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City · 22,284 residents · Lincoln Parish, Louisiana

Ruston , Louisiana

In Ruston, a typical home is worth $225,300 and typical rent is $816 a month. Compared with all of Lincoln Parish, typical household income is 21% lower, the typical home value is 7% higher, and the share of households that own their home is 18 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $225,300

    7% above the parish

    4% above Louisiana

    • Ruston
    • Lincoln
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $816a month

    About the same as the parish

    23% below Louisiana

    • Ruston
    • Lincoln
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $31,120a year

    21% below the parish

    49% below Louisiana

    • Ruston
    • Lincoln
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    36%

    18 points below the parish

    31 points below Louisiana

    • Ruston
    • Lincoln
    • Louisiana

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$229,546
2.3% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,198 a month
7.1% more than 12 months ago

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

Ruston is in Lincoln 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 Lincoln Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets Ruston apart

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

  1. Ruston has the 3rd lowest homeownership rate of the 96 cities in Louisiana with more than 5,000 people (36%).

  2. Nearby, in Minden, the typical home value is $130,200: 42% less than in Ruston ($225,300).

  3. Ruston has the 5th lowest typical household income of the 94 cities in Louisiana with more than 5,000 people ($31,120).

  4. 13% of households in Ruston have no internet at home (18% in Lincoln Parish).

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

The homes here

Housing in Ruston

What homes there are in Ruston, 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 Ruston (53%), but less so than in Lincoln Parish (59%).

Year built

In Ruston, half of the homes were built before 1983; in Lincoln Parish, before 1984.

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

At least 96% of owner-occupied homes in Ruston are worth less than $500,000, below the FHA loan limit for Lincoln Parish ($541,287).

Monthly rent with utilities

HUD's 2-bedroom fair market rent (FMR) for Lincoln Parish is $892: about 53% of rents in Ruston are below it.

With a mortgage

$1,358 a month

Lincoln Parish: $1,439 a month

Without a mortgage

$416 a month

Lincoln Parish: $398 a month

Owners with a mortgage

49%

Lincoln Parish: 43%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in Ruston is $1,358 a month, less than in Lincoln Parish ($1,439); without one, $416.

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

From 2015–2019 to 2020–2024, the typical home value in Ruston rose 33%; in Lincoln Parish, it rose 36%.

Since 2015–2019, the typical rent in Ruston rose 10%, less than in Lincoln Parish (13%).

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

MeasureRustonLincoln ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.242.352.492.53
Drive alone 71%77%79%69%
Carpool 9%9%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate1%3%
Walk or bike 5%3%2%3%
Work from home 15%12%8%15%
Other means Unreliable estimateUnreliable estimate2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

A household in Ruston has 2.24 people on average, about the same as in Lincoln Parish (2.35).

Many people here do not commute at all: 15% work from home; in Lincoln Parish, 12%.

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 Ruston?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in Ruston, worth $225,300, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 69% of the typical household income in Ruston, which is $31,120 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $76,463 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in Ruston. 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 $7,886 (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

$1,784

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$221,219
Total interest
$318,282
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,805 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $726 a month

  • Tight

    $726 to $934 a month

  • Hard

    more than $934 a month

    Your payment · 69%

Compared with the typical household income in Ruston ($31,120 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,784
Principal & interest$1,499
Property tax$92
Home insurance$94
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$100

You need at least $7,886 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

Ruston and Lincoln Parish

Ruston is in Lincoln 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).

Ruston's own numbers

Typical home value
$225,300
Typical monthly rent
$816
Typical yearly household income
$31,120
Households that own their home
36%
Effective property tax rate
0.49%

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

Numbers for all of Lincoln Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$892
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+28%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
1.1%

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 Lincoln Parish.

Everything about Lincoln Parish

Buying

Buying a home in Ruston

A typical home in Ruston is worth $225,300: 7% above the parish and 4% above Louisiana. With the typical household income in Ruston ($31,120 a year), a typical home costs 7.2 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.

