County FMR · HUD FY2026
Rapides Parish Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for Rapides Parish, LA - 19% below the US average.
- $780
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $994
- 2-bedroom FMR
- +2.4%
- YoY change
- -19%
- vs US avg
The verdict
Rapides is the 29th most expensive of 64 counties in Louisiana by 2-bedroom FMR.
- #29
- most expensive of 64 in Louisiana (2BR)
- -6%
- vs the state average
- $31,200
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- +2.4%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (9.2%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (40.5%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for Rapides Parish, LA. Verify with HUD →
Rapides Parish, Louisiana carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $780 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $994/mo and a studio is $728/mo. That's 19% below the national benchmark of $959 and 6% below the Louisiana average of $832.
Rent increased2.4% from FY 2025 ($762), outpacing inflation. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $31,200/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Louisiana. Population: 129,536. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-2.3%, Census ACS). That's in line with Louisiana's statewide growth of -0.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for Rapides Parish
The Rapides 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 19% below the US average of $959 and 6% lower than the Louisiana state average of $832. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$762 in FY 2025 to $780 in FY 2026 - a change of +2.4%, which outpaces typical consumer inflation.
At the FY 2026 1-bedroom FMR of $780, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $31,200 per year (about $2,600/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $994 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 129,536 and a county median household income of $55,946, 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 | $710 | $728 | +$18 (+2.5%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $762 | $780 | +$18 (+2.4%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,000 | $994 | $-6 (-0.6%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,354 | $1,342 | $-12 (-0.9%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $1,513 | $1,523 | +$10 (+0.7%) |
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 Rapides 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.
Rapides Parish 2-bedroom rent burden
Where Rapides sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$994 higher than 45% 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 Rapides 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
- Lafayette
Lafayette Parish
$898 1BR FMR / mo
- Rapides
Rapides Parish
$780 1BR FMR / mo
What this shows Rapides 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), Rapides Parish (this county) ($780).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $780/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 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,060 | 9.2% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,880 | 11.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,540 | 13.5% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,590 | 15.7% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,280 | 17.9% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $50,580 | 18.5% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,770 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $47,580 | 19.7% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,700 | 24.2% | Affordable |
| Customer Service Representatives | $35,890 | 26.1% | Affordable |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,820 | 32.5% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $27,940 | 33.5% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,040 | 34.6% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,110 | 40.5% | Stretched |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for Rapides Parish. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for Rapides (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 21.9% overall, from $640 to $780. The increases have been fairly steady year to year, with no single jump exceeding 10.8% (FY 2024).
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↑2.4% | $728 | $780 | $994 |
| FY 2025 ↑0.7% | $710 | $762 | $1,000 |
| FY 2024 ↑10.8% | $674 | $757 | $995 |
| FY 2023 ↑7.2% | $601 | $683 | $899 |
| FY 2022 ↓2.0% | $543 | $637 | $818 |
| FY 2021 ↑1.6% | $540 | $650 | $819 |
| FY 2020 | $517 | $640 | $794 |
Part of the Alexandria, LA Metro Area
Rapides Parish is a central county of the Alexandria, LA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 1 other metro-area county.
Rapides Parish ranks #2 of 2 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Grant Parish ($780), Rapides Parish (this county) ($780).
Nearby Counties in Louisiana
Largest counties by population in Louisiana
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in Rapides Parish? ▼
How does Rapides Parish rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in Rapides Parish? ▼
Is rent going up or down in Rapides Parish? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in Rapides Parish? ▼
How much has rent changed in Rapides Parish over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in Rapides Parish? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for Rapides Parish? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat Rapides'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 $780 implies about $31,200/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 Rapides 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.