Ruston is a city located in Lincoln Parish Louisiana. Ruston has a 2024 population of 22,259. Ruston is currently growing at a rate of 0.12% annually and its population has increased by 0.47% since the most recent census, which recorded a population of 22,155 in 2020.
The average household income in Ruston is $55,210 with a poverty rate of 36.27%. The median age in Ruston is 23.8 years: 23.4 years for males, and 24.3 years for females.
According to the most recent ACS, the racial composition of Ruston was:
Race | Population | Percentage (of total) |
|---|---|---|
| White | 10,710 | 48.19% |
| Black or African American | 9,453 | 42.54% |
| Two or more races | 1,028 | 4.63% |
| Asian | 483 | 2.17% |
| Native American | 390 | 1.75% |
| Other race | 119 | 0.54% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander | 41 | 0.18% |
White
Black or African American
Two or more races
Asian
Native American
Other race
Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
Household Type | Count | Average Size | Owner | Renter |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| All | 8,475 | 2.32 | 36.7 | 63.3 |
| Non Family | 4,522 | 1.52 | 19.6 | 80.4 |
| Married | 2,231 | 3.08 | 81.3 | 18.7 |
| Female | 1,409 | 3.56 | 22.4 | 77.6 |
| Male | 313 | 2.83 | 31.3 | 68.7 |
3.15
Average Family Size
2.32
Average Household Size
36.7%
Rate of Home Ownership
Married
Male
Female
NonFamily
owner
renter
Male
Female
Education Attained | Count | Percentage |
|---|---|---|
| 9th to 12th Grade | 562 | 5.38% |
| Associates Degree | 428 | 4.1% |
| Bachelors Degree | 2,701 | 25.88% |
| Graduate Degree | 1,776 | 17.01% |
| High School Graduate | 2,613 | 25.03% |
| Less Than 9th Grade | 181 | 1.73% |
| Some College | 2,177 | 20.86% |
Less Than 9th Grade
9th to 12th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Associates Degree
Bachelors Degree
Graduate Degree
High School Graduation Rate
Bachelors Rate
Race | Total | High School | Bachelors |
|---|---|---|---|
| White | 5,084 | 4,985 | 2,850 |
| Black | 4,361 | 3,856 | 1,357 |
| Asian | 311 | 295 | 105 |
| Native American | 222 | 129 | 0 |
| 2+ Races | 212 | 212 | 79 |
| Hispanic | 182 | 152 | 46 |
| Other Race | 81 | 81 | 81 |
| Islander | 41 | 41 | 0 |
The highest rate of high school graduation is among islander people with a rate of 100%.
The highest rate of bachelors degrees is among other race people with a rate of 100%.
All
Male
Female
Name | Average | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bachelors Degree | $41,415 | $68,333 | $32,526 |
| Graduate Degree | $49,059 | $50,000 | $48,654 |
| High School Graduate | $24,586 | $33,750 | $22,136 |
| Less Than 9th Grade | $0 | $0 | $0 |
| Overall | $30,827 | $43,689 | $28,745 |
| Some College | $23,027 | $24,202 | $19,124 |
$30,827
Average Earnings
$43,689
Average Male
$28,745
Average Female
Only English
Spanish
Other Indo-European Languages
Asian and Pacific Island Languages
Other Languages
95.43% of Ruston residents speak only English, while 4.57% speak other languages. The non-English language spoken by the largest group is Other Indo-European, which is spoken by 1.83% of the population.
rate
Name | Total | In Poverty | Poverty Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 8,678 | 3,452 | 39.78% |
| White | 9,016 | 2,798 | 31.03% |
| Native | 371 | 371 | 100% |
| Multiple | 801 | 316 | 39.45% |
| Hispanic | 348 | 117 | 33.62% |
| Asian | 448 | 81 | 18.08% |
| Islander | 41 | 41 | 100% |
36.27%
Overall Poverty Rate
34.84%
Male Poverty Rate
37.59%
Female Poverty Rate
The race most likely to be in poverty in Ruston is Native, with 100% below the poverty level.
The race least likely to be in poverty in Ruston is Asian, with 18.08% below the poverty level.
