According to the most recent data and rankings for 2025, Pointe A La Hache holds the highest poverty rate of any city or town in Louisiana, with an astounding 93.4% of its population living below the poverty line. This makes it the poorest town in the state by poverty percentage.
However, when considering median household income and population size (as used in national studies), Natchitoches has also been identified as the poorest town in Louisiana. Natchitoches, with a population of 18,080, has a median household income of just $21,854 and a poverty rate of 46.8%. This ranking comes from a 24/7 Wall St. analysis, which focuses on towns with populations between 1,000 and 25,000 residents.
Additionally, a recent report highlights Many, Louisiana (Sabine Parish) as the poorest town based on median household income, which is $18,148. This reflects another common method of measuring poverty, focusing on income rather than poverty rate percentage.
Table
| Town | Poverty Rate | Median Household Income | Notable Ranking Criteria |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pointe A La Hache | 93.4% | Not listed | Highest poverty rate in LA |
| Natchitoches | 46.8% | $21,854 | Poorest by median income (large) |
| Many | Not listed | $18,148 | Poorest by median income (small) |
- Pointe A La Hache is the poorest by poverty rate.
- Natchitoches and Many are the poorest by median household income, depending on the population size considered.
All sources agree that these towns face significant economic challenges, with extremely high poverty rates and low median incomes compared to state and national averages.
Sources
[1] https://zipatlas.com/us/la/city-comparison/highest-poverty.htm
[2] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EXNiT3XRpk0
[3] https://kpel965.com/new-report-says-this-north-louisiana-town-is-the-poorest-in-the-state/
[4] https://neworleanscitybusiness.com/blog/2020/08/23/natchitoches-ranks-the-poorest-of-louisiana-towns-study-finds/
[5] https://929thelake.com/top-10-poorest-areas-in-louisiana/