Cost of Living in Orleans Parish, Louisiana
At a Glance
Rent burden measured as median gross rent as a percentage of renter household income (Census ACS B25071)
These figures are county medians, not a personal budget. Use them to frame rent, ownership, and income tradeoffs, then account for household size, commute, financing, insurance, taxes, debt, and local availability before making a decision.
How Orleans Parish Compares
Median monthly rent comparison
Detailed Housing Stats
National Ranking
Affordability Rank
Orleans Parish ranks #2,757 of 3,142 counties for affordability (bottom 12%)
Sourced county brief
Orleans Parish Median Home Value Exceeds $315,000
The median home value in Orleans Parish was estimated at $315,700, which is $148,331 above the Louisiana unweighted county mean of $167,369. For renter-occupied units, the median gross rent was $1,251 per month, exceeding the state unweighted county mean of $914. The official ACS B25071 gross rent as a percentage of household income (GRAPI) was 35.9%. This canonical rent-to-income percentage is 3.2 percentage points higher than the state unweighted county mean of 32.7%. Renter households had a median income of $35,372. Homeowners in the parish had median selected monthly owner costs of $1,474, which is significantly higher than the state unweighted county mean of $738. All figures are from the ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimate period. See ACS table B25071 for the underlying estimate.
Source record
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25064 Median Gross Rent
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25071 GRAPI
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25077 Median Home Value
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25088 Selected Monthly Owner Costs
- U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2020-2024 5-Year Estimates — B25119 Household Income by Tenure
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-brief-v1
Cost of Living Advisory: Orleans Parish
Affordability Verdict
ACS B25071 estimates median gross rent at 35.9% of renter household income in Orleans Parish, which is between the 30% and 50% rent-burden benchmarks. This is a median percentage among renter-occupied units, not the share of households above a threshold.
Rent vs. Own
Median gross rent is $1,251 per month; median selected monthly owner costs are $1,474. These ACS medians describe different tenure groups and are not a personalized rent-versus-buy calculation.
Income Needed
Using the common 30% budgeting benchmark, $50,040 in annual gross income would allocate 30% to the county's median gross rent. This is a reproducible illustration, not evidence that a particular household can afford housing.
Regional Context
The Louisiana unweighted mean of county median rents is $914 per month. Orleans Parish's $1,251 median is 36.8% above that comparison value.
Data version acs5-2020-2024 · Method cost-advisory-v2
Affordability Calculator
See how your income compares to housing costs in Orleans Parish
Rent Burden
26.5%
of gross income
Max Housing (28% Rule)
$1,321
per month
Owner Cost Burden
31.2%
of gross income
The median home in Orleans Parish may be a stretch
Median home value is $315,700. Estimated monthly cost: $2,520 vs. your max of $1,321.
Rent Affordability Guide
Income Needed Calculator
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Based on the 30% rule for rent and 28% rule for housing costs (mortgage + owner costs). Mortgage estimate assumes 20% down, 7.2% interest, 30-year fixed.
Frequently Asked Questions
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See Today's RatesData: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (ACS) 5-Year Estimates (2020-2024). Data is informational only and is not personalized financial advice.
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