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City · 29,783 residents · East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana

Central , Louisiana

In Central, a typical home is worth $288,700 and typical rent is $1,309 a month. Compared with all of East Baton Rouge Parish, typical household income is 42% higher, the typical home value is 16% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 30 points higher.

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  • Typical home value

    $288,700

    16% above the parish

    33% above Louisiana

    • Central
    • East Baton Rouge
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $1,309a month

    14% above the parish

    23% above Louisiana

    • Central
    • East Baton Rouge
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $89,554a year

    42% above the parish

    47% above Louisiana

    • Central
    • East Baton Rouge
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    89%

    30 points above the parish

    21 points above Louisiana

    • Central
    • East Baton Rouge
    • Louisiana

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

Central is in East Baton Rouge Parish. The FHA loan limit ($541,287 for a one-unit home), the fair market rents and the help on this page are those of all of East Baton Rouge Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Central apart

What this place has that others do not, from public data, most unusual first.

  1. 89% of households in Central own their home, against 59% in East Baton Rouge Parish.

  2. Nearby, in Merrydale, the typical home value is $136,100: 53% less than in Central ($288,700).

  3. The typical household income in Central is $89,554, 42% more than in East Baton Rouge Parish as a whole ($63,071).

  4. Nearby, in Baker, the typical rent is $993: 24% less than in Central ($1,309).

  5. The typical home in Central is worth $288,700, 16% more than in East Baton Rouge Parish as a whole ($248,800).

Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (Average 2020–2024).

The homes here

Housing in Central

What homes there are in Central, what they cost, how that changed and how people live, from Census figures (2020–2024).

What homes there are

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Kind of home

Detached houses, standing on their own, make up 85% of homes here, against 62% in East Baton Rouge Parish.

Mobile homes are 8% of homes in Central, more than in East Baton Rouge Parish (3%).

Year built

Homes in Central are newer: the typical year built is 1990; in East Baton Rouge Parish, 1984.

In Central, 87% of homes have 3 bedrooms or more, more than in East Baton Rouge Parish (62%).

All homes, occupied or empty. A figure the Census cannot measure precisely enough here is not shown.

Census tables: B25024, B25034, B25035, B25041

What it costs here

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

Value of owner-occupied homes

About 87% of owner-occupied homes in Central are worth less than the FHA loan limit for East Baton Rouge Parish ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,879 a month

East Baton Rouge Parish: $1,703 a month

Without a mortgage

$544 a month

East Baton Rouge Parish: $533 a month

Owners with a mortgage

63%

East Baton Rouge Parish: 61%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Central is $1,879 a month, more than in East Baton Rouge Parish ($1,703); without one, $544.

Value: what owners think their home is worth. Rent: rent plus utilities, for homes of every size. The FHA limit is the most an FHA loan (Federal Housing Administration) lends for a one-unit home; the fair market rent (FMR) is the one HUD uses for housing vouchers.

Census tables: B25075, B25063, B25088, B25081

How it changed

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2015–2019 and 2020–2024

Change since 2015–2019

The typical home value in Central rose 33% since 2015–2019, more than in East Baton Rouge Parish (28%).

Rents in Central rose faster than in East Baton Rouge Parish: 41% since 2015–2019, against 23%.

Change between two 5-year periods that do not overlap, in each period's dollars, not adjusted for inflation.

Census tables: B25077, B25064, B19013

How people live

U.S. Census Bureau, ACS 5-year, 2020–2024

MeasureCentralEast Baton Rouge ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate11.1%7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.6%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate2.4%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.592.472.492.53
Drive alone 82%77%79%69%
Carpool 6%10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home 10%9%8%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute Unreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in Central look like those in East Baton Rouge Parish: 2.59 people on average.

In Central, 82% of workers drive alone to work; in East Baton Rouge Parish, 77%.

Vacancy: empty homes offered for rent or for sale. Rooms: every room in the home, not only bedrooms. Commute: the minute range of the typical worker.

Census tables: B25004, B25003, B25014, B25010, B08301, B08303

Do the math

What would you pay each month for a home in Central?

A typical home is tight for the typical income

We start with a typical home in Central, worth $288,700, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 31% of the typical household income in Central, which is $89,554 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $99,630 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Central. Change it to the price you have in mind.

Loan type
Your credit score

Your score changes which loans apply and FHA's minimum down payment. Your real rate also depends on your credit.

Down payment
%

That is $10,105 (3.5% of the price). The usual minimum for this loan is 3.5%.

This week's average ± a quarter or half point.

Term

National average as of November 5, 2026 (Freddie Mac); your rate may be different.

Adjust advanced details

Estimated monthly payment

Local data

$2,325

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$283,470
Total interest
$407,847
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,875 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $2,090 a month

  • Tight

    $2,090 to $2,687 a month

    Your payment · 31%

  • Hard

    more than $2,687 a month

Compared with the typical household income in Central ($89,554 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,325
Principal & interest$1,920
Property tax$156
Home insurance$120
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$128

You need at least $10,105 for the down payment, plus closing costs.

