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City · 121,715 residents · Lafayette Parish, Louisiana

Lafayette , Louisiana

In Lafayette, a typical home is worth $257,000 and typical rent is $1,100 a month. Compared with all of Lafayette Parish, typical household income is 8% lower, the typical home value is 6% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 12 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $257,000

    6% above the parish

    19% above Louisiana

    • Lafayette
    • Parish
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $1,100a month

    4% above the parish

    3% above Louisiana

    • Lafayette
    • Parish
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $61,915a year

    8% below the parish

    About the same as Louisiana

    • Lafayette
    • Parish
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    53%

    12 points below the parish

    14 points below Louisiana

    • Lafayette
    • Parish
    • Louisiana

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$224,537
1.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,329 a month
0.6% more than 12 months ago

From Zillow (ZHVI/ZORI), September 2026. The Census figures above are 5-year averages (2020–2024).

Lafayette is in Lafayette 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 Lafayette Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Lafayette apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Scott, the typical home value is $170,300: 34% less than in Lafayette ($257,000).

  2. Nearby, in Breaux Bridge, the typical rent is $891: 19% less than in Lafayette ($1,100).

  3. 53% of households in Lafayette own their home, against 65% in Lafayette Parish.

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

The homes here

Housing in Lafayette

What homes there are in Lafayette, 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 are the majority in Lafayette (63%), but less so than in Lafayette Parish (68%).

Year built

In Lafayette, half of the homes were built before 1981; in Lafayette Parish, before 1988.

There are fewer big homes in Lafayette than in Lafayette Parish: 59% have 3 bedrooms or more, against 68%.

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 89% of owner-occupied homes in Lafayette are worth less than the FHA loan limit for Lafayette Parish ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

About 47% of rented homes in Lafayette cost less than HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent for Lafayette Parish ($1,092); the rest cost more.

With a mortgage

$1,642 a month

Lafayette Parish: $1,605 a month

Without a mortgage

$527 a month

Lafayette Parish: $483 a month

Owners with a mortgage

54%

Lafayette Parish: 58%

Owning costs about the same in Lafayette as in Lafayette Parish: with a mortgage, $1,642 a month; without one, $527.

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 Lafayette rose 32% since 2015–2019, about the same as in Lafayette Parish (31%).

Much as in Lafayette Parish, the typical rent in Lafayette rose 24% since 2015–2019.

While home values in Lafayette changed +32% and rent +24%, the typical household income rose 21%.

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

MeasureLafayetteLafayette ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy 6.2%5.7%7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.4%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room 2.0%2.4%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.252.432.492.53
Drive alone 80%80%79%69%
Carpool 6%6%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 3%2%2%3%
Work from home 10%10%8%15%
Other means 1%1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutesUnreliable estimate20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

In Lafayette, the rental vacancy rate is 6.2%, about the same as in Lafayette Parish.

In Lafayette, 2.0% of households live with more than one person per room, about the same as in Lafayette Parish.

Households in Lafayette are smaller: 2.25 people on average; in Lafayette Parish, 2.43.

To get to work, 80% of workers in Lafayette drive alone; in Lafayette Parish, 80%.

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 Lafayette?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Lafayette, worth $257,000, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 40% of the typical household income in Lafayette, which is $61,915 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $88,048 a year.

The calculator's FHA and conventional loan limits are those of all of Lafayette Parish.

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Lafayette. 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 $8,995 (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

$2,054

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$252,345
Total interest
$363,065
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $4,340 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,445 a month

  • Tight

    $1,445 to $1,857 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,857 a month

    Your payment · 40%

Compared with the typical household income in Lafayette ($61,915 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$2,054
Principal & interest$1,709
Property tax$124
Home insurance$107
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$114

You need at least $8,995 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

Lafayette and Lafayette Parish

Lafayette is in Lafayette 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).

Lafayette's own numbers

Typical home value
$257,000
Typical monthly rent
$1,100
Typical yearly household income
$61,915
Households that own their home
53%
Effective property tax rate
0.58%

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

Numbers for all of Lafayette Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,092
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+21%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
20%

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 Lafayette Parish.

Everything about Lafayette Parish

Buying

Buying a home in Lafayette

A typical home in Lafayette is worth $257,000: 6% above the parish and 19% above Louisiana. With the typical household income in Lafayette ($61,915 a year), a typical home costs 4.2 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.

