Ruston is a city in Lincoln Parish, Louisiana, home to about 22,284 people across 21 square miles. Its ZIP codes are 71270 and 71272, and parts of 71227 are in Ruston too.
Homes sold for a median of $161 per square foot in the three months ending August 2026, a seller’s market.
Mostly Ruston
All in Ruston
Mostly Choudrant; part is in Ruston
Each card is that ZIP code’s whole market, including any part outside Ruston. Seller’s market: under 4 months of supply; buyer’s market: over 6. Methodology
We’re writing up Ruston’s story and what everyday life there is like, for people thinking about moving in.
Are you a local agent who knows Ruston well? Agents who advertise here will be able to write the guide. Advertise on OfferBacked
| Nearest major airport | Louis Armstrong New Orleans International Airport (MSY)225 miles away |
|---|---|
| Closer regional airport | Monroe Regional Airport (MLU)35 miles away |
| Nearest city of 250,000+ | New Orleans, LA234 miles away |
| Nearest city of 1 million+ | Dallas, TX240 miles away |
Straight-line distances from the center of Ruston; driving is longer.
Source: Airports from OurAirports (scheduled passenger service); city centers and populations from the U.S. Census Bureau.
Source: Members of Congress from the congress-legislators project; districts from the Census Bureau’s relationship files; governor and mayor from Wikidata.
Ruston had 22,166 residents in the 2020 census, up 8% since 2000.
It’s the 20th largest of 487 towns in Louisiana by population.
Lincoln Parish grew from 15,898 residents in 1900 to 48,396 in 2020.
Lincoln Parish, 1900–2020
Source: U.S. Census Bureau decennial censuses (counties 1900–1990 from the Bureau’s historical county file).
Average highs peak around 93°F in summer, and winter lows average 35°F. About 55.8 inches of rain and melted snow fall in a typical year, with about 0 inches of snow.
Source: NOAA 1991–2020 climate normals, Ruston La Tech, LA weather station (about a mile away).
15,124 jobs at 1,155 businesses in Lincoln Parish. The biggest industries by employees:
Source: U.S. Census Bureau County Business Patterns 2023 (private employers; jobs counted where people work).
463 doctors and other health care providers list an office in Ruston’s ZIP codes.
Nearest hospitals
Providers with an office here
| Primary care doctors | 32 |
|---|---|
| Specialist doctors | 41 |
| Dentists | 22 |
| Nurse practitioners and physician assistants | 72 |
| Mental health providers | 225 |
| Physical and occupational therapists | 60 |
| Optometrists | 7 |
| Chiropractors | 4 |
| Pharmacies | 23 |
Source: Hospitals from CMS Hospital General Information (ratings are CMS overall star ratings); straight-line distances; providers from the CMS National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES), by practice address and primary specialty.
Parks (11 nearby)
Grocery stores (7 nearby)
Pharmacies (8 nearby)
Libraries (2 nearby)
Museums (2 nearby)
Theaters and performance venues (3 nearby)
Counts are within about 3 miles of the center of town.
Source: Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (openstreetmap.org/copyright), as mapped by volunteers; it can miss places or include closed ones.
Established in 1885.
Colleges and universities
Notable people born here
Source: Wikidata (wikidata.org), the free knowledge base; people are listed by place of birth.
Public schools here are run by Lincoln Parish, Howard School. Check each district’s attendance zones for a specific address.
| School | Grades | Students | Type | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A. E. Phillips Laboratory SchoolRuston | K–8 | 412 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| Glen View Elementary SchoolRuston | K–2 | 438 | Public | 1.6 mi |
| Hillcrest Elementary SchoolRuston | K–2 | 326 | Public | 1.8 mi |
| Howard SchoolRuston | 2–12 | 75 | Alternative Education | 0.9 mi |
| Cypress Springs Elementary SchoolRuston | 3–5 | 369 | Public | 1.5 mi |
| Ruston Elementary SchoolRuston | 3–5 | 359 | Public | 1.3 mi |
| I.A. Lewis SchoolRuston | 6 | 277 | Public | 1.1 mi |
| Ruston Junior High SchoolRuston | 7–8 | 585 | Public | 2.0 mi |
| Ruston High SchoolRuston | 9–12 | 1,212 | Public | 0.5 mi |
| School | Grades | Students | Affiliation | Distance |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bethel Christian SchoolRuston | Pre-K–11 | 31 | Church of God | 2.3 mi |
| Montessori School of RustonRuston | Pre-K–8 | 21 | Nonsectarian | 0.7 mi |
Source: U.S. Department of Education, NCES: Common Core of Data (2024-2025) for public schools; Private School Universe Survey (2023-2024) for private schools. Listed by address; we don’t rate schools.
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Shares ZIP codes with Choudrant.
Town boundaries don’t always match ZIP codes: a ZIP code can cross into neighboring towns, and a town can share a ZIP code with its neighbors. Facts describe the town itself; market figures describe whole ZIP codes.