Next step

This is an estimate to give you an idea, not a loan offer. Your real payment depends on your rate, your credit, and the insurance and taxes on the home you buy.

The city and its county

Central and East Baton Rouge Parish

Central is in East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana. The U.S. Census Bureau publishes its own numbers for the city: home values, rent, household income, how many households own their home and the property tax. They are American Community Survey estimates (average 2020–2024).

Central's own numbers

Typical home value
$288,700
Typical monthly rent
$1,309
Typical yearly household income
$89,554
Households that own their home
89%
Effective property tax rate
0.65%

U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey (average 2020–2024).

Numbers for all of East Baton Rouge Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,149
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+23%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
19%

HUD, FHFA and FEMA don't publish these numbers by city.

Other numbers are not published by city, only for the whole county: FHA and conventional loan limits, HUD’s fair market rents, FHFA’s price index and FEMA’s flood data. On this page, those numbers always say they are for all of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Everything about East Baton Rouge Parish

Buying

Buying a home in Central

A typical home in Central is worth $288,700: 16% above the parish and 33% above Louisiana. With the typical household income in Central ($89,554 a year), a typical home costs 3.2 times what the household earns in a year.

Years of income to pay for a typical home

The typical home value divided by the typical household income for one year. The lower it is, the less buying weighs.

  • Central 3.2 years
  • East Baton Rouge 3.9 years
  • Louisiana 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in East Baton Rouge Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in East Baton Rouge Parish rose 42% in the 10 years through 2025.

FHFA does not publish this index by city: these are the numbers for all of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) +2.9% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +23% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +42% +38% +85%

The index follows the price of the same homes over time (sales and appraisals with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac loans). It is not the average price of a home. FHFA considers its annual county indexes experimental. Source: FHFA, 2025 data

Central next to East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana and the U.S.

Three numbers side by side. “Typical” means the median: half are above it and half below.

Typical home value
  • Central $288,700
  • East Baton Rouge $248,800
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Central $1,309
  • East Baton Rouge $1,147
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Central $89,554
  • East Baton Rouge $63,071
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Central next to East Baton Rouge Parish and Louisiana
Measure Central East Baton Rouge Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $288,700 $248,800 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,309 $1,147 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $89,554 $63,071 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 89% 59% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,868 $1,656 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.65% 0.67% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 65% 57% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below East Baton Rouge Parish. “High rent” is the Census measure: renter households that pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

Four ways to pay for a typical home in Central

For a typical $288,700 home in Central, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Central's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,325a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $10,105
    Cash to close
    $18,766
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $128

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,272a month

    Down payment
    $14,435
    Cash to close
    $23,096
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $137

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,841a month

    Down payment
    $57,740
    Cash to close
    $66,401
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $2,108a month

    Down payment
    $43,305
    Cash to close
    $51,966
    Rate
    8.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

The option that asks for the least cash to close is FHA, 3.5% down.

  • Cash to close = down payment plus 3% of the price in closing costs (example).
  • Minimum score: FHA requires 580 or higher for the minimum down payment (HUD Handbook 4000.1). * Fannie Mae requires 620 when a loan is underwritten by hand; its automated system has no fixed minimum.
  • The ITIN row is an example with a rate 1 percentage point higher: ITIN loans follow no federal rule and each lender sets its own down payment and rate. Nothing in this table promises an approval.

How much house can I afford? Estimate closing costs

Taxes and floods

Two costs that change from place to place

Property tax and flood insurance raise or lower what you pay each month. Here are the numbers for Central and for East Baton Rouge Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in Central

0.65%of the home’s value each year

$1,868 a year for the typical owner in Central.

  • Central 0.65%
  • East Baton Rouge 0.67%
  • Louisiana 0.55%

What Louisiana publishes Homestead exemption: $7,500 of assessed value (Louisiana State Legislature (Louisiana Constitution))

Exemptions and deadlines in Louisiana

Flood risk in East Baton Rouge Parish

FEMA does not publish these numbers by city: they are for all of East Baton Rouge Parish.

Homes in the high-risk zone
19%
28,633
Of those, with NFIP insurance
57%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 19% 15% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 57% 73% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Central

Typical rent in Central is $1,309 a month: 14% above the parish. In Central, 65% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of East Baton Rouge Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,149 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $22.10 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of East Baton Rouge Parish

What you need to earn to pay it without spending more than 30% of income, working full time.

