ZIP Code 71497 — Natchitoches, LA

About ZIP 71497

ZIP code 71497 serves Natchitoches in Natchitoches, Louisiana. It centers near 31.7476°, -93.0791° and, by population, qualifies as a sparsely populated rural ZIP. Roughly 1,392 people are estimated to live within its boundaries based on the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2018–2022).

The median household earns about $2,499 per year here. The typical owner-occupied home is valued near —, and asking rents on the open market sit around $524 per month. Compared to the rest of Louisiana, that makes 71497 in line with the state average. Looking at the entire state, the average ZIP code reports a median income closer to $36,227 and a median home value of $101,621.

The median resident is around 19.5 years old.

Cost of living read

If you're considering a move into 71497, the most useful exercise is to compare the housing math against your current ZIP. Here, a typical home runs — and a typical rental runs $524 a month. Translate that into your own budget:

• At a 7% 30-year mortgage with 20% down, financing the median home here lands monthly principal & interest near — — before property tax, insurance, or HOA dues.
• Renting the median unit at $524/mo costs roughly $6,288 per year, or about 251.6% of the local median household income.
• For movers from substantially cheaper or more expensive metros, the home-value gap (+— versus the state average of $101,621) is often the single biggest line item to plan for.

Who lives here

The age and education profile of a ZIP tells you a lot about what daily life feels like there. With a median age of 19.5 and a population of 1,392, ZIP 71497 reads as younger-skewing — closer to a college town, early-career city neighborhood, or family-formation suburb.

Geography & nearby ZIPs

This ZIP centers at 31.7476, -93.0791. The eight closest neighboring ZIP codes are listed below — useful if you're scoping out the surrounding area, comparing schools, or just want a feel for the broader neighborhood than this one boundary captures.

How to use this profile

Treat ZipLocal Guide as a starting point — never the final word — when you're researching a relocation. The Census ACS data on this page are reliable medians for the ZIP code tabulation area, but they tell you nothing about which side of the freeway you should live on, which streets the local high schoolers actually walk to school, or how the neighborhood has changed since the 2022 estimate window. For those, walk the area, talk to people on the street, and verify your assumptions with a local agent or community group.

If you find this neighborhood interesting, the easiest next step is to view all ZIPs in Natchitoches or browse the rest of Louisiana.