Housing decision brief
St. Martin Parish, LA Housing Market
St. Martin Parish screens as a higher purchase price, rent that needs comparison, 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.
33rd lowest home value out of 64 Louisiana counties with data | 39th lowest rent out of 63
Median home value
$151,000
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$865/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$574/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.8x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
34.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$291/mo
Median owner cost screens below median rent.
Data confidence
1 note
Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
What Works
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $291/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.40% 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 39.7 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
- Buyers comparing homes to local incomes
- Households weighing ownership against renting
Poor Fit For
- 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 St. Martin 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. | $151,000 | $150,850 | $281,900 | Near state medianAt the Louisiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $865 | $806 | $1,163 | 7% pressure7% above Louisiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $574 | $595 | $1,672 | Near state median4% below Louisiana county median |
Median household income | $53,394 | $53,177 | $74,755 | Near state medianAt the Louisiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.40% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Louisiana county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 34.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 13% pressure34.00% 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
+$18,794
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$28,794
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
For renters in St. Martin Parish, the market is affordable. Expect to pay around $865/month in gross rent, with 34.0% of renter households considered cost-burdened.
Rent vs own
The median rent in St. Martin Parish is $865/month, while owner costs run $574/month. Owning saves approximately $291/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $34,600/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $24,600/year. With a median household income of $53,394, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 34.0% of renter households in St. Martin Parish are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
St. Martin Parish sits 6% less expensive than Ouachita Parish ($923/month) in terms of median gross rent.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jefferson Davis Parish, LA | $145,000 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,000 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| Iberia Parish, LA | $156,000 | $891/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,000 home value and $891/mo rent. |
| Assumption Parish, LA | $141,200 | $801/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,200 home value and $801/mo rent. |
| Vermilion Parish, LA | $159,700 | $802/mo | Same-state comparison near $159,700 home value and $802/mo rent. |
| St. Mary Parish, LA | $128,000 | $839/mo | Same-state comparison near $128,000 home value and $839/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for St. Martin Parish
Is St. Martin Parish affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in St. Martin Parish?
How much income do you need for housing in St. Martin Parish?
What should I double-check before moving to St. Martin Parish?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.