Parishes where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Louisiana
This story originally appeared on Wealth Enhancement Group and was produced and distributed in partnership with Stacker Studio.
Parishes where children have the best opportunity for economic mobility in Louisiana
Americans have long understood that their birthplace can significantly affect their futures, and academics have increasingly been able to connect tangible early life factors like where they live and the friendships they've cultivated with potential future income.
Among the most recent studies shedding light on what's known as economic mobility—a person's ability to move themselves and their families up the socioeconomic ladder over their lifetime—are a series of papers authored by Harvard University researchers leveraging vast troves of social networking data.
As part of a national analysis, Wealth Enhancement Group used data from Harvard University's Social Capital Atlas project to identify where in Louisiana children have the best (and worst) chances at upward economic mobility.
The research draws on a privacy-protected dataset representing 21 billion friendships from Facebook made public through its parent company Meta's Data for Good project. It also uses anonymous tax records, according to the authors. The scholars assigned a score to locales according to how economically connected low- and high-income people living in the area have historically been over at least a decade, per that data. The dataset does not include scores for about 180 of the 3,000 or so counties in the U.S.
The research attempts to fill in the gaps of previous efforts to study American economic mobility that did not consider a person's vast social networks nor their importance in creating better lives for themselves and their children.
It turns out the ability to cultivate friendships linking people of different socioeconomic backgrounds with one another is the strongest factor in determining whether a child can surpass the earning potential of their parents, Harvard researchers found. They call this economic connectedness.
Read on to find out where economic connectedness is strongest in your state.
#50. St. Helena Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.62
- Median Income: $40,857
- Population: 10,881
--- 46% white
--- 51.3% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#49. Avoyelles Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.63
- Median Income: $37,903
- Population: 39,880
--- 65.1% white
--- 27.2% Black
--- 1.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#48. Washington Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.63
- Median Income: $39,168
- Population: 45,794
--- 66.5% white
--- 30.8% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#47. Natchitoches Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.63
- Median Income: $33,965
- Population: 37,896
--- 51.9% white
--- 42.6% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#46. St. Landry Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.63
- Median Income: $41,068
- Population: 82,999
--- 55% white
--- 40.6% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#45. Evangeline Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.64
- Median Income: $32,465
- Population: 32,538
--- 66.2% white
--- 26.5% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#44. De Soto Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.64
- Median Income: $45,364
- Population: 26,803
--- 61.1% white
--- 34.9% Black
--- 0.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#43. Union Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.65
- Median Income: $44,192
- Population: 21,272
--- 70.1% white
--- 24.3% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#42. Ouachita Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.65
- Median Income: $46,021
- Population: 160,227
--- 58.1% white
--- 37.6% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.1% Asian
#41. Iberia Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.66
- Median Income: $52,278
- Population: 70,518
--- 59.2% white
--- 31.5% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.7% Asian
#40. Jackson Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.66
- Median Income: $41,298
- Population: 15,214
--- 67% white
--- 26.7% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#39. Lincoln Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.66
- Median Income: $38,458
- Population: 48,415
--- 54.8% white
--- 38% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.6% Asian
#38. St. John the Baptist Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.67
- Median Income: $60,743
- Population: 42,704
--- 35.2% white
--- 57.6% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
#37. Jefferson Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.67
- Median Income: $58,638
- Population: 439,402
--- 58.2% white
--- 26.9% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.2% Asian
#36. West Carroll Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.68
- Median Income: $42,050
- Population: 9,959
--- 79.7% white
--- 16.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#35. St. Bernard Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $52,538
- Population: 43,821
--- 66.7% white
--- 24% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.5% Asian
#34. Bossier Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $58,289
- Population: 128,508
--- 68.8% white
--- 23.5% Black
--- 0.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2% Asian
#33. Sabine Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $39,975
- Population: 22,377
--- 67.6% white
--- 14.5% Black
--- 6.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.3% Asian
#32. Rapides Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $49,639
- Population: 130,459
--- 62.3% white
--- 31.2% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
#31. Catahoula Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.69
- Median Income: $42,232
- Population: 9,117
--- 66.1% white