  • Ruston 7.2 years
  • Lincoln 5.4 years
  • Louisiana 3.6 years
  • United States 4.1 years
Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Average 2020–2024

How prices have changed in Lincoln Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Lincoln Parish rose 43% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) +3.3% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +28% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +43% +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

Ruston next to Lincoln 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
  • Ruston $225,300
  • Lincoln $210,100
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • Ruston $816
  • Lincoln $825
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • Ruston $31,120
  • Lincoln $39,172
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
Ruston next to Lincoln Parish and Louisiana
Measure Ruston Lincoln Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $225,300 $210,100 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $816 $825 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $31,120 $39,172 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 36% 54% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $1,110 $971 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.49% 0.46% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 67% 67% 55% 51%

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

For a typical $225,300 home in Ruston, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, Ruston's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,784a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $7,886
    Cash to close
    $14,645
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $100

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,743a month

    Down payment
    $11,265
    Cash to close
    $18,024
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $107

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,407a month

    Down payment
    $45,060
    Cash to close
    $51,819
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,615a month

    Down payment
    $33,795
    Cash to close
    $40,554
    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 Ruston and for Lincoln Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in Ruston

0.49%of the home’s value each year

$1,110 a year for the typical owner in Ruston.

  • Ruston 0.49%
  • Lincoln 0.46%
  • 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 Lincoln Parish

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
1.1%
175
Of those, with NFIP insurance
29%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 1.1% 15% 3.5%
Of those, with NFIP insurance 29% 73% 48%

Most homeowners insurance policies do not cover flood damage.

Look up your address on FEMA’s map

Renting

Renting in Ruston

Typical rent in Ruston is $816 a month: about the same as the parish. In Ruston, 67% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Lincoln Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($892 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $17.15 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Lincoln 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 $724 $13.92 $28,960
1 bedroom $754 $14.50 $30,160
2 bedrooms $892 $17.15 $35,680
3 bedrooms $1,235 $23.75 $49,400
4 bedrooms $1,440 $27.69 $57,600

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 Ruston

HUD also publishes a fair market rent for each ZIP code (Small Area FMR, fiscal year 2027). Ruston has 2 ZIP codes with their own.

For 2 bedrooms it is $890 in all of them.

None is above the fair market rent for Lincoln Parish ($892).

  • 71270 $890$1,240
  • 71272 $890$1,240

1 of these ZIP codes crosses the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for Ruston 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 Ruston

HUD lists 22 buildings with rents for lower incomes in Ruston. These are the largest.

  • EASTWOOD, Fam, MARYLAND PL., Eld. 101 Eugene Dr, Ruston 71270 300 homes, 298 low-income · Run by Housing Authority of Ruston · Average payment: $263 a month · Average wait: 7 months · Homes at several sites (318) 255-3644
  • Cinnamon Square Apts/Ruston 614 Cinnamon Ln, Ruston 71270 84 low-income homes · 1 bd: 2 · 2 bd: 2 · In service since 1995
  • Village Green 2530 W Barnett Springs Ave, Ruston 71270 80 low-income homes · Studio: 8 · In service since 1999
  • Pecan Villa Senior Housing 611 S Bonner St, Ruston 71270 61 homes, 60 low-income · 1 bd: 60 · In service since 2016 · For older adults (318) 251-9960
  • Edgewood Square Aparment 713 McDonald Ave, Ruston 71270 60 low-income homes · 2 bd: 6 · In service since 2013 · For families

See all 26 buildings in Lincoln Parish Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in Ruston

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.

We found no HUD-approved agencies with an office in Lincoln Parish. The nearest ones are below; many serve by phone or online.

A man shakes hands with the specialist who helped him with his loan, in the kitchen of his new home.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in Ruston

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

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

  • Mount Pleasant Community Development Corp. Inc

    105 Bernice Drive, Monroe · 30 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (318) 323-3632

  • The Highland Center Corporation

    520 Olive St, Shreveport · 64 miles away

    • Budget and financial counseling
    • Budget and credit workshops
    • and 4 more
    (318) 673-8440

  • Catholic Charities of North Louisiana

    902 Olive St, Shreveport · 65 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 6 more
    (318) 865-0200

All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near Ruston

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 Ruston

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

3 other authorities have an office in Lincoln Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Lincoln Parish

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

Everything about Lincoln Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

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

Neighboring counties

If Lincoln 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 Ruston.

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

Questions

Housing questions about Ruston

Short answers with the numbers for Ruston and all of Lincoln 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 Ruston?

The typical home value in Ruston is $225,300, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Lincoln Parish it is $210,100.

How much does it cost to rent in Ruston?

Typical rent in Ruston is $816 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Lincoln Parish is $892.

What is the FHA loan limit in Ruston?

Ruston uses the FHA limit for all of Lincoln 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 Ruston?

The typical homeowner in Ruston pays $1,110 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.49% of the home’s value; in Lincoln Parish, the rate is 0.46%.

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

We found no HUD-approved counseling agencies with an office in Lincoln Parish; the nearest ones are on this page. 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).