Houma Hourly Wage & Salary 2026
Houma, LA: $21.93/hr median hourly wage, $45,610 median annual salary, cost of living index 92.5, and $7.25/hr minimum wage. Calculate take-home pay with federal and Louisiana taxes.
Houma Hourly Wage Quick Answer
The median hourly wage in Houma, LA is $21.93/hr,and the median annual wage is $45,610. Entry-level pay estimates around $13.60/hr, senior-level pay estimates around $31.14/hr, and the local minimum wage is $7.25/hr.
Median figures: BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metropolitan statistical area (83,440 jobs). BLS publishes wages by metro area, not by city, so Houma shares this figure with the rest of its metro. Entry and senior levels are Salario estimates.
Median Salary
$45,610
$21.93/hr
Cost of Living
92.5
US avg = 100
Minimum Wage
$7.25
per hour
Unemployment
4.3%
rate
Houma, LA Overview
Population
32,649
Median Salary
$45,610
Average Salary
$55,870
Avg Commute
18 min
Median Home Price
$210,000
Median Rent
$856/mo
Job Growth
+2.5%
Sales Tax
4.45%
Houma is located in Louisiana with a population of 32,649. The median annual wage across all occupations is $45,610 ($21.93/hour, BLS OEWS May 2025, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metro), which is $5,370 below the national median of $50,980. The national median is the BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations median annual wage. The average commute time is 18 minutes, and the city has a job growth rate of +2.5%.
Houma Salary by Experience Level (2026)
Wage distribution in Houma, LA built around the $45,610 median salary (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metro). Entry-level represents 10th–25th percentile; mid-level is the median; senior-level represents 75th–90th percentile. The non-median rows are Salario estimates.
| Experience Level | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage | Years Exp |
|---|---|---|---|
| Entry-Level | $28,278 | $13.60/hr | 0–2 years |
| Mid-Level (Median) | $45,610 | $21.93/hr | 3–7 years |
| Senior-Level | $64,766 | $31.14/hr | 8–15 years |
| Top 10% (90th Percentile) | $81,186 | $39.04/hr | 15+ years / leadership |
Percentile multipliers (62%, 100%, 142%, 178%) are Salario approximations of the typical all-occupations wage spread in BLS OEWS metro tables; only the median row is a published BLS value. Specific roles vary; see jobs by city for role-specific data.
Houma Paycheck Calculator
Enter your annual salary to see your estimated take-home pay in Houma, LA, after federal, state, and local taxes.
Estimated Annual Take-Home Pay
$37,846
$3,153.80/month · $1,455.60/biweekly · Effective Rate: 17.0%
Biweekly paycheck estimate: this salary equals about $1,455.60 take-home per paycheck after estimated Louisiana and federal taxes. For the 26-paycheck formula, three-paycheck months, and withholding examples, see the Biweekly Paycheck Calculator.
Gross Pay
$45,610
Federal Tax
-$3,293
State Tax
-$982
Local Tax
$0
FICA
-$3,489
Net Pay
$37,846
Pay Breakdown
| Item | Monthly | Annual |
|---|---|---|
| Gross Salary | $3,800.83 | $45,610.00 |
| Federal Income Tax | -$274.43 | -$3,293.20 |
| Louisiana State Tax (2.15% eff.) | -$81.84 | -$982.05 |
| Social Security (6.2%) | -$235.65 | -$2,827.82 |
| Medicare (1.45%) | -$55.11 | -$661.35 |
| Net Take-Home Pay | $3,153.80 | $37,845.59 |
Salary Comparison: Houma vs Other Cities
See how Houma's median salary and cost of living compare to the national average and similar cities.
| City | Median Salary | COL Index | Adj. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|
| Houma, LA | $45,610 | 92.5 | $49,308 |
| National Average | $50,980 | 100 | $50,980 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $45,620 | 85 | $53,671 |
| Bay City, MI | $45,620 | 84.2 | $54,181 |
| Lake Charles, LA | $45,700 | 87 | $52,529 |
| Port Charlotte, FL | $45,500 | 99.3 | $45,821 |
Adjusted salary reflects purchasing power when cost of living is factored in. A higher adjusted salary means your money goes further.
Cost of Living in Houma
Houma's cost of living index is 92.5 (national average = 100). Living in Houma is 7.5% less expensive than the national average.
