Baton Rouge LA
Louisiana · Pop. 222,771
Baton Rouge, LA: median household income of $49,994, median rent of $1,067/mo, 9.2% unemployment. Our verdict: It Depends.
Score Breakdown
Key Metrics
Median Income
$49,994
per year
Median Rent
$1,067
per month
Median Home
$235k
home value
Unemployment
9.2%
of labor force
Poverty Rate
25.7%
below poverty line
Avg. Commute
21 min
one way
City Reality Check honest
"Baton Rouge, LA Reality Check"
In Baton Rouge, the rent-to-income burden runs around 26% — acceptable by national standards. Median income sits at $49,994 and median rent is $1,067/month. 53% of renters are cost-burdened (30%+ of income on housing). Landlords are winning; everyone else is treading water. Median home value: $234,700 — that's 4.7× the median income. Employment picture: 9.24% unemployment — a softer job market. Poverty rate: 25.7% — well above the national average. The headline economic numbers hide a bifurcated city. Average commute: 21 minutes — acceptable. Violent crime: 88.5/100k avg monthly rate (9314 reported); Property crime: 428.9/100k avg monthly rate (45201 reported). Baton Rouge was founded in 1699 — that's 327 years of history baked into the streets. The city covers 88.1 sq miles at 2,528 people/sq mile — spread out. Elevation: 56 ft — essentially flat — floods are a real conversation. RoastMyCity overall score: 56/100 — It Depends.
Local Context
Safety
/100Violent crime: 88.5/100k avg monthly rate (9314 reported); Property crime: 428.9/100k avg monthly rate (45201 reported).