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New Report Fall 2026 Housing Affordability Report: every state is less affordable than in late August as average 30-year mortgage rates passed 7%. Read the report

Start, LA Housing Affordability Index

Start, Louisiana has an MBR Housing Affordability Index score of 212.3 (Highly Affordable) as of October 30, 2026, ranking 40th most affordable of 331 scored Louisiana cities, compared with 125.1 statewide and 97.4 nationally. On a median-priced $162,100 home with 20% down, the Louisiana average 30-year fixed rate of 7.19% means a monthly principal and interest payment of about $879, or 10% of the city’s $110,278 median household income.

The MBR Housing Affordability Index (MBR-HAI) for Start is updated every night from live Louisiana mortgage rates and U.S. Census Bureau income, home value and housing cost data for the city. A score of 100 equals the national average; higher scores mean homeownership is more affordable.

Start MBR-HAI 212.3 Highly Affordable
Rank in Louisiana 40 of 331 1 = most affordable
Louisiana 125.1 Statewide score
National 97.4 100 = baseline
Avg 30-yr rate 7.19% Louisiana lenders
Median home value $162,100 U.S. Census Bureau

Start is 87.1 points above the Louisiana score. Scores as of October 30, 2026. See the Louisiana index

View Start Mortgage Rates

What It Takes to Buy in Start

$879/mo
Principal & Interest
Median home, 20% down, 7.19%
$37,700
Income Needed
To keep the payment at 28% of income
$110,278
Median Household Income
Louisiana: $60,756
1.5x
Price-to-Income Ratio
Louisiana: 3.6x
$886/mo
Median Owner Costs
Mortgage, taxes, insurance, utilities
$1,098/yr
Median Property Tax
Louisiana figure
27.8%
Owner Cost Burden
Owners spending 30%+ of income on housing
29.2%
Renter Cost Burden
Renters spending 30%+ of income on rent

Source: U.S. Census Bureau American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates (2024) for Start, Louisiana. The rate is the Louisiana average 30-year fixed rate from MonitorBankRates, since lenders publish rates by state.

Cite the Start Score

“MonitorBankRates (MBR) Housing Affordability Index, MonitorBankRates.com, October 30, 2026. Start, Louisiana score: 212.3 (Highly Affordable), ranked 40 of 331 Louisiana cities. monitorbankrates.com/housing-affordability-index/louisiana/start”