Housing decision brief
De Soto Parish, LA Housing Market
De Soto Parish screens as a below-state purchase price, below-state rent, a higher tax-rate signal market. Use the page as a decision brief, not just a price lookup, because local income, taxes, and data confidence change how affordable the county really is.
32nd lowest home value out of 64 Louisiana counties with data | 10th lowest rent out of 63
Median home value
$150,700
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$719/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$619/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
3.3x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
31.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$100/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Lower purchase price
$150,700 median home value is At the Louisiana county median
Lower rent
$719/mo is 11% below Louisiana county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $100/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$46,077 median income is 13% below Louisiana county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.31% effective property-tax rate is No Louisiana county median comparison available
Water quality cross-check
Water quality grade is F. Review water data before treating housing cost as the full story.
Health context
Health score is 40.1 out of 100, so affordability should be weighed against local health indicators.
Crime data coverage
Crime data coverage is partial. Treat zero or low crime rates as incomplete until you check the source coverage.
Best Fit For
- Households weighing ownership against renting
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
Poor Fit For
- Households dependent on a deep local wage market
- Buyers who will not investigate local water systems before moving
- Anyone treating reported crime rates as complete without source context
County vs State vs National
The county number only matters after you see the benchmark. These comparisons show where De Soto Parish is genuinely cheap, where it is average, and where the hidden cost may be.
| Metric | County | State | U.S. | Signal |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Median home value Lower usually helps affordability. | $150,700 | $150,850 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Louisiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $719 | $806 | $1,163 | 11% favorable11% below Louisiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $619 | $595 | $1,672 | Near state median4% above Louisiana county median |
Median household income | $46,077 | $53,177 | $74,755 | 13% pressure13% below Louisiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.31% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Louisiana county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 31.00% | 30.00% | N/A | Near state median31.00% of renter income goes to rent. |
Income Fit
A low price only helps if local income can carry the monthly cost. This panel compares the county income base with rent and owner-cost thresholds.
Rent cushion
+$17,317
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$19,548
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
De Soto Parish is affordable for renters, with a median gross rent of $719/month representing approximately 18.7% of median household income. The rent burden (GRAPI) stands at 31.0%.
Rent vs own
The median rent in De Soto Parish is $719/month, while owner costs run $619/month. Owning saves approximately $100/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $28,760/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $26,529/year. With a median household income of $46,077, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 31.0% of renter households in De Soto Parish are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Compared to Washington Parish where rent averages $772/month, De Soto Parish is approximately 7% less expensive.
Better Counties to Compare
Similar counties are matched on home value, rent, income, and state context. This is more useful than a simple nearest-price list.
| County | Home Value | Rent | Why compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Acadia Parish, LA | $146,900 | $725/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,900 home value and $725/mo rent. |
| St. Landry Parish, LA | $142,900 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,900 home value and $742/mo rent. |
| Natchitoches Parish, LA | $163,000 | $767/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,000 home value and $767/mo rent. |
| Washington Parish, LA | $139,400 | $772/mo | Same-state comparison near $139,400 home value and $772/mo rent. |
| Franklin Parish, LA | $117,200 | $719/mo | Same-state comparison near $117,200 home value and $719/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for De Soto Parish
Is De Soto Parish affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in De Soto Parish?
How much income do you need for housing in De Soto Parish?
What should I double-check before moving to De Soto Parish?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.