Louisiana rent guide
The Cheapest Cities to Rent in Louisiana (June 2026)
Data as of Jun 9, 2026 · 300 rentals across 36 Louisiana cities
Louisiana rents pivot around two metros, New Orleans (the priciest) and Baton Rouge (the capital and LSU), with the best value in Acadiana (Lafayette), the New Orleans suburbs (River Ridge, Kenner, Metairie) and the southwest (Lake Charles, Houma). We track every apartment we can find and rank the cities below by their typical rent, straight from live listings.
The lowest typical rent right now is in River Ridge (about $800/mo), while New Orleans sits at the top ($1,400/mo). The bedroom count you need takes it from there.
Louisiana cities by typical rent, cheapest first
| # | City | Typical | From | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | River Ridge | $800 | $800 | 8 |
| 2 | Kenner | $850 | $800 | 5 |
| 3 | Lafayette | $895 | $814 | 21 |
| 4 | Houma | $987 | $876 | 8 |
| 5 | Hammond | $1,000 | $850 | 5 |
| 6 | Lake Charles | $1,035 | $800 | 15 |
| 7 | Covington | $1,043 | $800 | 6 |
| 8 | Metairie | $1,099 | $800 | 35 |
| 9 | Slidell | $1,139 | $800 | 11 |
| 10 | Baton Rouge | $1,220 | $800 | 43 |
| 11 | Shreveport | $1,225 | $800 | 13 |
| 12 | Bossier City | $1,273 | $925 | 8 |
| 13 | New Orleans | $1,400 | $800 | 73 |
How we rank them
“Typical” is the median rent across everything we track in a city, so half the listings are cheaper and half pricier. “From” is the single cheapest unit listed right now. We include cities with at least five live listings and exclude single rooms and senior housing. Small-city medians can swing on a few listings, so the bigger markets are the most stable. Refreshes when our data does (last updated Jun 9, 2026).
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest city to rent in Louisiana?
By typical (median) rent it's River Ridge, around $800/mo, then Kenner and Lafayette. The best value sits in Acadiana (Lafayette), the New Orleans suburbs (River Ridge, Kenner, Metairie) and the southwest (Lake Charles, Houma), while New Orleans proper is the priciest. The ranking rebuilds from live listings, so it moves with the market.
Where is rent most expensive in Louisiana?
New Orleans tops the list at about $1,400/mo. New Orleans carries the highest rents in the state, with Baton Rouge (the capital and LSU) close behind. The cheaper markets are the suburbs and the Acadiana and southwest Louisiana cities.
Is Louisiana a cheap state to rent in?
Mostly yes. Outside New Orleans, Louisiana rents sit below the national average, and even New Orleans is cheaper than most large coastal cities. Baton Rouge, Lafayette, Lake Charles and the New Orleans suburbs all offer plenty of options near or under the statewide typical rent.
How do I find the cheapest rent in Louisiana?
Start in the value markets at the top of the table below, filter to the bedroom count you actually need, and sort by price. The single cheapest unit in a city (the "from" price) is often well below the median, so the specific building matters as much as the city.
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