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City · 12,729 residents · Ouachita Parish, Louisiana

West Monroe , Louisiana

In West Monroe, a typical home is worth $192,400 and typical rent is $826 a month. Compared with all of Ouachita Parish, typical rent is 14% lower, typical household income is 10% lower, and the share of households that own their home is 16 points lower.

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  • Typical home value

    $192,400

    About the same as the parish

    11% below Louisiana

    • West Monroe
    • Ouachita
    • Louisiana

  • Typical rent

    $826a month

    14% below the parish

    22% below Louisiana

    • West Monroe
    • Ouachita
    • Louisiana

  • Typical household income

    $49,386a year

    10% below the parish

    19% below Louisiana

    • West Monroe
    • Ouachita
    • Louisiana

  • Households that own their home

    45%

    16 points below the parish

    23 points below Louisiana

    • West Monroe
    • Ouachita
    • Louisiana

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

Market now, with Zillow data

Zillow data
Typical home value
$201,762
2.9% more than 12 months ago
Typical rent
$1,219 a month
12.1% more than 12 months ago

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

West Monroe is in Ouachita 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 Ouachita Parish. See the county

Data updated: October 1, 2026 11 official sources

Only here

What sets West Monroe apart

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

  1. Nearby, in Bastrop, the typical home value is $87,800: 54% less than in West Monroe ($192,400).

  2. 45% of households in West Monroe own their home, against 61% in Ouachita Parish.

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

The homes here

Housing in West Monroe

What homes there are in West Monroe, 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

The detached house is still the most common home in West Monroe, but it weighs less than in Ouachita Parish: 63% against 67%.

Year built

Homes in West Monroe are older: the typical year built is 1974; in Ouachita Parish, 1983.

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
Monthly rent with utilities

With a mortgage

$1,221 a month

Ouachita Parish: $1,458 a month

Without a mortgage

$438 a month

Ouachita Parish: $455 a month

Owners with a mortgage

53%

Ouachita Parish: 53%

The typical cost for an owner with a mortgage in West Monroe is $1,221 a month, less than in Ouachita Parish ($1,458); without one, $438.

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 West Monroe rose 45%; in Ouachita Parish, it rose 33%.

Rents in West Monroe rose more slowly than in Ouachita Parish: 11% since 2015–2019, against 25%.

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

MeasureWest MonroeOuachita ParishLouisianaUnited States
Rental vacancy Unreliable estimate9.3%7.8%5.5%
Homeowner vacancy Unreliable estimate1.4%1.3%0.9%
More than one person per room Unreliable estimate1.6%2.3%3.4%
People per household 2.492.502.492.53
Drive alone 82%78%79%69%
Carpool Unreliable estimate10%9%9%
Public transit Unreliable estimate1%1%3%
Walk or bike Unreliable estimate2%2%3%
Work from home 5%8%8%15%
Other means Unreliable estimate1%2%2%
Typical commute 10 to 19 minutes10 to 19 minutes20 to 29 minutes20 to 29 minutes

By size, households in West Monroe look like those in Ouachita Parish: 2.49 people on average.

To get to work, 82% of workers in West Monroe drive alone; in Ouachita Parish, 78%.

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 West Monroe?

A typical home costs more than the typical income allows

We start with a typical home in West Monroe, worth $192,400, an FHA loan with 3.5% down and the latest average rate (7.18%). That payment would take 36% of the typical household income in West Monroe, which is $49,386 a year. For that payment to be 28% of income, a household would need to earn about $64,198 a year.

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

Your numbers

Local data
$

Starts at the typical home value in West Monroe. 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 $6,734 (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

$1,498

at 7.18% · 30 years

Loan amount
$188,915
Total interest
$271,805
Paid off in
November 2056

Includes $3,249 FHA upfront mortgage insurance premium.

Does it fit the income?

