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Compare towns

Colfax vs Duson

94 miles apart. The biggest differences: street grid (3.7× in Colfax) and jobs per worker (3.9× in Colfax).

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Colfax, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 1,240 people
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Duson, LAOne of the healthiest townsLouisiana · 1,282 people
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Where each one shines

Two towns, two different strengths

What each town does better than most of its state (not better than each other). Tap one to see the page behind it.

ColfaxOne of the healthiest towns
Health97% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates Work1,246 jobsbased in Colfax, a regional job hub Housing$131K typical home40% below the LA typical home All about Colfax →
DusonOne of the healthiest towns
Health92% of U.S. towns are healthieron CDC estimates SchoolsBetter than 81%of LA districts All about Duson →
The biggest differences

Where they part ways

The rows below where the towns are furthest apart, beyond the Census margin of error. The full table is further down.

Street grid3.7×
Colfax has the more walkable street grid
Colfax 108Duson 29.4
Jobs per worker3.9×
Colfax is more of a job hub
Colfax 2.84Duson 0.73
Growth since 2010+14.4 pts
Colfax has grown faster since 2010
Colfax -8.3%Duson -22.7%
Work in town+19.2 pts
More of Colfax’s workers stay in town
Colfax 19.6%Duson 0.4%
Age 65++10.7 pts
Colfax has more people 65 and up
Colfax 24.4%Duson 13.7%
Typical home built17 yrs
Colfax’s homes are older
Duson 1988Colfax 1971
★ What stands out · Monthly cost

A typical home costs $490 more a month in Duson

A typical home in each town, bought with 20% down at 6.3% for 30 years, plus property tax at the town’s own rate and insurance. Change the numbers to fit you.

Colfax$710/mo
Typical home $131K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.27% · or rent about $499/mo · Housing →
Duson$1,210/mo
Typical home $217K (Zillow) · tax rate 0.40% · or rent about $743/mo · Housing →

The difference: $490 a month, about $5,900 a year, between Duson and Colfax.

Estimates, not a quote: your price, rate, tax bill and insurance will differ. Tax rate = the Census median tax bill over the median home value.

Report cards

Grades and rankings, side by side

Our letter grades for safety, schools and health, then every Louisiana ranking list both towns are on. A grade is one measure; read the page behind it.

Schools
–ColfaxNot graded A−DusonBetter than 81% of districts in the state
Health
D−ColfaxHealthier than 3% of U.S. towns DDusonHealthier than 8% of U.S. towns
Life in each

What daily life feels like in each

The weather, the land, the history and the people, row by row. None of it is a grade: more snow is a plus to a skier.

Seasons
ColfaxDuson
Snow a year1″0″
January low—41°F
July high—91°F
Growing season (days)—279d
Hazard risk (U.S. pctl)24th87th
Outdoors & history
ColfaxDuson
Trails0 mi—
Conserved land0%—
Settled18691909
National Register places5—
Archive photos—7
Famous people born here—1
Community
ColfaxDuson
Library hours a week46 hrs35 hrs
Posts this month00
Neighbors joined00

A dot marks the most on each row. Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 normals at the nearest station. Hazard risk: FEMA National Risk Index, expected yearly damage vs U.S. towns.

Where they are

94 miles apart

Straight-line miles between town centers.

ColfaxLADusonLA
Colfax ↔ Duson94 miles apart
Everything, side by side

What matters to you?

Pick a few. Those rows jump to the top and the best fit on each is marked. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.

ColfaxDuson
People
Population 1,240Lowest 1,282Highest
Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census -8.3%Highest LA: +2.7% -22.7%Lowest LA: +2.7%
Median age 41.3±15.1Lowest 9% above LA 42±11.4Highest 11% above LA
Duson and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Kids under 18 26.8%±8.4Highest LA: 23.5% 26.7%±7Lowest LA: 23.5%
Colfax and Duson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Age 65+ 24.4%±3.8Highest LA: 16.7% 13.7%±4.6Lowest LA: 16.7%
Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ 9.5%Lowest LA: 27% 11.1%Highest LA: 27%
Enrolled in collegeshare of residents 0.2%±1.2Lowest LA: 5.8% 1.9%±1.5Highest LA: 5.8%
Duson and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Cost of living
Household incomemedian $26,250±$7kHighest 57% below LA $25,054±$7kLowest 59% below LA
Colfax and Duson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Home valuemedian, owner-occupied $73,400±$28kHighest 66% below LA $54,300±$15kLowest 75% below LA
Colfax and Duson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Rentmedian gross, monthly $499±$175Lowest 53% below LA $743±$331Highest 30% below LA
Duson and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Property taxmedian, yearly $199Lowest 83% below LA $215Highest 82% below LA
Renters paying 30%+of income on rent 52.1%±38.9Lowest LA: 54.8% 54.3%±54.3Highest LA: 54.8%
Duson and Colfax are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Below poverty line 37.3%Lowest LA: 18.9% 39.3%Highest LA: 18.9%
Housing
Homeownersof occupied homes 53.4%Lowest LA: 67.4% 62.4%Highest LA: 67.4%
Typical home builtmedian year 1971Lowest 12 yrs older than LA 1988Highest 5 yrs newer than LA
Getting to work
Average commuteone way 26 minHighest about the LA average 25 minLowest about the LA average
Work from home 4.6%±7.8Highest LA: 8.1% 3.8%±4.1Lowest LA: 8.1%
Colfax and Duson are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher.
Work in townworking residents 19.6%Highest 0.4%Lowest
Typical commute distancemedian, straight-line 21.3 miHighest 10.8 miLowest
Jobs per working residentover 1.5 = a job hub 2.84Highest 0.73Lowest
Top workplaceoutside town Alexandria (21%)Lafayette (43%)
Between these townsresidents who work in the others Few work in DusonFew work in Colfax
Outdoors
Conserved landshare of the town 0% 0%
Trailsmapped miles 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Trail densitymiles per sq mi 0.0 mi 0.0 mi
Parks & preservesnamed on the map 2Highest 0Lowest
Street connectivityintersections per sq mi, a walkability measure 108Highest 29.4Lowest
Schools
School district —Lafayette Parish
High school in town —None in town
Louisiana average“±” Census margin of errorACS 2020–2024
Deciding?

Ask the people who live there

The numbers stop at the town line. Neighbors can tell you about the commute at 7am, the schools, the winters and the feel of the place.

Colfax neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Colfax’s Town Square.

Duson neighborsTown Square →

Your question goes to Duson’s Town Square.

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Towns like Colfax

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Simsboro851 people · $84K homes
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Mansura1,263 people · $117K homes
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Cullen758 people · $69K homes
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Oberlin1,809 people · $96K homes

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2010 & 2020 censuses, LEHD commute flows; Zillow Home Value Index; NCES Common Core of Data; FBI crime reporting; CDC PLACES; FEMA National Risk Index; NOAA U.S. Climate Normals 1991–2020; USGS PAD-US and OpenStreetMap. “±” is the Census margin of error; differences inside it are never called. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. There is no overall score: which town is better depends on what matters to you.

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