Size Fair rent a month Hourly wage Yearly income
Studio $992 $19.08 $39,680
1 bedroom $1,014 $19.50 $40,560
2 bedrooms $1,149 $22.10 $45,960
3 bedrooms $1,456 $28.00 $58,240
4 bedrooms $1,842 $35.42 $73,680

Includes basic utilities. It isn't the lowest or highest rent: it's a reference point. Source: HUD, Fiscal year 2027

By ZIP code

Fair market rent by ZIP code in Central

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Central has 4 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,090 in 70714 to $1,540 in 70739.

3 of the 4 are above the fair market rent for East Baton Rouge Parish ($1,149).

  • 70714 $1,090$1,360
  • 70739 $1,540$1,940
  • 70791 $1,430$1,810
  • 70818 $1,360$1,720

3 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Central when at least 50% of its land is inside the city or it covers at least 15% of the city (Census 2020 boundaries). Source: Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Fiscal year 2027 Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) Source: Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file Data from 2020 data Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file

Is your rent high for your ZIP?

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Central

You do not have to do this alone. A HUD-approved housing counseling agency helps for free or at low cost: getting ready to buy, understanding your credit, or solving a problem with your rent.

There are 4 HUD-approved agencies with an office in East Baton Rouge Parish; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A pregnant woman reads paperwork on the sofa while the grandmother plays with the girl on the floor.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Central

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Central or East Baton Rouge Parish. The ones below are statewide in Louisiana: they work in Central the same as in the rest of the state.

Which programs do I qualify for? All programs in Louisiana

  • HomeStart Assist

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage for first-time buyers with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

  • HomeStart Advantage

    Statewide in Louisiana

    Louisiana state corporation 30-year mortgage with 4% of the loan in assistance, as a 0% second mortgage forgiven after 60 months; you do not need to be a first-time buyer, but you cannot own another home at closing. Offered by Louisiana Housing Corporation (LHC).

    Forgivable

    See the program Official page

Housing counselors near Central

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of Central, in a straight line, nearest first. If one says it serves in Spanish, its card says so.

  • Urban Restoration Enhancement Corporation

    7732 Goodwood Blvd, Baton Rouge · 9 miles away

    • Budget and credit workshops
    • Pre-purchase counseling
    • and 1 more
    225-356-8871-210

  • Mid City Redevelopment Alliance

    419 N 19th St, Baton Rouge · 11 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (225) 346-1000

  • Louisiana Housing Corporation

    2415 Quail Dr, Baton Rouge · 12 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 3 more
    (225) 763-8654

Every agency in East Baton Rouge Parish All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near Central

None of the 3 agencies on this list say they serve in Spanish.

Ask for service in Spanish

When you call, say “Spanish, please” or ask if someone speaks Spanish. If not, ask whether they offer an interpreter.

Housing authorities of Central

In HUD’s record, no housing authority with an office in East Baton Rouge Parish is named for Central or East Baton Rouge Parish.

2 other authorities have an office in East Baton Rouge Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in East Baton Rouge Parish

These cities are also in East Baton Rouge Parish. They share its loan limits and fair market rents, but home values and rent change from one to the next.

Everything about East Baton Rouge Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

The cities closest to Central, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If East Baton Rouge Parish is out of reach, look next door. Each number is that county's own.

Keep going

Guides for your next step

Short explanations, in plain language and with official sources, for buying or renting in Central.

All guides
A mother and her daughters smile together on a mountain trail with a snowy peak behind them.

Questions

Housing questions about Central

Short answers with the numbers for Central and all of East Baton Rouge Parish. If your case is different, a HUD-approved counseling agency can guide you for free or at low cost.

How much does a typical home cost in Central?

The typical home value in Central is $288,700, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in East Baton Rouge Parish it is $248,800.

How much does it cost to rent in Central?

Typical rent in Central is $1,309 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in East Baton Rouge Parish is $1,149.

What is the FHA loan limit in Central?

Central uses the FHA limit for all of East Baton Rouge Parish (2026): $541,287 for a one-unit home and $1,041,125 for a four-unit home.

How much property tax do owners pay in Central?

The typical homeowner in Central pays $1,868 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.65% of the home’s value; in East Baton Rouge Parish, the rate is 0.67%.

Where can I find free help to buy or rent in Central?

There are 4 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in East Baton Rouge Parish. 1 says it serves in Spanish. They can help you get ready to buy, with your credit, or with rent.

Sources: American Community Survey (ACS) 5-year estimates (Average 2020–2024); FHA mortgage limits (HUD) (2026 data); Conforming loan limits (FHFA) (2026 data); Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Small Area Fair Market Rents (HUD) (Fiscal year 2027); Census Bureau ZCTA-to-place relationship file (2020 data); HUD-approved housing counseling agencies (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Public Housing Agencies (HUD) (Retrieved November 6, 2026); Freddie Mac Primary Mortgage Market Survey (PMMS) (As of November 5, 2026); FHFA House Price Index (HPI) (2025 data); Homes with flood insurance (NFIP, FEMA) (As of August 3, 2026).