LALouisiana rankings

Towns where rent is easiest to afford in Louisiana

Ranked by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. 34 towns with 2,500+ residents.

U.S. Census ACS 2020–2024 5-year

1 Elmwood 24.1% Median rent $1,602 2 Bayou Cane 24.3% Median rent $1,101 3 Mandeville 40.1% Median rent $1,422

#TownRenters paying 30%+Median rentRenter households

1 Elmwood6,077 people 24.1% $1,602 3,402

2 Bayou Cane21,253 people 24.3% $1,101 2,893

3 Mandeville12,946 people 40.1% $1,422 1,680

4 DeRidder9,763 people 43.9% $958 1,215

West Monroe12,729 people 45.2% $826 2,517

6 Covington11,658 people 47.9% $1,396 1,256

7 Metairie139,729 people 49.6% $1,175 21,814

Lafayette121,715 people 50.6% $1,100 22,899

9 Opelousas15,495 people 51.4% $717 2,498

10 New Iberia27,571 people 51.6% $894 4,817

Bossier City62,901 people 52% $1,107 11,437

Leesville5,495 people 53.5% $894 1,201

Gardere12,223 people 53.6% $1,157 2,426

Terrytown24,726 people 53.7% $1,135 4,408

15 Shreveport180,982 people 55.7% $987 31,664

Kenner64,904 people 55.7% $1,179 8,925

Chalmette22,616 people 57.3% $1,110 3,010

18 Lake Charles81,143 people 57.4% $1,109 11,284

Slidell28,561 people 57.4% $1,375 3,283

20 Alexandria44,060 people 58.5% $931 7,672

Baton Rouge222,771 people 58.7% $1,067 41,573

Marrero32,540 people 58.8% $1,042 3,968

23 New Orleans371,853 people 59.8% $1,251 68,978

Jefferson9,703 people 59.8% $1,097 2,097

Natchitoches17,577 people 60.3% $802 3,304

26 Laplace28,343 people 61.1% $1,351 2,011

27 Pineville14,160 people 62.9% $910 2,445

28 Monroe47,004 people 65.1% $886 8,634

Central29,783 people 65.2% $1,309 1,062

Harvey20,915 people 65.2% $1,190 3,712

31 Ruston22,284 people 67% $816 4,874

32 Hammond21,539 people 69.5% $1,061 3,745

Gretna17,389 people 70.4% $1,060 3,574

Minden11,455 people 71% $895 1,803

How this ranking works

We rank every town by the share of renter households spending 30% or more of their income on rent, the federal "cost-burdened" line. Lower is better. Only towns with 1,000+ renter households are ranked, because smaller samples are too uncertain. The town with the lowest figure ranks #1. For comparison, the figure for Louisiana as a whole is 54.8%.

Only towns with at least 2,500 residents are ranked; Census estimates for smaller places are too uncertain. Population and income: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-year estimates. Town photos: Wikimedia Commons, credited on each town’s page.

Same ranking in other states

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