County FMR · HUD FY2026
East Baton Rouge Parish Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for East Baton Rouge Parish, LA - 11% above the US average.
- $1,064
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,204
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -1.6%
- YoY change
- +11%
- vs US avg
The verdict
East Baton Rouge is the 16th most expensive of 64 counties in Louisiana by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #16
- most expensive of 64 in Louisiana (2BR)
- +28%
- vs the state average
- $42,560
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -1.6%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (12.5%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (55.2%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for East Baton Rouge Parish, LA. Verify with HUD →
East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,064 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,204/mo and a studio is $1,032/mo. That's 11% above the national benchmark of $959 and 28% above the Louisiana average of $832.
Rent decreased1.6% from FY 2025 ($1,081), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $42,560/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Louisiana. Population: 454,369. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (+2.0%, Census ACS). That's faster than Louisiana's statewide growth of -0.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for East Baton Rouge Parish
The East Baton Rouge Parish FMR area applies to all ZIP codes inside the county boundary, and Louisiana's housing authorities use it as the baseline for Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. See how FMR is calculated for the full 40th-percentile methodology and payment-standard rules.
Compared to the rest of the country, a 1-bedroom here is 11% above the US average of $959 and 28% higher than the Louisiana state average of $832. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$1,081 in FY 2025 to $1,064 in FY 2026 - a change of -1.6%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,064, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $42,560 per year (about $3,547/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,204 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 454,369 and a county median household income of $63,075, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.
Fair Market Rents (2026)
Year-over-Year Comparison
| Bedrooms | FY 2025 | FY 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Studio | $1,063 | $1,032 | $-31 (-2.9%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,081 | $1,064 | $-17 (-1.6%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,222 | $1,204 | $-18 (-1.5%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,528 | $1,511 | $-17 (-1.1%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,023 | $1,943 | $-80 (-4.0%) |
Affordability Snapshot
Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:
Rent Burden Analysis
How much of household income goes to rent in East Baton Rouge Parish. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.
How we calculate this
Rent burden = (FMR × 12) ÷ county median household income. Required income = (FMR × 12) ÷ 0.3, the federal 30%-of-gross-income rule HUD uses to define cost burden. Median household income is from the U.S. Census Bureau's American Community Survey; FMR is from HUD's FY2026 release. See methodology.
East Baton Rouge Parish 2-bedroom rent burden
Where East Baton Rouge sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,204 Top 31% higher than 69% of 3,145 counties
Each bar is a $0.2K-wide band; taller bars hold more counties. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Source U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, Fair Market Rents · FY2026
How East Baton Rouge compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Louisiana counties
- St. Tammany
St. Tammany Parish
$1,130 1BR FMR / mo
- Jefferson
Jefferson Parish
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- Orleans
Orleans Parish
$1,113 1BR FMR / mo
- East Baton Rouge
East Baton Rouge Parish
$1,064 1BR FMR / mo
- Caddo
Caddo Parish
$982 1BR FMR / mo
- Calcasieu
Calcasieu Parish
$928 1BR FMR / mo
- Lafayette
Lafayette Parish
$898 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows East Baton Rouge is highlighted. Nearby Louisiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: St. Tammany Parish ($1,130), Jefferson Parish ($1,113), Orleans Parish ($1,113), East Baton Rouge Parish (this county) ($1,064), Caddo Parish ($982), Calcasieu Parish ($928), Lafayette Parish ($898).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,064/mo compares to Louisiana salaries for popular occupations (BLS wage data, 30%-of-income rule).
| Occupation | LA Salary | Rent Burden | Verdict |
|---|---|---|---|
| Software Developers | $102,290 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,060 | 12.5% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,880 | 16.2% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,540 | 18.4% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,590 | 21.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,280 | 24.4% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $50,580 | 25.2% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,770 | 26.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $47,580 | 26.8% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,700 | 33% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $35,890 | 35.6% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,820 | 44.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $27,940 | 45.7% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,040 | 47.2% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,110 | 55.2% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for East Baton Rouge Parish. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for East Baton Rouge (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 39.1% overall, from $765 to $1,064. The path there hasn't been smooth: year-over-year moves have swung by as much as 28.3% (FY 2024), a volatility pattern that makes single-year comparisons a poor guide to the underlying trend.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓1.6% | $1,032 | $1,064 | $1,204 |
| FY 2025 ↓3.8% | $1,063 | $1,081 | $1,222 |
| FY 2024 ↑28.3% | $1,107 | $1,124 | $1,277 |
| FY 2023 ↑12.2% | $859 | $876 | $1,005 |
| FY 2022 ↓8.8% | $744 | $781 | $917 |
| FY 2021 ↑11.9% | $794 | $856 | $1,013 |
| FY 2020 | $678 | $765 | $894 |
Part of the Baton Rouge, LA Metro Area
East Baton Rouge Parish is a central county of the Baton Rouge, LA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 9 other metro-area counties.
East Baton Rouge Parish ranks #8 of 10 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Livingston Parish ($1,064), Ascension Parish ($1,064), West Baton Rouge Parish ($1,064), Pointe Coupee Parish ($1,064), East Feliciana Parish ($1,064), West Feliciana Parish ($1,064), St. Helena Parish ($1,064), East Baton Rouge Parish (this county) ($1,064), Assumption Parish ($806), Iberville Parish ($790).
Nearby Counties in Louisiana
Largest counties by population in Louisiana
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
How does East Baton Rouge Parish rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
Is rent going up or down in East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
How much has rent changed in East Baton Rouge Parish over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for East Baton Rouge Parish? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat East Baton Rouge's FY2026 Fair Market Rent as HUD's affordability benchmark, not a market quote.
- Budget to roughly 30% of income: the FY2026 1-bedroom FMR of $1,064 implies about $42,560/yr to rent without being cost-burdened. Run your numbers
- Compare this county against nearby metros and states before signing a lease. Compare areas
- See where it sits on the national rent map. View rankings
Fair Market Rent is HUD's 40th-percentile policy benchmark used to set Housing Choice Voucher payment standards. Actual asking rents in East Baton Rouge can run higher or lower, and HUD updates FMRs once a year. This page is informational and not financial or relocation advice.
Disclaimer: This information is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute professional advice. Data is sourced from the U.S. Census Bureau and HUD Fair Market Rents. Consult a qualified professional before making decisions based on this data.
Every figure on PlainRent is rendered directly from HUD's published Fair Market Rent records, no number is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of FY 2026.