  • Lafayette 4.2 years
  • Parish 3.6 years
  • Louisiana 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Lafayette Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Lafayette Parish rose 28% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) −0.1% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +21% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +28% +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

Lafayette next to Lafayette 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
  • Lafayette $257,000
  • Parish $242,900
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Lafayette $1,100
  • Parish $1,057
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Lafayette $61,915
  • Parish $67,451
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Lafayette next to Lafayette Parish and Louisiana
Measure Lafayette Lafayette Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $257,000 $242,900 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $1,100 $1,057 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $61,915 $67,451 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 53% 65% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,482 $1,380 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.58% 0.57% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 51% 52% 55% 51%

“Typical” means the median: half are above and half are below. ▲ and ▼ say whether the city is above or below Lafayette 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 Lafayette

For a typical $257,000 home in Lafayette, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Lafayette's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $2,054a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $8,995
    Cash to close
    $16,705
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $114

  • Conventional, 5% down $2,007a month

    Down payment
    $12,850
    Cash to close
    $20,560
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $122

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,624a month

    Down payment
    $51,400
    Cash to close
    $59,110
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,862a month

    Down payment
    $38,550
    Cash to close
    $46,260
    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 Lafayette and for Lafayette Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in Lafayette

0.58%of the home’s value each year

$1,482 a year for the typical owner in Lafayette.

  • Lafayette 0.58%
  • Parish 0.57%
  • 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 Lafayette Parish

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
20%
16,496
Of those, with NFIP insurance
47%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 20% 15% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 47% 73% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Lafayette

Typical rent in Lafayette is $1,100 a month: 4% above the parish. In Lafayette, 51% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Lafayette Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,092 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $21.00 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Lafayette 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 $835 $16.06 $33,400
1 bedroom $971 $18.67 $38,840
2 bedrooms $1,092 $21.00 $43,680
3 bedrooms $1,375 $26.44 $55,000
4 bedrooms $1,607 $30.90 $64,280

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 Lafayette

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Lafayette has 5 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $1,000 in 70507 to $1,290 in 70508.

3 of the 5 are above the fair market rent for Lafayette Parish ($1,092).

  • 70501 $1,010$1,270
  • 70503 $1,190$1,500
  • 70506 $1,170$1,470
  • 70507 $1,000$1,260
  • 70508 $1,290$1,620

5 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Lafayette 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?

Low-income apartments

Low-income apartments in Lafayette

HUD lists 39 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Lafayette. These are the largest.

  • Elderly-Lillian RD 123 Zim Cir, Lafayette 70501 292 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette · Average payment: $281 a month · Average wait: 19 months · Homes at several sites (337) 233-1327
  • Elderly-Lillian RD 422 Connie Cir, Lafayette 70506 174 low-income homes · Run by Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette · Average payment: $268 a month · Average wait: 35 months · Homes at several sites (337) 233-1327
  • Holy Family 2014 Tax Credit Rehab 1512 Louisiana Ave, Lafayette 70501 160 homes, 157 low-income · 2 bd: 8 · 3 bd: 8 · For families (337) 234-8145
  • Cypress Shadows I 173 S Beadle Rd, Lafayette 70508 150 low-income homes · 2 bd: 16 · In service since 1997 · For families
  • Cypress Shadows II Beadle Road, Lafayette 70508 150 low-income homes · 2 bd: 16 · In service since 1997 · For families

See all 49 buildings in Lafayette Parish Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Lafayette

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 3 HUD-approved agencies with an office in Lafayette Parish; 1 says it serves in Spanish.

A grandmother smiles, seated at home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Lafayette

No down payment, repair or rent-help program on our list is for Lafayette or Lafayette Parish. The ones below are statewide in Louisiana: they work in Lafayette 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 Lafayette

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

  • Saint Martin, Iberia, Lafayette Community Action Agency

    501 Saint John St, Lafayette · 2 miles away · Spanish

    Also serves in French.

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    337-234-3272-203

  • Lafayette Consolidated Government Neighborhood Counseling Services

    111 Shirley Picard Dr, Lafayette · 2 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Mortgage delinquency workshops
    • and 9 more
    (337) 291-5450

  • Step Up Acadiana

    601 Loire Ave Ste H, Lafayette · 6 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 5 more
    (337) 484-1501

Every agency in Lafayette Parish All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near Lafayette

1 of the 3 agencies on this list says it serves 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 Lafayette

HUD’s record names them for Lafayette or Lafayette Parish. They run public housing or Section 8 vouchers. Ask whether their waiting list is open.

  • Housing Authority of the City of Lafayette Public housing and Section 8 vouchers (337) 233-1327

2 other authorities have an office in Lafayette Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Lafayette Parish

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

Everything about Lafayette Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Lafayette 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 Lafayette.

All guides
A family walks a boardwalk trail in the forest; one of them uses a wheelchair.

Questions

Housing questions about Lafayette

Short answers with the numbers for Lafayette and all of Lafayette 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 Lafayette?

The typical home value in Lafayette is $257,000, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Lafayette Parish it is $242,900.

How much does it cost to rent in Lafayette?

Typical rent in Lafayette is $1,100 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Lafayette Parish is $1,092.

What is the FHA loan limit in Lafayette?

Lafayette uses the FHA limit for all of Lafayette 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 Lafayette?

The typical homeowner in Lafayette pays $1,482 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.58% of the home’s value; in Lafayette Parish, the rate is 0.57%.

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

There are 3 HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Lafayette 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).