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Buying a home in Monroe, Louisiana

The typical owner-occupied home in Monroe is worth about $198,900, 8% below the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 40% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,001 a year in property taxes, about 0.50% of their home's value, lower than the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $40,505 a year, so the median home costs 4.9 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 48% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 47% of those owners still have a mortgage.

Monroe at a glance

Monroe Louisiana U.S.
Median home value $198,900 $216,500 $332,700
Median property tax paid per year $1,001 $1,180 $3,119
Property tax as a share of value 0.50% 0.55% 0.94%
Median household income $40,505 $60,756 $80,734
Homes lived in by their owners 48% 67% 65%
Owner homes with a mortgage 47% 52% 61%
Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage $1,495 $1,604 $1,963
Those costs as a share of the owners' income 18.3% 20.4% 21.0%
Median rent $886 $1,064 $1,413
Rent as a share of renters' income 41.5% 32.8% 30.6%
Median year homes were built 1971 1983 1980
Vacant homes 15.0% 14.4% 10.1%
Population 47,004 4,611,961 334,922,499

What a typical home costs per month in Monroe

At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Monroe home of $198,900 with 20% down costs about $1,236 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,568, 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 $52,978 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 37% of the median Monroe household income of $40,505; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $152,000.

The median rent here is $886 a month, so owning the median home costs about $350 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.

20% down, 30-year conventional loan
Down payment$39,780
Loan amount$159,120
Principal and interest$1,070
Property taxes (0.50% a year)$83
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
PMI$0
Total per month$1,236

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3.5% down, 30-year FHA loan
Down payment$6,962
Loan amount$195,297
Principal and interest$1,314
Property taxes (0.50% a year)$83
Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year)$83
FHA mortgage insurance$88
Total per month$1,568

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Questions about home buying in Monroe

What is the median home value in Monroe?

About $198,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.

How much are property taxes in Monroe?

Homeowners pay a median $1,001 a year, which is about 0.50% 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 Monroe?

For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,236 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $52,978 a year.

More about Monroe

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