Broussard, Louisiana

Moving to Broussard, Louisiana

Broussard is a fast-growing small city about six miles southeast of Lafayette, with local jobs along the Highway 90 corridor, a steady supply of newer housing, and a historic downtown that still feels like a real Main Street. The Census Bureau puts its population at 15,799 as of July 1, 2025, up 17.5% since April 2020. And here’s the catch most guides skip: Broussard sits in two parishes, Lafayette and St. Martin.

If you’re comparing rentals or homes and building a shortlist, we’ll help you compare Broussard the way a resident has to. One address, commute, school zone, flood map, and monthly budget at a time. Verify everything by exact street address, not by mailing city.

Broussard at a Glance: Population, City Limits, and Two Parishes

• Population: 15,799 (July 2025 Census estimate), up from 13,417 in the 2020 Census and 8,197 in 2010.
• Land area: 17.89 square miles at the 2020 Census.
• Location: ~6 miles southeast of Lafayette, near U.S. 90, Ambassador Caffery Parkway, and the I-10/I-49 interchange.
• Parishes: Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish.
• Housing character: single-family subdivisions, apartment communities, townhomes, older homes near downtown, and golf-course housing.

Because city limits straddle two parishes, one Broussard address can fall under a different school system, tax millage, utility provider, and FEMA flood study than a home a few miles away. Lower population figures you’ll find on some third-party sites are older counts or estimates, not the current Census number.

Is Broussard, Louisiana a Good Place to Live?

For most people, yes, if you’re comfortable driving everywhere and willing to do address-level homework. The draws are real: local employment, newer housing stock, strong recreation, and Lafayette’s hospitals, festivals, and offices fifteen minutes up the road. Third-party cost-of-living indexes place the area roughly 10% below the national average, and Louisiana’s annual state report cards are the right place to judge school performance rather than proprietary letter grades. The tradeoffs are car dependence, growth-related traffic, and services that shift by parish line.

What Does It Cost to Live in Broussard?

That rent gap confuses people. The $1,010 figure is median gross rent, a multiyear survey of what current residents already pay. The ~$1,600 number is what a handful of available units were asking in one month. Budget from live listings, not averages. Then add utilities, renters or homeowners insurance, wind and flood coverage, and any HOA dues. A third-party estimate of $261,146 for median home value also circulates, which is a modeled number, not the Census survey. Broussard residents pay no city property tax, though parish, school, and drainage millages still apply. Run your numbers through our Rent Calculator and Cost of Living Calculator before you commit.

Renting vs. Buying in Broussard

With 83.3% of homes owner-occupied, the rental pool here is small and moves quickly. Have your documents ready and be prepared to apply the day you tour. The renter’s advantage in a high-rain, hurricane-exposed market is real: drainage problems, roof damage, and storm repairs belong to the owner, which is a solid argument for renting through professional, broker-owned management. Our Rent vs. Buy Calculator and Mortgage Calculator will show you where the line falls for your budget.

Neighborhoods and Areas to Explore Before Moving to Broussard Louisiana

Most “neighborhoods” here are subdivisions or development names, not formal districts.

Near the Youngsville boundary, a Broussard mailing address does not guarantee you’re inside Broussard city limits. Check the map.

Schools: Lafayette Parish School System and Southside High School

Most Broussard addresses are served by the Lafayette Parish School System. For 2026–2027 that means Katharine Drexel Early Childhood Education Center (Pre-K–K, reconfigured beginning in 2025–2026, so ignore older pages calling it a K–5 elementary), Martial F. Billeaud Elementary (K–5), and Broussard Middle (6–8). High school may be Southside High School or another LPSS campus depending on your street. Attendance zones were redrawn under district optimization, so run the exact address through the district’s “Find Home Zone” tool. St. Martin Parish addresses may fall outside LPSS entirely. Use Louisiana’s official annual report cards to judge performance.

Jobs and the Local Economy

Broussard’s 2025 economic profile counts 1,158 businesses employing 13,400 people, weighted toward energy, manufacturing, construction, wholesale trade, transportation and warehousing, health care, retail, and professional services. The U.S. 90 corridor still carries deep oil-and-gas service roots with meaningful diversification around it. Lafayette adds health care, education, technology, public administration, and professional work, and plenty of residents commute toward New Iberia and the rest of Acadiana. The Lafayette metro reported 3.8% unemployment and 189,900 nonfarm jobs in July 2026 (preliminary), with 1.7% year-over-year job growth and construction up 10.7%.

