Town Hall · Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge, LA town hall & government

Baton Rouge spent $1.4 billion in the year to December 31, 2024, about $6,268 per resident.

Where the money goes, where it comes from, property taxes, and how to reach Baton Rouge's government.

Local leadership

Who runs Baton Rouge

From public records (Open States and Wikidata), which can lag behind an election. If a name is out of date, tell us: when two neighbors agree, it's hidden until the records catch up.

Town budget

Where Baton Rouge's money goes

Spent
$1.4 billion
fiscal year to December 31, 2024
Per resident
$6,268
typical Louisiana cities: $2,793
Long-term debt
$1.9 billion
$8,476 per resident
Health & welfare
$253.4 million18%
Police
$167.1 million12%
Sewer & trash
$138.8 million10%
Roads & transportation
$123.9 million9%
Housing & development
$109.4 million8%
Courts, inspections & corrections
$91 million7%
Fire
$78.3 million6%
Parks & libraries
$68.2 million5%
Interest on debt
$65.1 million5%
Administration & buildings
$51.5 million4%
Paid to other governments
$24.7 million2%
Water & other utilities
$2.6 million<1%
Other
$214.1 million15%

Where the money comes from

  • Fees & charges 37%
  • Sales taxes 29%
  • Property taxes 13%
  • From the federal government 9%
  • From the state 7%
  • Interest, fines & other 2%
  • Other taxes & licenses 1%
  • From other local governments <1%
  • Utility sales <1%
Town workforce

Who works for Baton Rouge

Full-time staff
5,076
866 part-time too
Average full-time pay
$71,400
a year, before benefits
Sworn police officers
879
and 710 full-time firefighters
Police
1,187 full-time140 part
Health & welfare
899 full-time293 part
Fire
799 full-time8 part
Courts, inspections & corrections
711 full-time84 part
Roads & transportation
668 full-time28 part
Administration & buildings
395 full-time49 part
Parks & libraries
279 full-time252 part
Sewer & trash
119 full-time9 part
Housing & development
11 full-time
Other
8 full-time3 part

Staff on the town's payroll in March 2025. Pay is March payroll times twelve, so it's approximate.

Schools · school year 2023–24

East Baton Rouge Parish School District

Baton Rouge's K–12 school district, shared with St. George. It is its own government, with a budget separate from the town's.

Spending per pupil
$17,382
Louisiana: $15,623
Students
42,590
in the whole district
Long-term debt
$5.7 million
at year end

Where the district's money comes from Louisiana districts overall: 47% local, 34% state, 19% federal

  • Local 57%
  • State 25%
  • Federal 18%

Of the $17,382 per pupil, $8,835 goes to classroom instruction (teachers, aides, supplies); the rest to support services such as buses, buildings, counselors and administration. Building projects and debt payments aren't in the per-pupil figure.

Property tax

What homeowners in Baton Rouge pay

Typical tax bill
$1,459
a year · Louisiana typical $1,180
Effective rate
0.62%
of home value · Louisiana 0.55%
Typical home value
$234,700
owner-occupied

The median yearly bill homeowners report, covering every local property tax on the home (town, schools, county). The effective rate is that bill divided by the median home value, so it's a rough guide, not the official tax rate.

Local

Contact Baton Rouge's government

🏛️ Official websitebrla.gov ↗

Town hall & decisions in Baton Rouge →

Beyond town hall

Who represents Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge is represented in Congress by Senators Bill Cassidy and John Kennedy and Representatives Cleo Fields and Julia Letlow. Jeff Landry is governor.

All of Baton Rouge's representatives, with contacts →

Budget: U.S. Census Bureau, 2022 Census of Governments: Finance (every city and town government's revenue, spending and debt, grouped into plain categories). Property tax: Census American Community Survey, 5-year estimates.

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Baton Rouge

Louisiana · LA
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Boundary source: https://tigerweb.geo.census.gov/arcgis/rest/services/TIGERweb/Places_CouSub_ConCity_SubMCD/MapServer/18 · 2025-01-01