.5M
Other
10.0%$461.5M

Per Capita Spending by Department

Police$615/person
Fire Protection$1,967/person
Highways & Roads$355/person
Parks & Recreation$1,923/person
Education$1,758/person
Health$851/person

Score Breakdown

Budget Balance & Reserves (25%)54/100
Debt Burden (20%)0/100
Pension Funding (20%)76/100
Spending Efficiency (15%)2/100
Revenue Diversity (10%)100/100
Trend Direction (10%)50/100

Debt Overview

Total Debt$162.4M
Long-Term Debt$625.5M
Debt Per Capita$1,334
Cash & Securities$8.5M

Compare Cities

See how Lafayette stacks up against another city.

vs New Orleans, LAvs Baton Rouge, LAvs Shreveport, LA
Data source: U.S. Census Bureau, Annual Survey of State and Local Government Finances (2023). Population from American Community Survey.

Other Cities in Louisiana

New Orleans, LA

Pop. 380K

C
Total Spending
$12.5B
Per Capita
$32,984

Baton Rouge, LA

Pop. 226K

B
Total Spending
$9.9B
Per Capita
$43,886

Shreveport, LA

Pop. 186K

B
Total Spending
$3.2B
Per Capita
$17,313

Metairie, LA

Pop. 140K

C

Compare Lafayette With

New Orleans, LA

Spending: $32,984/person · Grade: C

Baton Rouge, LA

Spending: $43,886/person · Grade: B

Shreveport, LA

Spending: $17,313/person · Grade: B

Metairie, LA

Spending: $0/person · Grade: C

Frequently Asked Questions

Lafayette, LA spends $30,028 per resident, based on total expenditures of $3.7B for a population of 121,706. The city has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100).

Lafayette, LA has total expenditures of $3.7B and total revenue of $4.6B. The city carries $162.4M in total debt, based on Census Bureau data from 2023.

Lafayette, LA employs 0 government workers, of which 0 are full-time. The average government salary is $0, with 0.0 employees per 10,000 residents.

Lafayette, LA has a Fiscal Health Score of D (44/100). This score evaluates budget balance, debt burden, pension funding, spending efficiency, revenue diversity, and 3-year fiscal trajectory compared to peer cities of similar population.

Last updated: