County FMR · HUD FY2026
St. Charles Parish Fair Market Rent
HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rent for St. Charles Parish, LA - 16% above the US average.
- $1,113
- 1-bedroom FMR
- $1,331
- 2-bedroom FMR
- -10.0%
- YoY change
- +16%
- vs US avg
The verdict
St. Charles is the 3rd most expensive 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.
- #3
- most expensive of 64 in Louisiana (2BR)
- +34%
- vs the state average
- $44,520
- income to afford it (30% rule)
- -10.0%
- YoY, FY2025→2026
Software Developers spend the smallest share of income on rent here (13.1%), while Fast Food and Counter Workers spend the most (57.8%).
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rent for St. Charles Parish, LA. Verify with HUD →
St. Charles Parish, Louisiana carries an FY 2026 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,113 per month, the federal benchmark HUD publishes for this county. A 2-bedroom costs $1,331/mo and a studio is $964/mo. That's 16% above the national benchmark of $959 and 34% above the Louisiana average of $832.
Rent decreased10.0% from FY 2025 ($1,236), declining against the trend. To afford rent here, a household needs at least $44,520/year based on the 30% affordability rule.
FY 2026 HUD Fair Market Rents in Louisiana. Population: 52,191. Population has held roughly steady over the past five years (-1.6%, Census ACS). That's in line with Louisiana's statewide growth of -0.9% over the same period.
What these rents mean for St. Charles Parish
The St. Charles 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 16% above the US average of $959 and 34% higher than the Louisiana state average of $832. The 1-bedroom FMR went from$1,236 in FY 2025 to $1,113 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 $1,113, affording it under the 30%-of-income rule takes $44,520 per year (about $3,710/month) in household income, and a 2-bedroom at $1,331 pushes that threshold even higher. With a population of 52,191 and a county median household income of $82,172, 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 | $1,071 | $964 | $-107 (-10.0%) |
| 1 Bedroom | $1,236 | $1,113 | $-123 (-10.0%) |
| 2 Bedroom | $1,478 | $1,331 | $-147 (-9.9%) |
| 3 Bedroom | $1,889 | $1,701 | $-188 (-10.0%) |
| 4 Bedroom | $2,217 | $1,996 | $-221 (-10.0%) |
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 St. Charles 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.
St. Charles Parish 2-bedroom rent burden
Where St. Charles sits among every US county
2-bedroom Fair Market Rent vs. all 3,145 HUD counties
$1,331 Top 23% higher than 77% 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 St. Charles compares on 1-bedroom rent
1-bedroom FMR vs other Louisiana counties
- St. Tammany
St. Tammany Parish
$1,130 1BR FMR / mo
- St. Charles
St. Charles Parish
$1,113 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
What this shows St. Charles is highlighted. Nearby Louisiana counties by 1-bedroom FMR, highest to lowest: St. Tammany Parish ($1,130), St. Charles Parish (this county) ($1,113), Jefferson Parish ($1,113), Orleans Parish ($1,113), East Baton Rouge Parish ($1,064), Caddo Parish ($982), Lafayette Parish ($898).
Can Common Jobs Afford Rent Here?
How a 1-bedroom at $1,113/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 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| General & Operations Managers | $102,060 | 13.1% | Affordable |
| Registered Nurses | $78,880 | 16.9% | Affordable |
| Accountants & Auditors | $69,540 | 19.2% | Affordable |
| Electricians | $59,590 | 22.4% | Affordable |
| Elementary School Teachers | $52,280 | 25.5% | Affordable |
| Police & Sheriff's Patrol Officers | $50,580 | 26.4% | Affordable |
| Heavy & Tractor-Trailer Truck Drivers | $48,770 | 27.4% | Affordable |
| Paralegals & Legal Assistants | $47,580 | 28.1% | Affordable |
| Pharmacy Technicians | $38,700 | 34.5% | Stretched |
| Customer Service Representatives | $35,890 | 37.2% | Stretched |
| Retail Salespersons | $28,820 | 46.3% | Stretched |
| Janitors & Cleaners | $27,940 | 47.8% | Stretched |
| Teaching Assistants | $27,040 | 49.4% | Stretched |
| Fast Food & Counter Workers | $23,110 | 57.8% | Unaffordable |
Rent Trends (2020–2026)
7-year Fair Market Rent history for St. Charles Parish. Shows how HUD rental rates have changed over time.
Over the 6-year span HUD has tracked for St. Charles (FY 2020-2026), the 1-bedroom Fair Market Rent has risen 22.6% overall, from $908 to $1,113. Most of that movement was gradual except for a single sharp jump of +14.7% in FY 2024, well above this county's typical year-to-year change.
| Year | Studio | 1 BR | 2 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY 2026 ↓10.0% | $964 | $1,113 | $1,331 |
| FY 2025 ↑7.6% | $1,071 | $1,236 | $1,478 |
| FY 2024 ↑14.7% | $986 | $1,149 | $1,362 |
| FY 2023 ↑8.1% | $848 | $1,002 | $1,182 |
| FY 2022 ↑3.1% | $786 | $927 | $1,089 |
| FY 2021 ↓1.0% | $765 | $899 | $1,061 |
| FY 2020 | $779 | $908 | $1,078 |
Part of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA Metro Area
St. Charles Parish is a central county of the New Orleans-Metairie, LA metropolitan statistical area, alongside 6 other metro-area counties.
St. Charles Parish ranks #6 of 7 counties in this metro area by 1-bedroom FMR. Every county sharing this metro, highest to lowest: Jefferson Parish ($1,113), Orleans Parish ($1,113), St. Bernard Parish ($1,113), St. John the Baptist Parish ($1,113), Plaquemines Parish ($1,113), St. Charles Parish (this county) ($1,113), St. James Parish ($702).
Nearby Counties in Louisiana
Largest counties by population in Louisiana
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the average rent in St. Charles Parish? ▼
How does St. Charles Parish rent compare to the national average? ▼
What income do I need to afford rent in St. Charles Parish? ▼
Is rent going up or down in St. Charles Parish? ▼
Which jobs can afford rent in St. Charles Parish? ▼
How much has rent changed in St. Charles Parish over time? ▼
How does Fair Market Rent affect Section 8 vouchers in St. Charles Parish? ▼
What does Fair Market Rent mean for St. Charles Parish? ▼
What this means for renters
Treat St. Charles'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 $1,113 implies about $44,520/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 St. Charles 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.