Median Home Price
$210,000
Median Monthly Rent
$856
Annual Rent Cost
$10,272
Your Salary's Purchasing Power
Your $37,846 annual take-home pay in Houma has the purchasing power of approximately $40,914 in an average-cost US area. Your $45,610 salary stretches further here than in most US cities.
Top Industries in Houma
Houma's economy is driven by these key industries. Workers in top industries often earn significantly above the median salary of $45,610.
Salary Tips for Houma Workers
- Research top industries. Houma's top industries include Energy, Petrochemical, Tourism. Targeting roles in these sectors can help you earn above the $45,610 median salary.
- Review your W-4 withholding. If you regularly receive large tax refunds, adjust your W-4 to increase your per-paycheck take-home pay instead of giving the government an interest-free loan.
Methodology & Local Economy Data Sources
How we calculate Houma salary data: The median annual wage, median hourly wage and mean wage are the official BLS OEWS May 2025 all-occupations values for the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metropolitan statistical area, retrieved from the BLS Public Data API on September 17, 2026. BLS does not publish city-level wages, so every city inside that metro shows the same figure. The entry/senior/top-10% rows, the paycheck estimate and the purchasing-power conversion are Salario calculations built on that median. Cost-of-living adjustments use the C2ER Cost of Living Index baseline of 100 (national average), with Houma indexed at 92.5.
- Median salary: $45,610 annual, $21.93 hourly, BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA MSA (83,440 jobs surveyed). Mean wage $55,870 (BLS). Salario's previous modeled median for Houma was $44,336.
- Tax burden reflects Louisiana 2026 state income tax brackets and standard deduction (top rate 3%) (no local income tax), sales tax (4.45%), and federal taxes per IRS 2026 brackets.
- Unemployment rate for Houma: 4.3%, sourced from BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics (LAUS).
- Top industries: Energy, Petrochemical, Tourism, based on QCEW employment concentration data.
- Job growth: 2.5% projected through 2034, derived from BLS Employment Projections program for Louisiana.
- Housing context: median home price $210,000, median rent $856/mo, sourced from Census American Community Survey 5-year estimates.
Authoritative US data sources for Houma, LA:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), metropolitan area salary data
- BLS Local Area Unemployment Statistics, Houma unemployment rate
- U.S. Census Bureau, Houma QuickFacts, population, housing, demographics
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW), county-level industry employment
- BLS Economy at a Glance, Louisiana, state economic indicators
- U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA), local GDP and personal income data
- BLS Consumer Price Index (CPI-U), regional inflation tracking
Disclaimer: Salary and cost data are estimates for general guidance. Individual compensation varies by employer, experience, education, negotiation, and skills. Houma's rapidly changing economy can shift these baselines, always verify with current job listings, employer offers, and recent Louisiana labor market reports for the most current figures.
Reviewed by Harlan Voss · Last updated September 17, 2026 · Wage figures: BLS OEWS May 2025 release (published May 2026) · Census data current as of latest releases
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the hourly wage in Houma, LA?
The median hourly wage in Houma, LA is $21.93 per hour, the BLS OEWS May 2025 median for all occupations in the Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metropolitan area, and the BLS median annual wage is $45,610. Entry-level workers are estimated around $13.60/hr, while senior-level workers are estimated around $31.14/hr before overtime, bonuses, or benefits (Salario estimates, not BLS percentiles).
What is the median salary in Houma, LA?
The median salary in Houma, LA is $45,610 per year, or $21.93 per hour (BLS OEWS May 2025, all occupations, Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA metro area). The BLS mean salary is $55,870. This is $5,370 below the BLS national median of $50,980.
What is the cost of living in Houma, LA?
Houma's cost of living index is 92.5 (national average = 100), meaning it is 7.5% less expensive compared to the national average. The median home price is $210,000 and the median monthly rent is $856.
What are the best industries in Houma?
The top industries in Houma, LA include Energy, Petrochemical, Tourism. The city has a job growth rate of 2.5% and an unemployment rate of 4.3%. Workers in these industries often earn above the city's median salary of $45,610.
How does Houma's salary compare to other cities?
Houma's median salary of $45,610 is 10.5% below the national median of $50,980. However, when adjusted for cost of living (index: 92.5), the real purchasing power is approximately $49,308.
What is the minimum wage in Houma, LA?
The minimum wage in Houma, LA is $7.25 per hour. This equals approximately $15,080 per year for a full-time worker (40 hours/week). This matches the federal minimum wage of $7.25/hour.