County FMR · HUD FY2026

Natchitoches Parish Fair Market Rent

HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Natchitoches Parish, LA - 26% below the US average.

Compiled by PlainRent Editorial, Fair Market Rent Editorial Team · May 15, 2026

$705
1-bedroom FMR: $925
2-bedroom FMR: -10.0%
YoY change: -26%
vs US avg

The verdict

Natchitoches is the 30th cheapest of 64 counties in Louisiana by 2-bedroom FMR; rent here has fallen 10.0% since FY 2025, a modest shift relative to most counties.

#30
cheapest of 64 in Louisiana (2BR): -15%
vs the state average: $28,200
income to afford it (30% rule): -10.0%
YoY, FY2025→2026

Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (8.3%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (36.6%).

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Natchitoches Parish, LA. Verify with HUD →

Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $705 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $925/mo and a studio is $634/mo. That's 26% below the national benchmark of $959 and 15% below the Louisiana average of $832.

Rent decreased10.0% from FY 2025 ($783), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $28,200/year based on the 30% affordability rule.

FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Louisiana. Population: 37,478. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-4.9%, Census ACS). That's slower than Louisiana's statewide growth of -0.9% over the same period.

What these rents mean for Natchitoches Parish

The Natchitoches 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 26% below the US average of $959 and 15% lower than the Louisiana state average of $832. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$783 in FY 2025 to $705 in FY 2026 - a change of -10.0%, which is unusual and suggests softening demand or revised HUD sampling.

At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $705, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $28,200 per year (about $2,350/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $925 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 37,478 and a county median household income of $46,798, the arithmetic here directly shapes which wage earners can rent without being cost-burdened.

Fair Market Rents (2026)

Studio

State avg: $763 · US avg: $893

$634/mo

↓ 9.9% YoY -17% vs state -29% vs US

1 Bedroom

State avg: $832 · US avg: $959

$705/mo

↓ 10.0% YoY -15% vs state -26% vs US

2 Bedroom

State avg: $1,007 · US avg: $1,175

$925/mo

↓ 9.9% YoY -8% vs state -21% vs US

3 Bedroom

State avg: $1,298 · US avg: $1,525

$1,146/mo

↓ 10.0% YoY -12% vs state -25% vs US

4 Bedroom

State avg: $1,508 · US avg: $1,756

$1,373/mo

↓ 5.1% YoY -9% vs state -22% vs US

Year-over-Year Comparison

Bedrooms	FY 2025	FY 2026	Change	vs State	vs US
Studio	$704	$634	$-70 (-9.9%)	-17%	-29%
1 Bedroom	$783	$705	$-78 (-10.0%)	-15%	-26%
2 Bedroom	$1,027	$925	$-102 (-9.9%)	-8%	-21%
3 Bedroom	$1,273	$1,146	$-127 (-10.0%)	-12%	-25%
4 Bedroom	$1,447	$1,373	$-74 (-5.1%)	-9%	-22%

Affordability Snapshot

Based on the standard that rent should not exceed 30% of gross income:

Required annual income for 1 BR

$28,200

$2,350/month gross

Required annual income for 2 BR

$37,000

$3,083/month gross

Rent Burden Analysis

How much of household income goes to rent in Natchitoches Parish. The 30% threshold indicates cost burden.

Studio

16.3%

Affordable

Need $25,360/yr for 30% rule

1 Bedroom

18.1%

Affordable

Need $28,200/yr for 30% rule

2 Bedroom

23.7%

Affordable

Need $37,000/yr for 30% rule

3 Bedroom

29.4%

Affordable

Need $45,840/yr for 30% rule

4 Bedroom

35.2%

Burdened

Need $54,920/yr for 30% rule

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.

Natchitoches Parish 2-bedroom rent burden

County median income: $46,798 · National avg burden: 21.7% ·View Louisiana rent burden →

Where Natchitoches sits among every US county

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties

$925 higher than 19% 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

St. Tammany

$1,130
Jefferson

$1,113
Orleans

$1,113
East Baton Rouge

$1,064
Caddo

$982
Lafayette

$898
Natchitoches

$705

What this shows Natchitoches 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 ($1,064), Caddo Parish ($982), Lafayette Parish ($898), Natchitoches Parish (this county) ($705).

Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?

