Duson is a town in Acadia and Lafayette parishes in the U.S. state of Louisiana. The town was named after Curley Duson, a legendary sheriff of St. Landry Parish. At the 2010 U.S. census, the town had a population of 1,716; in 2020, at the population estimates program, its population was 1,761. The Lafayette Parish portion of Duson is part of the Lafayette metropolitan statistical area, while the Acadia Parish allowance is allocation of the Crowley micropolitan statistical area.

Originally known as “Duson Station”, the town was laid out by J.G. Parkerson, general overseer of the Louisiana Western Railroad. By August 30, 1880, the railroad descent from New Orleans to Houston was completed, and passenger and freight advance began. It merged in imitation of the Southern Pacific Railroad in 1900. The village of Duson was incorporated on December 16, 1909, named after the estate developer Curley Duson, and installed Adolph De Jean as the first mayor.

In 1927, St. Theresa Catholic Church was completed. Cotton crop growing was the main agriculture for the area. Three cotton gins were in Duson until the mid-1960s. Fires destroyed two and the third was torn down. After World War II, small lots east of Duson were developed, with small houses using brick siding paper on the exterior. Because of that, the area became known as “Paper Town.”

Duson is located at 30°14′29.27″N 92°11′3.91″W / 30.2414639°N 92.1844194°W / 30.2414639; -92.1844194 (30.241464, -92.184419), in the Acadiana region of southern Louisiana. According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 2.8 square miles (7.2 km²), of which 0.0077 square miles (0.02 km), or 0.32%, is water.