Housing decision brief
Washington Parish, LA Housing Market
Washington 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.
26th lowest home value out of 64 Louisiana counties with data | 24th lowest rent out of 63
Median home value
$139,400
Purchase-price signal from Census ACS.
Median rent
$772/mo
Gross rent, including utilities where reported.
Monthly owner cost
$469/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
34.0%
At or above the 30% burden threshold.
Rent vs own
$303/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
$139,400 median home value is 8% below Louisiana county median
Lower rent
$772/mo is 4% below Louisiana county median
Owning screens cheaper than renting
Median owner costs are $303/mo below median rent before individual mortgage terms.
What to Check
Lower income base
$42,776 median income is 20% below Louisiana county median
Tax rate needs attention
0.35% 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 29.4 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 Washington 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. | $139,400 | $150,850 | $281,900 | 8% favorable8% below Louisiana county median |
Median gross rent Lower usually helps affordability. | $772 | $806 | $1,163 | Near state median4% below Louisiana county median |
Monthly owner cost Lower usually helps affordability. | $469 | $595 | $1,672 | 21% favorable21% below Louisiana county median |
Median household income | $42,776 | $53,177 | $74,755 | 20% pressure20% below Louisiana county median |
Effective property-tax rate Lower usually helps affordability. | 0.35% | 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
+$11,896
Median income minus rent threshold.
Owner cushion
+$22,676
Median income minus owner-cost threshold.
Affordability Advisory
This turns the raw housing numbers into income and buy-versus-rent screens.
Affordability verdict
Housing in Washington Parish is affordable. The median rent is $772/month against a median household income of $42,776, putting rent at 21.7% of income.
Rent vs own
Renters in Washington Parish pay $772/month on average, compared to $469/month for homeowners. This market favors buyers by about 39%.
Income needed
To afford the median rent without exceeding 30% of gross income, a household needs to earn approximately $30,880/year. For owner costs at the 28% rule, the required income is roughly $20,100/year. With a median household income of $42,776, most households can comfortably afford rent here. Notably, 34.0% of renter households in Washington Parish are cost-burdened, spending more than 30% of income on housing.
Regional context
Washington Parish sits 7% more expensive than De Soto Parish ($719/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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Landry Parish, LA | $142,900 | $742/mo | Same-state comparison near $142,900 home value and $742/mo rent. |
| Acadia Parish, LA | $146,900 | $725/mo | Same-state comparison near $146,900 home value and $725/mo rent. |
| De Soto Parish, LA | $150,700 | $719/mo | Same-state comparison near $150,700 home value and $719/mo rent. |
| Natchitoches Parish, LA | $163,000 | $767/mo | Same-state comparison near $163,000 home value and $767/mo rent. |
| Assumption Parish, LA | $141,200 | $801/mo | Same-state comparison near $141,200 home value and $801/mo rent. |
Data Confidence
- Crime coverage is partial, so safety comparisons need source context.
Next Checks
Housing Questions for Washington Parish
Is Washington Parish affordable for buying a home?
Is renting or owning cheaper in Washington Parish?
How much income do you need for housing in Washington Parish?
What should I double-check before moving to Washington Parish?
Data: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2019-2023) — Informational only. Not financial or legal advice.