  • Comfortable

    up to $1,152 a month

  • Tight

    $1,152 to $1,482 a month

  • Hard

    more than $1,482 a month

    Your payment · 36%

Compared with the typical household income in West Monroe ($49,386 a year). Reference: HUD calls paying more than 30% of income for housing a cost burden.

Show the result as
per month$1,498
Principal & interest$1,280
Property tax$53
Home insurance$80
FHA mortgage insurance (MIP)$85

You need at least $6,734 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

West Monroe and Ouachita Parish

West Monroe is in Ouachita 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).

West Monroe's own numbers

Typical home value
$192,400
Typical monthly rent
$826
Typical yearly household income
$49,386
Households that own their home
45%
Effective property tax rate
0.33%

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

Numbers for all of Ouachita Parish

FHA limit, one-unit home
$541,287
Conventional limit, one unit
$832,750
HUD fair market rent, 2 bedrooms
$1,017
Price change over 5 years (FHFA)
+26%
Homes in a high flood-risk zone
11%

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 Ouachita Parish.

Everything about Ouachita Parish

Buying

Buying a home in West Monroe

A typical home in West Monroe is worth $192,400: about the same as the parish and 11% below Louisiana. With the typical household income in West Monroe ($49,386 a year), a typical home costs 3.9 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.

  • West Monroe 3.9 years
  • Ouachita 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 Ouachita Parish

According to FHFA’s house price index, home prices in Ouachita Parish rose 36% in the 10 years through 2025.

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

Period Parish Louisiana U.S.
Last year (2025) +4.1% +1.8% +2.9%
5 years (2020–2025) +26% +22% +47%
10 years (2015–2025) +36% +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

West Monroe next to Ouachita 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
  • West Monroe $192,400
  • Ouachita $194,400
  • Louisiana $216,500
  • United States $332,700
Typical monthly rent
  • West Monroe $826
  • Ouachita $959
  • Louisiana $1,064
  • United States $1,413
Typical yearly household income
  • West Monroe $49,386
  • Ouachita $54,688
  • Louisiana $60,756
  • United States $80,734
See the full table
West Monroe next to Ouachita Parish and Louisiana
Measure West Monroe Ouachita Parish Louisiana U.S.
Typical home value $192,400 $194,400 $216,500 $332,700
Typical monthly rent $826 $959 $1,064 $1,413
Typical yearly household income $49,386 $54,688 $60,756 $80,734
Households that own their home 45% 61% 67% 65%
Typical yearly property tax $626 $1,054 $1,180 $3,119
Effective property tax rate 0.33% 0.54% 0.55% 0.94%
Renters with high rent for their income 45% 58% 55% 51%

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

For a typical $192,400 home in West Monroe, at Freddie Mac's average rate (7.18% as of November 5, 2026) over 30 years. The monthly payment adds principal and interest, West Monroe's typical property tax, an example home insurance and mortgage insurance when it applies.

  • FHA, 3.5% down $1,498a month

    Least cash to close
    Down payment
    $6,734
    Cash to close
    $12,506
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    FHA MIP · $85

  • Conventional, 5% down $1,463a month

    Down payment
    $9,620
    Cash to close
    $15,392
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    PMI · $91

  • Conventional, 20% down, no PMI $1,176a month

    Down payment
    $38,480
    Cash to close
    $44,252
    Rate
    7.18%
    Mortgage insurance
    None

  • ITIN, 15% down (example) $1,354a month

    Down payment
    $28,860
    Cash to close
    $34,632
    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 West Monroe and for Ouachita Parish.

Property tax

Effective rate in West Monroe

0.33%of the home’s value each year

$626 a year for the typical owner in West Monroe.

  • West Monroe 0.33%
  • Ouachita 0.54%
  • 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 Ouachita Parish

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

Homes in the high-risk zone
11%
6,209
Of those, with NFIP insurance
47%
Parish Louisiana U.S.
Homes in the high-risk zone 11% 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 West Monroe

Typical rent in West Monroe is $826 a month: 14% below the parish. In West Monroe, 45% of renter households pay 30% or more of their income in rent.

