Housing decision brief
Vernon Parish, LA Housing Market
Vernon Parish screens as a below-state 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.
29th lowest home value out of 64 Louisiana counties with data | 51st lowest rent out of 63
Median home value
$143,500
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$1,038/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$593/mo
Owner costs before individual loan terms.
Decision snapshot
Read this county in four signals.
Buy screen
2.5x
Median home value divided by local household income.
Rent burden
25.0%
Below 30% usually screens as less pressured.
Rent vs own
$445/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
$143,500 median home value is 5% below Louisiana county median
Rent burden below pressure line
25.00% of renter income goes to rent, below the 30% burden threshold.
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $445/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Tax rate needs attention
0.54% 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 42.3 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
- Remote earners or cash buyers looking below the state price line
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 Vernon 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. | $143,500 | $150,850 | $281,900 | 5% favorable5% below Louisiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $1,038 | $806 | $1,163 | 29% pressure29% above Louisiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $593 | $595 | $1,672 | Near state medianAt the Louisiana county median |
Median household income | $58,281 | $53,177 | $74,755 | 10% favorable10% above Louisiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.54% | 0.00% | 1.02% | Needs dataNo Louisiana county median comparison available |
Rent burden Lower usually helps affordability. | 25.00% | 30.00% | N/A | 17% favorable25.00% 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
+$16,761
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$32,867
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Vernon Parish offers affordable rental housing at a median of $1,038/month , about 21.4% of the typical household income here.
Rent vs own
The median rent in Vernon Parish is $1,038/month, while owner costs run $593/month. Owning saves approximately $445/month.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $41,520/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $25,414/year. With a median household income of $58,281, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 25.0% of renter households in Vernon Parish are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Vernon Parish sits 5% less expensive than Calcasieu Parish ($1,096/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Iberia Parish, LA | $156,000 | $891/mo | Same-state comparison near $156,000 home value and $891/mo rent. |
| Jefferson Davis Parish, LA | $145,000 | $847/mo | Same-state comparison near $145,000 home value and $847/mo rent. |
| St. Martin Parish, LA | $151,000 | $865/mo | Same-state comparison near $151,000 home value and $865/mo rent. |
| St. Bernard Parish, LA | $192,100 | $1,083/mo | Same-state comparison near $192,100 home value and $1,083/mo rent. |
| Grant Parish, LA | $135,900 | $806/mo | Same-state comparison near $135,900 home value and $806/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Vernon Parish
Is Vernon Parish affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Vernon Parish?
How much income do you need for housing in Vernon Parish?
What should I double-check before moving to Vernon Parish?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.