Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 874, settled in 1907.
46% of residents live below the poverty line in Oil City, above both Louisiana’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). No town among the 162 in Louisiana we compare has a lower share of adults with a bachelor’s degree than Oil City. Oil City has 2 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them Trees City Office and Bank Building and Oil City School. Oil City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.
Where Oil City beats most towns.
In a town this size, neighbors are the best guide. Ask them anything.
The archive holds 6 old photos and papers going back to 2004.
2 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in Oil City, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in Oil City.
At $21,000, Oil City’s median household income is below both the Louisiana town median ($56,000) and the median of U.S. towns ($80,000). Jobs based in Oil City fell to 396 in 2023, 58 fewer than in 2013. Most working residents leave Oil City for work: only 6% work in town.
| Oil City | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median household income | $21,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
| Average trip to work | 26 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Working residents who work in town | 5.9% | 9.8% | 8% |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
30% of Oil City households own their home. The typical Oil City home is worth about $115,000, up 2.2% in a year, 46% below the Louisiana typical home.
Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Oil City has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Oil City’s July high is 94°F.
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Oil City beats the Louisiana average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 13. 23% of adults report frequent mental distress in Oil City.
| Oil City | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 23% | 20% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 31% | 26% | 14% |
| Depression (CDC PLACES) | 30% | 27% | 23% |
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 22% | 19% | 14% |
| What stands out | Oil City | LA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing food insecurity | 31.4% | 22.5% |
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 17.1% | 12.4% |
| More adults without reliable transportation | 15.1% | 11.3% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Expected storm and flood damage is higher than in 51% of U.S. communities. Since 2012, 4 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Oil City.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
None within 15 miles of Oil City; the nearest are
About 4 of every 100 Oil City residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.
Where Oil City’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
Town in the United States
Oil City is a small town in Caddo Parish, Louisiana. As of the 2020 census, Oil City had a population of 901. Oil City is located on Louisiana Highway 1, north of Caddo Lake. It is part of the Shreveport–Bossier City Metropolitan Statistical Area .
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Oil City has fewer than 1,000 residents, too few for fair grades; the figures below are still real.