How a 1-bedroom at $705/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	8.3%	Affordable
General & Operations Managers	$102,060	8.3%	Affordable
Registered Nurses	$78,880	10.7%	Affordable
Accountants & Auditors	$69,540	12.2%	Affordable
Electricians	$59,590	14.2%	Affordable
Elementary School Teachers	$52,280	16.2%	Affordable
Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers	$50,580	16.7%	Affordable
Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers	$48,770	17.3%	Affordable
Paralegals & Legal Assistants	$47,580	17.8%	Affordable
Pharmacy Technicians	$38,700	21.9%	Affordable
Customer Service Representatives	$35,890	23.6%	Affordable
Retail Salespersons	$28,820	29.4%	Affordable
Janitors & Cleaners	$27,940	30.3%	Stretched
Teaching Assistants	$27,040	31.3%	Stretched
Fast Food & Counter Workers	$23,110	36.6%	Stretched

Salaries: BLS OES (Louisiana) median · 30% = affordable threshold · Try the salary calculator →

Rent Trends (2020–2026)

7-year Fair Market Rent history for Natchitoches Parish. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.

Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Natchitoches (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 10.5% overall, from $638 to $705. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +15.4% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.

Natchitoches Parish 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent, FY2020–FY2026

Year	Studio	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
FY 2026 ↓10.0%	$634	$705	$925	$1,146	$1,373
FY 2025 ↑4.7%	$704	$783	$1,027	$1,273	$1,447
FY 2024 ↑15.4%	$666	$748	$983	$1,218	$1,309
FY 2023 ↑5.2%	$570	$648	$853	$1,080	$1,146
FY 2022 ↓4.2%	$539	$616	$811	$1,022	$1,100
FY 2021 ↑0.8%	$559	$643	$848	$1,098	$1,150
FY 2020	$590	$638	$840	$1,100	$1,138

Total change (6yr): +10.5%

Annualized: +1.7%/yr

1 BR: $638 → $705

Part of the Natchitoches, LA Micro Area

Natchitoches Parish is a central county of the Natchitoches, LA micropolitan statistical area.

Nearby Counties in Louisiana

Largest counties by population in Louisiana

East Baton Rouge Parish

1 BR: $1,064/mo Pop: 454,369

Jefferson Parish

1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 436,171

Orleans Parish

1 BR: $1,113/mo Pop: 380,408

St. Tammany Parish

1 BR: $1,130/mo Pop: 266,168

Lafayette Parish

1 BR: $898/mo Pop: 243,175

Caddo Parish

1 BR: $982/mo Pop: 236,259

Calcasieu Parish

1 BR: $928/mo Pop: 210,770

Ouachita Parish

1 BR: $793/mo Pop: 159,585

Compare Natchitoches Parish against

View all counties in Louisiana →

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the average rent in Natchitoches Parish? ▼

The FY 2026 Fair Market Rent for a 1-bedroom in Natchitoches Parish is $705 per month. A 2-bedroom is $925 and a studio is $634.

How does Natchitoches Parish rent compare to the national average? ▼

Rent in Natchitoches Parish is 26% below the national average. A 1-bedroom here costs $705 compared to $959 nationally.

What income do I need to afford rent in Natchitoches Parish? ▼

Based on the 30% affordability rule, you need an annual income of at least $28,200 ($2,350/month) to afford a 1-bedroom at Fair Market Rent in Natchitoches Parish.

Is rent going up or down in Natchitoches Parish? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Natchitoches Parish decreased by 10.0% from FY 2025 to FY 2026, going from $783 to $705.

Which jobs can afford rent in Natchitoches Parish? ▼

Based on Louisiana BLS salary data and the 30% affordability rule, jobs like Software Developers, General and Operations Managers, Registered Nurses can afford a 1-bedroom at $705/mo. 12 of 15 common occupations are affordable here.

How much has rent changed in Natchitoches Parish over time? ▼

The 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent in Natchitoches Parish went from $638 in FY 2020 to $705 in FY 2026, a total change of +10.5% over 6 years.

How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Natchitoches Parish? ▼

In Natchitoches Parish, the FY 2026 FMR of $705/mo for a 1-bedroom sets the baseline that local housing authorities use for Section 8 payment standards.

What does Fair Market Rent mean for Natchitoches Parish? ▼

For Natchitoches Parish, it's the specific 40th-percentile rent HUD publishes each year ($705/mo for a 1-bedroom in FY 2026).

What this means for renters

Treat Natchitoches'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 $705 implies about $28,200/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 Natchitoches 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.

All federal data sources used on this page

HUD Fair Market Rents (FMR) - county-level fair-market rent estimates by bedroom count. huduser.gov/datasets/fmr
HUD Income Limits - area median income for affordability calculations. huduser.gov/datasets/il
HUD Comprehensive Housing Affordability Strategy (CHAS) - rent burden and housing-cost distribution. huduser.gov/datasets/cp
U.S. Census Bureau ACS - county and metro housing characteristics + median rent. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
BLS Consumer Price Index, Rent of Primary Residence - rent inflation by metro. bls.gov/cpi
IRS Migration Data (SOI) - interstate migration aggregates affecting county demand. irs.gov/statistics/migration
BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics - state-level median wages by occupation, used for job affordability analysis. bls.gov/oes

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.