Getting Around: Commute Times, Highway 90, and Why You’ll Want a Car

The mean commute is 19.8 minutes. Lafayette Regional Airport is about six miles west, and the I-10/I-49 interchange roughly seven miles out. For most households here, a personal vehicle is a practical necessity for groceries, school runs, and appointments. Drive your actual route to work and the doctor at peak hour before you sign. Sidewalks and bike access vary by area, and downtown’s path is the exception, not the citywide standard.

Hospitals and Health Care Near Broussard

• Ochsner Health Center–Broussard, 1122 South Bernard Road: primary care, imaging, and lab.
• Our Lady of Lourdes Regional Medical Center, 4801 Ambassador Caffery Parkway, Lafayette.
• Ochsner Lafayette General Medical Center, 1214 Coolidge Street, Lafayette: emergency care and the region’s Level II Trauma Center.
• Women’s, children’s, and orthopedic care in Lafayette.

A planned off-site emergency center at 8000 Ambassador Caffery Parkway (14,000 square feet, eight exam bays) is under construction and not yet open, with an expected opening in summer 2027. Some guides list it as operating. It isn’t.

Weather, Flooding, Hurricanes, and Insurance

Expect hot, humid summers and mild winters. Older NWS Lafayette normals show summer highs near 90 to 92°F and about 60.95 inches of annual precipitation in the 1981–2010 reference period. Atlantic hurricane season runs June 1 through November 30, averaging 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes based on 1991–2020 data.

Flood risk here is address-specific, and FEMA maintains separate flood studies for the Lafayette Parish and St. Martin Parish portions of the city. A map for one parish does not cover the whole of Broussard. So: pull the FEMA map for the correct parish, ask the owner or agent directly about prior water intrusion, walk the ditches and drainage after a hard rain, and get renters or homeowners, wind, and flood quotes before your lease or closing date. Flood coverage generally carries a 30-day waiting period. Don’t wait for a named storm.

Things to Do, Sports, and Small Town Community Life

The Broussard Sports Complex at St. Julien Park covers 122 acres with roughly $33 million invested. Arceneaux Park adds 31 acres, and Ida Park has baseball, basketball, a walking path, playground, and pavilions. Zoosiana keeps more than 1,000 animals. There’s a brewery and taproom plus an indoor sports and entertainment venue, and the city’s calendar includes the Independence Day Festival and Noël à Broussard. Lafayette’s Mardi Gras and Cajun and Creole festivals are minutes away. Confirm dates for the current year.

Food, Shopping, and Downtown’s Prominent Local Merchant Roots

Downtown grew up around a historic merchant district, and the food still reflects it. Boudin and cracklins, po’boys, plate lunches, and seafood, cooked the Cajun and Creole way. The 2025 local economic profile counted about 60 restaurants in the city. Downtown leans toward independent kitchens and specialty food shops, while the commercial corridors handle chain retail, groceries, and everyday errands.

Utilities, Trash, and Move-In Logistics

1. Confirm whether the City of Broussard provides water and wastewater at that exact address.
2. Submit the utility application and deposit. The city lists a $250 water deposit for connections. Whether that’s yours or the owner’s depends on your lease, so verify with both.
3. Verify the electricity and natural gas providers for the address.
4. Check internet availability at the street level. LUS Fiber reaches only select areas. Broadband subscription reached 96.2% of households in the 2020–2024 ACS.
5. Confirm your trash route: garbage runs Monday/Thursday or Tuesday/Friday, recycling on Wednesday.

Your Pre-Lease Broussard Address Checklist

1. Confirm the parish and whether the address is inside Broussard city limits.
2. Confirm the school attendance zone by exact address.
3. Pull the FEMA flood map for the correct parish.
4. Ask directly about prior flooding and drainage repairs.
5. Get insurance quotes early. Remember the 30-day flood waiting period.
6. Drive the commute at peak hour.
7. Check internet availability at the address.
8. Review HOA rules and dues.
9. Inspect drainage, roof, and overall maintenance condition.
10. Total the real monthly cost: rent or mortgage plus utilities, insurance, and dues.

Frequently Asked Questions

Ready to Compare Broussard Rentals? Start Here

KT Rents is a full-service, broker-owned property management company that has managed rentals across the U.S. since 2009. That’s 16+ years, 683 units in 34 states, and $187M under management as of early 2025, with a reported 98% occupancy rate. Start soft: run your shortlist through our Rent Calculator, Rent vs. Buy Calculator, and Cost of Living Calculator, then explore rental options and see what actually fits your budget.

Own a property in the Broussard area? Call (800) 716-4950 to get started with full-service management: tenant placement, tenant screening, rent collection, property maintenance, property inspections, rental permits, 1099s… court evictions, all without lifting a finger. You can also text (608) 207-0657 or email info@ktrents.com. Your Rental. Your Way.