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Buying a home in Westlake, Louisiana

The typical owner-occupied home in Westlake is worth about $166,100, 23% below the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 50% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $525 a year in property taxes, about 0.32% of their home's value, lower than the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $68,381 a year, so the median home costs 2.4 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 75% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 31% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Westlake at a glance

Westlake Louisiana U.S.
Median home value $166,100 $216,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $525 $1,180 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.32% 0.55% 0.94%
Median household income $68,381 $60,756 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 75% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 31% 52% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,656 $1,604 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 22.4% 20.4% 21.0%
Median rent $1,049 $1,064 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 41.7% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1977 1983 1980
Vacant homes 18.9% 14.4% 10.1%
Population 4,743 4,611,961 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Westlake

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Westlake home of $166,100 with 20% down costs about $1,007 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,284, because the loan is bigger and FHA adds mortgage insurance.

Lenders usually want housing costs under about 28% of gross income, which means an income of roughly $43,174 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 18% of the median Westlake household income of $68,381; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $263,000.

The median rent here is $1,049 a month, a little more than the monthly cost of owning the median home with 20% down.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$33,220
Loan amount$132,880
Principal and interest$894
Property taxes (0.32% a year)$44
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
PMI$0
Total per month$1,007

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$5,814
Loan amount$163,092
Principal and interest$1,097
Property taxes (0.32% a year)$44
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$69
FHA mortgage insurance$73
Total per month$1,284

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Questions about home buying in Westlake

What is the median home value in Westlake?

About $166,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Westlake?

Homeowners pay a median $525 a year, which is about 0.32% of the median home value. Your bill depends on your home's assessed value and local rates.

What income do you need to buy a home in Westlake?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,007 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $43,174 a year.

More about Westlake

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 2020–2024 5-year estimates; Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey, week of November 12, 2026. Estimates for small places have wide margins of error. About our data