The poverty rate among those that worked full-time for the past 12 months was 7.14%. Among those working part-time, it was 53.69%, and for those that did not work, the poverty rate was 46.26%.
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Less Than 9th Grade | 51.72% |
| High School | 34.54% |
| Some College | 21.24% |
| Bachelors or Greater | 6.78% |
rate
Rate | Poverty |
|---|---|
| Female Unemployed | 57.97% |
| Female Employed | 27.68% |
| Male Unemployed | 26.09% |
| Male Employed | 20.84% |
Households
Families
MarriedFamilies
NonFamilies
Name | Median | Mean |
|---|---|---|
| Families | $55,617 | $81,008 |
| Households | $32,765 | $55,210 |
| Married Families | $100,504 | $-999,999,999 |
| Non Families | $22,257 | $31,770 |
mean
median
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
24.2%
Overall Marriage Rate
24.4%
Male Marriage Rate
23.9%
Female Marriage Rate
male
female
The age group where males are most likely to be married is 45-54, while the female age group most likely to be married is 55-64.
Married
Widowed
Divorced
Separated
NeverMarried
Second Gulf War
First Gulf War
Vietnam
Korea
World War II
556
Number of Veterans
391
Male Veterans
165
Female Veterans
War | Veterans |
|---|---|
| Second Gulf War | 121 |
| Vietnam | 107 |
| First Gulf War | 105 |
| Korea | 83 |
| World War II | 0 |
count
Age Group | Veterans |
|---|---|
| 35 to 54 | 169 |
| 75+ | 154 |
| 65 to 74 | 146 |
| 55 to 64 | 51 |
| 18 to 34 | 36 |
count
Name | Veterans | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| White | 329 | 3.48% |
| Black | 222 | 2.88% |
| Asian | 5 | 1.34% |
Less Than 9th Grade
High School Graduate
Some College
Bachelors or Greater
0%
Veteran Poverty Rate
13.13%
Veteran Disability Rate
LaborForceParticipation
52.6%
Labor Force Participation
50.7%
Employment Rate
3.4%
Unemployment Rate
LaborForceParticipation
LaborForceParticipation
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
Non citizens include legal permanent residents (green card holders), international students, temporary workers, humanitarian migrants, and illegal immigrants.
Europe
Asia
Africa
Oceania
Latin America
North America
76.06%
Born in Ruston
96.82%
Native Born
3.18%
Foreign Born
0.81%
Non Citizen
2.37%
Naturalized
96.82% of Ruston residents were born in the United States, with 76.06% having been born in Louisiana. 0.81% of residents are not US citizens. Of those not born in the United States, the largest percentage are from Asia.
Year | Population | Growth | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2029 | 22,389 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2028 | 22,363 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2027 | 22,337 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2026 | 22,311 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2025 | 22,285 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2024 | 22,259 | 26 | 0.12% |
| 2023 | 22,233 | 8 | 0.04% |
| 2022 | 22,225 | -30 | -0.13% |
| 2021 | 22,255 | 100 | 0.45% |
| 2020 | 22,155 | 251 | 1.15% |
| 2019 | 21,904 | -151 | -0.68% |
| 2018 | 22,055 | 12 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 22,043 | -1 | 0% |
| 2016 | 22,044 | 25 | 0.11% |
| 2015 | 22,019 | 49 | 0.22% |
| 2014 | 21,970 | -70 | -0.32% |
| 2013 | 22,040 | 99 | 0.45% |
| 2012 | 21,941 | -44 | -0.2% |
| 2011 | 21,985 | 60 | 0.27% |
| 2010 | 21,925 | 0 | 0% |
| 2000 | 20,546 | 519 | 2.59% |
| 1990 | 20,027 | -558 | -2.71% |
| 1980 | 20,585 | 3,220 | 18.54% |
| 1970 | 17,365 | 3,374 | 24.12% |
| 1960 | 13,991 | 3,619 | 34.89% |
| 1950 | 10,372 | 3,265 | 45.94% |
| 1940 | 7,107 | 2,707 | 61.52% |
| 1930 | 4,400 | 1,011 | 29.83% |
| 1920 | 3,389 | 12 | 0.36% |
| 1910 | 3,377 | 2,577 | 322.13% |
| 1900 | 800 | -21,589 | -96.43% |