Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Cost of living, housing, income, commute, climate, and safety — compiled for relocators researching Baton Rouge.
MapsToIt planning snapshot
How much does it cost to live in Baton Rouge?
Baton Rouge, LA has a MapsToIt housing cost index of 76 (among the more affordable large markets in this catalog; 100 = U.S. avg). Median home value is about $224,500 and median rent about $1,044, against national ACS medians of $303,400 and $1,348. Median household income is roughly $49,944. Typical commute is 23 minutes; summer highs average 92°F. Violent-offense rates run about 936.3 per 100k (catalog avg 586.6).
Crime figures may use an older source vintage than housing and income on this page.
- Housing cost index
- 76U.S. avg 100
- Median home value
- $224,500U.S. $303,400
- Median rent
- $1,044U.S. $1,348
- Median income
- $49,944U.S. $78,538
- Unemployment
- 4.2%U.S. 4.2%
- Avg commute
- 23 minCatalog avg 25 min
- Violent crime
- 936.3per 100k · avg 586.6
- Summer high
- 92°FCatalog avg 87°F
Key figures
Each metric shows how Baton Rouge compares with the U.S. baseline (ACS/BLS nationals where available; catalog-city averages for crime, climate, and commute). Income, housing, population, and crime are for the incorporated city (city limits), not the broader metro/MSA — unemployment is county-level (BLS LAUS).
- Population
- 220,907City limits · Census PEP 2024 estimate
As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024 - Median household income
- $49,944Incorporated place (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year36% below U.S. avgU.S. $78,538 - Housing cost index
- 76ACS home+rent vs U.S. (100 = avg)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year24% below U.S. avgU.S. 100 - Median home value
- $224,500City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year26% below U.S. avgU.S. $303,400 - Median rent
- $1,044City limits (ACS)
As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year23% below U.S. avgU.S. $1,348 - Unemployment
- 4.2%County LAUS · not city-only
As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026Near U.S. avg (4.2 pts)U.S. 4.2 pts - Avg commute
- 23 min8% below U.S. avgU.S. 25 min
- Walk Score
- 3913% below U.S. avgU.S. 45
- Violent crime rate
- 936.3annualized per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)60% above U.S. avgU.S. 586.6 - Property crime rate
- 5290.3annualized per 100k · citywide
As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)71% above U.S. avgU.S. 3087.9 - Summer high
- 92°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals5.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 87°F
- Winter low
- 43°FAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals9.0°F above U.S. avgU.S. 34°F
- Annual rainfall
- 61.9 inAs of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals88% above U.S. avgU.S. 33 in
- Sunny days
- 251As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals6% below U.S. avgU.S. 268
Population trend
Baton Rouge declined 3.7% from 229,374 in 2010 to 220,907 in 2024.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024). Playback steps monthly between annual Census PEP estimates.
Is Baton Rouge expensive compared to the U.S. average?
Baton Rouge's housing cost index is 76 versus 100 nationally — among the more affordable large markets in this catalog. That gap is driven mainly by ACS median home values ($224,500 vs $303,400) and rents ($1,044 vs $1,348).
- Housing cost index 76 (U.S. 100)
- Median home $224,500 vs U.S. $303,400
- Median rent $1,044 vs U.S. $1,348
How much does housing cost in Baton Rouge?
Typical ownership costs center near $224,500, while median gross rent is about $1,044 a month. Against a median household income of $49,944, rent alone is roughly 25% of income on an annualized basis.
- Median home value $224,500
- Median rent $1,044/month
- Median household income $49,944
What is the job market like in Baton Rouge?
County unemployment recently ran 4.2% versus a U.S. rate of 4.2%. Median household income in Baton Rouge is about $49,944 (U.S. $78,538).
- Unemployment 4.2% (U.S. 4.2%)
- Median income $49,944
How long is the typical commute in Baton Rouge?
Average one-way commute time is about 23 minutes, with Walk Score near 39/100. The catalog-city average commute is 25 minutes.
- 23 minutes average one-way
- Walk Score 39/100
Is Baton Rouge safer than similar U.S. cities?
Published violent-offense rates are about 936.3 per 100k and property about 5290.3 per 100k, versus catalog averages of 586.6 and 3087.9. Citywide rates hide large neighborhood differences.
- Violent 936.3 per 100k
- Property 5290.3 per 100k
What is the climate like year-round in Baton Rouge?
Normals show summer highs near 92°F, winter lows near 43°F, about 61.9 inches of rain, and roughly 251 sunny days a year.
- Summer high 92°F
- Winter low 43°F
- 61.9 in rain · 251 sunny days
Baton Rouge (pop. 220,907) sits in Louisiana. Median household income is roughly $49,944, while the ACS housing-cost index sits near 76 — among the more affordable large markets in this catalog on housing costs (100 ≈ U.S. average). Ownership is a high bar — typical values near $224,500 push many newcomers toward renting first.
Baton Rouge is compact enough that a single wrong neighborhood choice is easy to feel day to day — visit at commute hour before signing. Figures on this page are merged from Census ACS, BLS LAUS, FBI Crime Data Explorer, and NOAA Climate Normals — use them to compare Baton Rouge with nearby alternatives before you relocate.
Gulf moisture, festival culture, and floodplain risk are everyday considerations. With about 61.9 inches of rain a year, wet-season drainage and mold checks are worth asking about. Plan on roughly 23 minutes each way for a typical commute; Walk Score is about 39. Unemployment recently ran near 4.2%, broadly in line with many large U.S. counties. FBI CDE violent-offense rates run comparatively high (~936.3 per 100k annualized), so block-by-block due diligence is especially important.
Nearby & similar cities
Continue researching with these internal links — each page is a full data profile.
Sources
- Census / ACS: U.S. Census Bureau ACS 2023 5-year (Baton Rouge city, 1600000US2205000) — As of 2026-09-10 · ACS 2023 5-year
- BLS: BLS LAUS · East Baton Rouge Parish, July 2026 — As of 2026-09-10 · July 2026
- Crime: FBI CIUS Table 8 (2019) city offenses known to law enforcement — rates per 100k; CDE API unavailable at enrich time — As of 2026-09-10 · 2019 offenses (FBI Table 8 fallback)
- Climate: NOAA 1991–2020 Monthly Normals (USW00013970 BATON ROUGE RYAN AP) — As of 2026-09-10 · 1991–2020 NOAA normals
- Population trend: U.S. Census Bureau PEP city/town estimates (2010–2024) — As of 2026-09-10 · Census PEP 2024
Catalog refreshed 2026-09-10