--- 32.6% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#30. Tangipahoa Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.71
- Median Income: $50,659
- Population: 132,492
--- 65.3% white
--- 30% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#29. St. Martin Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $46,711
- Population: 52,222
--- 66.3% white
--- 29.3% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
#28. Caldwell Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $41,861
- Population: 9,707
--- 79.1% white
--- 19.6% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#27. Acadia Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.72
- Median Income: $42,368
- Population: 58,200
--- 78.7% white
--- 16.6% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#26. East Baton Rouge Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.73
- Median Income: $58,167
- Population: 455,447
--- 45.3% white
--- 45.4% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 3.1% Asian
#25. Assumption Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.74
- Median Income: $42,831
- Population: 21,366
--- 66.3% white
--- 29.7% Black
--- 0.4% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#24. Terrebonne Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $57,940
- Population: 110,100
--- 68.4% white
--- 19% Black
--- 5.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.2% Asian
#23. Allen Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $47,660
- Population: 23,085
--- 74.8% white
--- 18.1% Black
--- 1.6% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#22. Pointe Coupee Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $50,431
- Population: 20,951
--- 62.7% white
--- 34.2% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.5% Asian
#21. Jefferson Davis Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.75
- Median Income: $45,578
- Population: 32,270
--- 78% white
--- 16.3% Black
--- 0.9% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.2% Asian
#20. Iberville Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $52,994
- Population: 30,651
--- 47.9% white
--- 46.9% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#19. Grant Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.76
- Median Income: $52,779
- Population: 22,236
--- 79.3% white
--- 15.9% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#18. New Orleans
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $45,594
- Population: 383,974
--- 32.7% white
--- 58.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 2.7% Asian
#17. Calcasieu Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $59,470
- Population: 212,646
--- 69% white
--- 25% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.5% Asian
#16. West Baton Rouge Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.77
- Median Income: $72,391
- Population: 27,064
--- 57.5% white
--- 40.9% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#15. Lafayette Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $63,311
- Population: 241,173
--- 66.8% white
--- 25.7% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.9% Asian
#14. Lafourche Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $58,747
- Population: 97,677
--- 78.1% white
--- 13.4% Black
--- 2.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#13. Cameron Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.78
- Median Income: $64,525
- Population: 5,650
--- 92.9% white
--- 1.2% Black
--- 1.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.4% Asian
#12. St. James Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $56,207
- Population: 20,390
--- 49.3% white
--- 49.4% Black
--- 0% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0% Asian
#11. LaSalle Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.81
- Median Income: $52,205
- Population: 14,770
--- 83.7% white
--- 12% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#10. Plaquemines Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $69,970
- Population: 23,536
--- 65.3% white
--- 20.5% Black
--- 1.5% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 4.2% Asian
#9. Vermilion Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $56,347
- Population: 57,775
--- 79.7% white
--- 14% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.7% Asian
#8. East Feliciana Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.82
- Median Income: $58,125
- Population: 19,588
--- 54.4% white
--- 41.6% Black
--- 0.8% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.1% Asian
#7. St. Charles Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $72,088
- Population: 52,411
--- 67% white
--- 26.2% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1% Asian
#6. Beauregard Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.83
- Median Income: $57,130
- Population: 36,417
--- 82.2% white
--- 12.1% Black
--- 0.2% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.6% Asian
#5. Vernon Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $53,215
- Population: 49,064
--- 75.5% white
--- 14% Black
--- 1.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.9% Asian
#4. West Feliciana Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.84
- Median Income: $63,450
- Population: 15,334
--- 53% white
--- 44.4% Black
--- 0.1% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.7% Asian
#3. Ascension Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.88
- Median Income: $86,256
- Population: 125,289
--- 68.8% white
--- 22.8% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.3% Asian
#2. St. Tammany Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.89
- Median Income: $70,986
- Population: 262,799
--- 79.7% white
--- 11.9% Black
--- 0.7% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 1.4% Asian
#1. Livingston Parish
- Economic connectedness: 0.94
- Median Income: $71,547
- Population: 141,057
--- 87.7% white
--- 6.7% Black
--- 0.3% American Indian and Alaska Native
--- 0.9% Asian
This story features data reporting and writing by Dom DiFurio and is part of a series utilizing data automation across 50 states.
