The typical owner-occupied home in Empire is worth about $152,900, 29% below the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 54% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $249 a year in property taxes, about 0.16% of their home's value, lower than the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $47,083 a year, so the median home costs 3.2 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 91% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 23% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Empire at a glance
| Empire | Louisiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $152,900 | $216,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $249 | $1,180 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.16% | 0.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $47,083 | $60,756 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 91% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 23% | 52% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,452 | $1,604 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 9.0% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | – | $1,064 | $1,413 |
| Median year homes were built | 2005 | 1983 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 20.6% | 14.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 988 | 4,611,961 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Empire
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Empire home of $152,900 with 20% down costs about $907 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,162, 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 $38,869 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 23% of the median Empire household income of $47,083; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $185,000.
| Down payment | $30,580 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $122,320 |
| Principal and interest | $823 |
| Property taxes (0.16% a year) | $20 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $64 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $907 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $5,352 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $150,131 |
| Principal and interest | $1,010 |
| Property taxes (0.16% a year) | $20 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $64 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $68 |
| Total per month | $1,162 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Empire
What is the median home value in Empire?
About $152,900 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Empire?
Homeowners pay a median $249 a year, which is about 0.16% 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 Empire?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $907 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $38,869 a year.
More about Empire
- Mortgage Refinance in Empire
- Debt Relief in Empire
- Home Equity Loans in Empire
- 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