HUD publishes a fair market rent for all of Ouachita Parish, by unit size. To pay the 2-bedroom one ($1,017 a month) without spending more than 30% of your income, you would need to earn $19.56 an hour working full time.

HUD fair market rent for all of Ouachita 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 $782 $15.04 $31,280
1 bedroom $794 $15.27 $31,760
2 bedrooms $1,017 $19.56 $40,680
3 bedrooms $1,314 $25.27 $52,560
4 bedrooms $1,337 $25.71 $53,480

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 West Monroe

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

For 2 bedrooms it runs from $930 in 71292 to $1,120 in 71291.

1 of the 2 is above the fair market rent for Ouachita Parish ($1,017).

  • 71291 $1,120$1,450
  • 71292 $930$1,200

2 of these ZIP codes cross the city line: HUD sets the rent by ZIP code, not by city. A ZIP code counts for West Monroe 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 West Monroe

HUD lists 9 buildings with rents for lower incomes in West Monroe. These are the largest.

  • Timbers Apts I 1616 Arkansas Rd, West Monroe 71291 100 low-income homes · 1 bd: 18 · 2 bd: 58 · 3 bd: 24 · In service since 1989
  • Claiborne Creek Apts. Wallace RD., West Monroe 71291 72 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · In service since 1997
  • Old Oak Estates 1130 Wallace Dean Rd, West Monroe 71291 37 low-income homes · 1 bd: 6 · 2 bd: 31 · In service since 1988
  • Bah Nathan Village 118 N Hilton St, West Monroe 71291 48 homes, 2 low-income (318) 414-2372
  • Post Oak Apartments 301 Kiroli Rd, West Monroe 71291 80 homes · 2 bd: 10 · In service since 1998

See all 79 buildings in Ouachita Parish Source: HUD, Retrieved November 6, 2026

Free help

Help to buy or rent in West Monroe

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 is 1 HUD-approved agency with an office in Ouachita Parish; none says it serves in Spanish.

A young woman and a young man point to a line in their notes beside a laptop in a library.

HUD counseling is free or low-cost

Assistance programs in West Monroe

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

The HUD-approved agencies closest to the center of West Monroe, 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 · 2 miles away

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

  • Rapides Station Community Ministries

    1429 3rd St, Alexandria · 85 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 7 more
    (318) 487-9254

  • Cenla Community Action Committee, Incorporated

    2011 Macarthur Dr, Alexandria · 87 miles away

    • Mortgage delinquency and default
    • Budget and financial counseling
    • and 4 more
    (318) 314-3480

Every agency in Ouachita Parish All counseling agencies in Louisiana

Help in Spanish near West Monroe

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 West Monroe

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

One other authority has an office in Ouachita Parish: see the list Source: HUD

Cities

Other cities in Ouachita Parish

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

Everything about Ouachita Parish Housing in Louisiana

Nearby cities

The cities closest to West Monroe, with the typical home value.

Neighboring counties

If Ouachita 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 West Monroe.

All guides
A couple spread mulch under the avocado trees of their family orchard, he on the tractor and she with a shovel.

Questions

Housing questions about West Monroe

Short answers with the numbers for West Monroe and all of Ouachita 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 West Monroe?

The typical home value in West Monroe is $192,400, according to the U.S. Census Bureau (average 2020–2024). For comparison, in Ouachita Parish it is $194,400.

How much does it cost to rent in West Monroe?

Typical rent in West Monroe is $826 a month, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. HUD’s fair market rent for 2 bedrooms in Ouachita Parish is $1,017.

What is the FHA loan limit in West Monroe?

West Monroe uses the FHA limit for all of Ouachita 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 West Monroe?

The typical homeowner in West Monroe pays $626 a year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. That is 0.33% of the home’s value; in Ouachita Parish, the rate is 0.54%.

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

There is 1 HUD-approved counseling agency with an office in Ouachita Parish. 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).