The typical owner-occupied home in Baton Rouge is worth about $234,700, 8% above the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 29% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,459 a year in property taxes, about 0.62% of their home's value, higher than the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $49,994 a year, so the median home costs 4.7 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 48% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 56% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Baton Rouge at a glance
| Baton Rouge | Louisiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $234,700 | $216,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,459 | $1,180 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.62% | 0.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $49,994 | $60,756 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 48% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 56% | 52% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,668 | $1,604 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.8% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $1,067 | $1,064 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 35.4% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1976 | 1983 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 17.3% | 14.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 222,771 | 4,611,961 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Baton Rouge
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Baton Rouge home of $234,700 with 20% down costs about $1,482 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,873, 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 $63,519 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 36% of the median Baton Rouge household income of $49,994; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $185,000.
The median rent here is $1,067 a month, so owning the median home costs about $415 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $46,940 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $187,760 |
| Principal and interest | $1,263 |
| Property taxes (0.62% a year) | $121 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $98 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,482 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $8,214 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $230,449 |
| Principal and interest | $1,550 |
| Property taxes (0.62% a year) | $121 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $98 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $104 |
| Total per month | $1,873 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Baton Rouge
What is the median home value in Baton Rouge?
About $234,700 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Baton Rouge?
Homeowners pay a median $1,459 a year, which is about 0.62% 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 Baton Rouge?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,482 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $63,519 a year.
More about Baton Rouge
- Mortgage Refinance in Baton Rouge
- Debt Relief in Baton Rouge
- Home Equity Loans in Baton Rouge
- Guides and quotes for mortgage refinance on our sister site, MortgageRefinance.com
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