Lafayette metropolitan area, Louisiana

The Lafayette metropolitan area covers approximately in the region of Acadiana in Louisiana. If it were a U.S. state or territory, it would be larger than Delaware and the Northern Mariana Islands. The United States Office of Management and Budget defines Metropolitan Lafayette as initially covering Lafayette and Saint Martin parishes; Acadia, Iberia, and Vermilion parishes were added to the metropolis in 2013. The larger combined statistical area adds St. Landry Parish and St. Mary Parish. Located along the Gulf Coast of the United States, it borders the Lake Charles metropolitan area, and is located south of the Alexandria metropolitan area, and west of Greater New Orleans and Greater Baton Rouge. Communities within the Lafayette area lie at a low elevation above sea level, though some portions extend to nearly above sea level. ==Communities==

• Abbeville • Arnaudville (partial) • Breaux Bridge • Broussard • Carencro • Cecilia • Coteau Holmes (unincorporated) • Crowley • Delcambre • Duson • Eunice • Erath • Gueydan • Henderson • Jeanerette • Kaplan • Lafayette (principal city) • Loreauville • Maurice • Milton (unincorporated) • Morgan City (partial) • New Iberia • Opelousas • Parks • Rayne • St. Martinville • Scott • Youngsville ==Demographics==

In 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau reported there were 273,738 people, 89,536 households, and 61,826 families residing within metropolitan Lafayette. From 2010 to 2015, the Lafayette metropolitan area outpaced the Shreveport–Bossier City metropolitan area in North Louisiana by population, becoming the third largest metropolitan area in the state. In 2019, the Lafayette metropolitan area's population began a period of stagnation and slight decline. At the publication of the 2020 United States census, its metropolitan population was 478,384. == Economy ==

The city and parish of Lafayette are the economic centers for Acadiana and the metropolitan region. Having been or currently economically established by Albertsons, Amazon, Brookshire Grocery Company, CGI, First Horizon Bank, JP Morgan Chase, LUSFiber, the Ochsner Health System, Petroleum Helicopters International, Perficient, and Rouses Markets, the area is also economically stimulated by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and South Louisiana Community College. == Transportation ==

Lafayette Regional Airport—located on U.S. Highway 90 (future Interstate 49), on the southeast side of the city of Lafayette with daily scheduled passenger airline services nonstop to Atlanta, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston and effective April 2, 2021 to Charlotte—is the primary airport for the metropolitan area and Acadiana. Charter services also depart Lafayette Regional as well as helicopter flights and cargo jets. A new airline passenger terminal at the Lafayette airport opened on January 20, 2022. Alongside its aerial transportation methods, Interstate 10 and Interstate 49 are the primary highways, with a passenger rail. The Amtrak Sunset Limited offers service three days a week from New Orleans and Los Angeles, California with selected stops in Louisiana, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona and California. Connections are available in New Orleans to Chicago and to the East Coast via Atlanta. Service eastward to Orlando, Florida remains suspended in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. Greyhound also operates a station downtown on Lee Avenue with destinations east and west on I-10, north on I-49 and southeast on U.S. Hwy 90. The Lafayette Transit System (formerly City of Lafayette Transit (COLT)) provides bus service; public transportation is provided only within Lafayette's city limits. U.S. Route 90 (co-signed with Evangeline Thruway, Mudd Avenue and Cameron Street within the city limits) and U.S. Route 167 (co-signed with I-49, Evangeline Thruway and Johnston Street). Ambassador Caffery Parkway, named for Jefferson Caffery, serves as a partial loop connecting I-10 at Exit 100 on the west and U.S. 90 on the south. Other arterial roads include Verot School Road (LA 339), West Congress Street, Kaliste Saloom Road (LA 3095), Ridge Road, Carmel Drive/Breaux Bridge Highway (LA 94), University Avenue (LA 182), Pinhook Road (LA 182), Camellia Boulevard, Guilbeau Road, Moss Street, Willow Street, Louisiana Avenue, Pont Des Mouton Road, Eraste Landry Road, and South College Road. ==See also==