Department of Numbers

Louisiana Residential Rent and Rental Statistics

The median monthly gross residential rent in Louisiana was $866 in 2019 according to the Census ACS survey.1 Average gross rent was $801 in 2019. The median rent more accurately depicts rental rates in the middle of the distribution of rents and is thus preferred in the analysis below. 2020 Louisiana median and average rent data will be released in September of 2021.

Data is also available below for Louisiana rental vacancy rates, Louisiana rent as a percent of median income and the fraction of renters in Louisiana.

Show dollars as: Nominal Real

Real Gross Rent in Louisiana (2019 dollars)2

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US Median Gross Rent $1,097 +1.86% +6.82%
Louisiana Median Gross Rent $866 -0.35% +2.36%

Louisiana Real Gross Rent Trends

Median gross rent for Louisiana peaked in real terms in 2018 at $869 and is now $3 (0.35%) lower. Average gross rent for Louisiana peaked in real terms in 2018 at $821 and is now $20 (2.44%) lower.

Real Gross Rent in Louisiana: Median, Average, US Median

Lower quartile, median and upper quartile real gross rent

Real Gross Rent History for Louisiana

Date US Median Louisiana Median Louisiana Average
2019 $1,097 $866 $801
2018 $1,077 $869 $821
2017 $1,043 $862 $801
2016 $1,027 $846 $809
2015 $1,017 $849 $800
2014 $986 $846 $788
2013 $953 $803 $776
2012 $940 $795 $754
2011 $941 $807 $767
2010 $955 $822 $787
2009 $960 $815 $774

more history ...

Louisiana Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate is the fraction of homes for rent that are not occupied.3 In 2019 the rental vacancy rate for Louisiana was 8.34% according to Census ACS data.

Rental Vacancy Rate in Louisiana

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 5.97% -0.18% +0.08%
Louisiana 8.34% -0.37% -0.10%

Trends in Louisiana Rental Vacancy Rate

The rental vacancy rate in Louisiana peaked in 2010 at 8.98%. Since then it has fallen by 0.64% to 8.34%. Data records for this series originated in 2005.

Rental Vacancy Rate: Louisiana, US

Rental vacancy rate in Louisiana

Historical Rental Vacancy Rate data for Louisiana

Date US Louisiana
2019 5.97% 8.34%
2018 6.15% 8.71%
2017 6.18% 8.74%
2016 5.89% 8.44%
2015 5.85% 8.30%
2014 6.32% 8.36%
2013 6.49% 7.64%
2012 6.77% 8.55%
2011 7.40% 8.15%
2010 8.17% 8.98%
2009 8.43% 8.19%

more history ...

Louisiana Rent as a Fraction of Income

Using median household income data for Louisiana, we can calculate the fraction of income the median household would use to pay rent at the median monthly gross rent rate. For Louisiana, median monthly gross rent as a fraction of median household income was 20.35% in 2019 according to the ACS.

Louisiana Median Annual Rent as a Fraction of Median Household Income

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 20.03% -0.47% -0.40%
Louisiana 20.35% -1.04% -1.13%

Trends in Louisiana Rent as a Fraction of Income

The fraction of median Louisiana household income required to pay median monthly gross rent peaked in 2017 (relative to the 2005 series origin) at 21.74%. Since then it has fallen by 1.39% to 20.35%.

Fraction of Income towards Rent: Louisiana, US

Percent of median household income going towards median monthly gross rent in Louisiana

Historical Data for Annual Rent as a Fraction of Income in Louisiana

Date US Louisiana
2019 20.03% 20.35%
2018 20.50% 21.39%
2017 20.13% 21.74%
2016 20.43% 21.48%
2015 20.63% 20.99%
2014 20.89% 21.57%
2013 20.78% 20.73%
2012 20.65% 20.87%
2011 20.70% 21.48%
2010 20.50% 20.78%
2009 20.12% 20.19%

more history ...

Renter Fraction in Louisiana

You can calculate the renter fraction in Louisiana in at least two ways: by housing units or by population. I've gone with the housing units measure here. This measure looks at the number of renting households in Louisiana as a fraction of total Louisiana households. In 2019 33.51% of households were renters according to Census ACS data.

Louisiana Fraction of Renters by Household Units

2019 1 Year Change 3 Year Change
US 35.89% -0.16% -0.99%
Louisiana 33.51% -1.01% -2.23%

Trends in the Louisiana Renter Fraction

The Louisiana household renter fraction peaked in in 2016 at 35.74% and is now 2.23% below that level. The origin year for the series is 2005.

Fraction of Renting Households: Louisiana, US

Fraction of renters in Louisiana

History of Louisiana Renter Fraction

Date US Louisiana
2019 35.89% 33.51%
2018 36.05% 34.52%
2017 36.13% 34.82%
2016 36.88% 35.74%
2015 36.97% 35.42%
2014 36.90% 35.58%
2013 36.50% 34.03%
2012 36.09% 34.27%
2011 35.42% 33.57%
2010 34.65% 32.45%
2009 34.13% 32.08%

more history ...

1. Gross rent is defined as contract rent plus the estimated average monthly cost of utilities (electricity, gas, water, and sewer) and fuel (oil, coal, kerosene, wood, etc.). Because some rentals include utilities and others don't, gross rent is a way of normalizing the variability.

2. Real dollars are calculated using the CPI-U less shelter series.

3. The rental vacancy rate is computed by dividing the number of vacant units for rent by the sum of the renter-occupied units, vacant units that are for rent, and vacant units that have been rented but not yet occupied.