How Much It Costs to House a Family of 4 in Louisiana

BATON ROUGE (The Center Square) — U.S. home sales skyrocketed during the COVID-19 pandemic – hitting a 15-year high of 6.1 million in 2021. The spike in demand, coupled with declining inventory, have put upward pressure on housing prices. Renters have not been spared, as housing has become one of the key drivers of surging U.S. inflation.

According to the Economic Policy Institute, a nonprofit think tank, a family of four – two adults and two children – can expect to pay an estimated $15,031 on housing in 2022. This amount varies across the country, however.

In Louisiana, a family of four will spend an average of $11,046 on housing per year, the 21st lowest amount among states, according to the EPI’s Family Budget Calculator. This amount reflects both housing and utilities costs for a modest two-bedroom rental.

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Housing costs are partially driven by what residents can afford, and states with higher rental costs also often have higher than average family incomes, and vice-versa. Louisiana is no exception. Just as housing costs are lower than average in Louisiana, so, too, are incomes. The typical family in the state earns $65,427 a year, compared to the national average of $80,069.

Housing cost figures in this story are 2022 estimates from the EPI and family income figures are five-year estimates from the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2020 American Community Survey. 

Rank State Est. avg. housing cost, family of 4, 2022 ($) Median family income ($) Homeownership rate (%)
1 California 23,734 89,798 55.3
2 Hawaii 23,335 97,813 60.3
3 Massachusetts 22,294 106,526 62.5
4 New York 20,092 87,270 54.1
5 New Jersey 19,811 104,804 64.0
6 Maryland 17,840 105,790 67.1
7 Washington 17,824 92,422 63.3
8 Colorado 17,157 92,752 66.2
9 Connecticut 17,127 102,061 66.1
10 Virginia 15,870 93,284 66.7
11 Oregon 15,607 80,630 62.8
12 New Hampshire 15,267 97,001 71.2
13 Florida 15,232 69,670 66.2
14 Alaska 14,566 92,648 64.8
15 Rhode Island 14,502 89,330 61.6
16 Vermont 14,321 83,023 71.3
17 Delaware 14,037 84,825 71.4
18 Arizona 13,875 73,456 65.3
19 Illinois 13,692 86,251 66.3
20 Nevada 13,543 74,077 57.1
21 Minnesota 13,486 92,692 71.9
22 Texas 13,475 76,073 62.3
23 Maine 13,104 76,192 72.9
24 Utah 12,508 84,590 70.5
25 Pennsylvania 12,412 80,996 69.0
26 Georgia 12,152 74,127 64.0
27 Michigan 11,467 75,470 71.7
28 North Carolina 11,360 70,978 65.7
29 South Carolina 11,096 68,813 70.1
30 Louisiana 11,046 65,427 66.6
31 Montana 10,972 72,773 68.5
32 Wisconsin 10,970 80,844 67.1
33 Tennessee 10,906 68,793 66.5
34 Idaho 10,791 70,885 70.8
35 New Mexico 10,784 62,611 68.0
36 Kansas 10,740 77,620 66.2
37 Nebraska 10,551 80,125 66.2
38 Wyoming 10,423 81,290 71.0
39 Missouri 10,344 72,834 67.1
40 Indiana 10,331 73,265 69.5
41 Ohio 10,324 74,391 66.3
42 North Dakota 10,236 86,798 62.5
43 Oklahoma 10,059 67,511 66.1
44 Iowa 9,802 79,186 71.2
45 Alabama 9,784 66,772 69.2
46 Kentucky 9,687 65,893 67.6
47 South Dakota 9,670 77,042 68.0
48 Mississippi 9,546 58,923 68.8
49 West Virginia 9,133 61,707 73.7
50 Arkansas 8,993 62,067 65.8

By Samuel Stebbins of 24/7 Wall Street via the Center Square

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