The typical owner-occupied home in Rapides Parish is worth about $181,100, 16% below the Louisiana median of $216,500 and 46% below the national median of $332,700. Owners pay a median $1,000 a year in property taxes, about 0.55% of their home's value, close to the Louisiana rate of 0.55%. The median household earns $54,967 a year, so the median home costs 3.3 times the median income (3.6 times for Louisiana). 65% of occupied homes here are lived in by their owners, and 50% of those owners still have a mortgage.
Rapides Parish at a glance
| Rapides Parish | Louisiana | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $181,100 | $216,500 | $332,700 |
| Median property tax paid per year | $1,000 | $1,180 | $3,119 |
| Property tax as a share of value | 0.55% | 0.55% | 0.94% |
| Median household income | $54,967 | $60,756 | $80,734 |
| Homes lived in by their owners | 65% | 67% | 65% |
| Owner homes with a mortgage | 50% | 52% | 61% |
| Median monthly costs, owners with a mortgage | $1,477 | $1,604 | $1,963 |
| Those costs as a share of the owners' income | 19.5% | 20.4% | 21.0% |
| Median rent | $950 | $1,064 | $1,413 |
| Rent as a share of renters' income | 32.3% | 32.8% | 30.6% |
| Median year homes were built | 1980 | 1983 | 1980 |
| Vacant homes | 16.4% | 14.4% | 10.1% |
| Population | 127,527 | 4,611,961 | 334,922,499 |
What a typical home costs per month in Rapides Parish
At this week's average 30-year rate of 7.11%, buying the median Rapides Parish home of $181,100 with 20% down costs about $1,133 a month, including property taxes and insurance. With an FHA loan and 3.5% down, it's about $1,435, 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 $48,561 for the 20%-down payment. That payment is 25% of the median Rapides Parish household income of $54,967; at that income and 20% down, the 28% guideline points to a home of about $205,000.
The median rent here is $950 a month, so owning the median home costs about $183 a month more than renting, before you count the equity you build and any tax benefits.
| Down payment | $36,220 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $144,880 |
| Principal and interest | $975 |
| Property taxes (0.55% a year) | $83 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $75 |
| PMI | $0 |
| Total per month | $1,133 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
| Down payment | $6,338 |
|---|---|
| Loan amount | $177,820 |
| Principal and interest | $1,196 |
| Property taxes (0.55% a year) | $83 |
| Homeowners insurance (our estimate, 0.5% a year) | $75 |
| FHA mortgage insurance | $80 |
| Total per month | $1,435 |
Change the numbers in the calculator
Questions about home buying in Rapides Parish
What is the median home value in Rapides Parish?
About $181,100 for owner-occupied homes, according to the Census Bureau's 2020–2024 American Community Survey.
How much are property taxes in Rapides Parish?
Homeowners pay a median $1,000 a year, which is about 0.55% 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 Rapides Parish?
For the median home with 20% down at 7.11%, the payment is about $1,133 a month. Keeping that under 28% of gross income takes about $48,561 a year.
More about Rapides Parish
- Mortgage Refinance in Rapides Parish
- Debt Relief in Rapides Parish
- Home Equity Loans in Rapides Parish
- 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