Assumption Parish

Assumption Parish sits at a median home price of $178,989 with a 4.24% year-over-year price gain and an affordability index of 92 out of 100, which tells you immediately that this is a low-entry-cost market with appreciating values rather than a cash-flow engine. The data does not include a cap rate or gross rent multiplier for this parish, so any yield projection would require independent rent comps, and investors should approach this market knowing the model flags the cash-flow score at zero. What the data does confirm is an appreciation score of 84 and a national percentile rank of 95th out of 1,000 counties, with a state rank of 2nd out of 64 Louisiana parishes. For a sub-$180K median, that appreciation trajectory is notable, and it is the primary reason this parish lands where it does on the composite ranking.

The profile here matches an appreciation-oriented buyer or a patient long-hold investor who is not depending on day-one cash flow to make the deal work. At $178,989 with a 20% down payment of roughly $35,800 and a 6.85% rate, you are carrying a meaningful mortgage without confirmed rent coverage in the data. A value-add operator looking to force appreciation through renovation also has a logical entry point given the price basis, since the cost to improve a $179K asset in a market posting 4.24% annualized price growth is arithmetically more favorable than doing the same in a $300K+ market. What this parish does not offer, based on available data, is the kind of rent-to-price ratio a cash-flow buyer needs to see on day one. Investors whose underwriting requires immediate positive leverage should look at the rent data available in neighboring parishes before committing here.

The economic context for Assumption Parish is limited by the data provided, so no specific employer anchors or economic notes are available to cite. What the population figure of 21,067 does communicate is that this is a small, relatively rural market. Thin population depth typically means thinner rental demand in absolute unit terms, and a landlord vacancy event can have a proportionally larger impact on returns than in a denser metro submarket. Investors in markets this size are typically underwriting to a tighter tenant pool, which reinforces the importance of location within the parish and proximity to any employment centers in adjacent areas.

On carry costs, the tax and insurance picture is a genuine tailwind here. The state-average effective property tax rate is 0.55%, which is flagged as low, and insurance runs approximately 0.66% of value annually. Combined, that produces a monthly tax-and-insurance load of $180 on an asset at this price point. That is a real number, not a rounding error: $180 per month in T&I against a sub-$180K asset is meaningfully below what you would carry in a high-tax state at the same price level. Louisiana's low property tax rate is a structural advantage for buy-and-hold investors and should be modeled as such. The standard caveat applies: this is a state-average estimate drawn from Tax Foundation 2024 data, and actual rates at the parish and township level may differ, so verify the specific millage before closing.

The primary risk to flag is market concentration. A population of 21,067 in a rural Louisiana parish means you are exposed to any localized economic disruption, and the stability score of 50 out of 100 reflects that. There is no diversified economic base confirmed in the data, and single-employer or single-sector dependence in markets this size can rapidly affect rental demand and home values. Regulatory risk specific to this parish is not documented in the available data, but Louisiana coastal and bayou-adjacent markets generally carry elevated insurance complexity that the 0.66% rate estimate may not fully capture depending on flood zone designation, so flood insurance should be evaluated separately on any specific property.

Against its neighbors, Assumption Parish's case is primarily built on appreciation momentum and its affordability score relative to similarly priced parishes. Iberia Parish at $134,124 median offers a rent-to-price ratio of 10.63%, which is a substantially more attractive gross yield profile for a cash-flow buyer. Calcasieu Parish at $193,360 shows a rent-to-price ratio of 6.59%, and Livingston Parish at $246,195 shows 7.78% with a $1,595 median rent, suggesting a deeper and more liquid rental market. Caldwell Parish at $127,430 is cheaper still but scores 73 overall versus Assumption's 76. The case for choosing Assumption Parish over these neighbors comes down to a single thesis: you believe the 84 appreciation score and 95th national percentile ranking reflect real price momentum that the lower-priced parishes do not match, and you are willing to accept thinner or unconfirmed day-one yield in exchange for that trajectory. An investor who needs verified rent-to-price ratios above 8% to hit their return targets should look at Iberia Parish first.