Jefferson Davis Parish

Jefferson Davis Parish sits at a median home price of $153,628, which is among the more affordable entry points you'll find anywhere in Louisiana. The affordability index of 97 confirms this, placing it near the top of the affordability range. Home prices declined 1.78% year-over-year, which matters for appreciation-oriented investors but also means buyers today are not competing at elevated valuations. The overall score of 61 out of 100, landing at the 56th percentile nationally out of 1,000 counties, puts this squarely in the middle of the pack, neither a standout performer nor a market to avoid outright. Critically, the cash flow score comes in at zero. Without rent and cap rate data populated in the model, the cash-flow picture cannot be quantified here, and any investor considering this market needs to source local rent comps before underwriting a single deal.

That cash flow score of zero is the defining signal for how to categorize this market. Appreciation buyers will note the 1.78% price decline and an appreciation score of only 41, which is below average and does not suggest a market pricing in future growth. The stability score of 50 is median, reflecting a market that is neither deteriorating nor expanding with any conviction. At a population of 32,277, Jefferson Davis Parish is a small rural market. That scale typically means thinner tenant pools, less liquidity on exit, and meaningful exposure to any single employer or industry downturn. The investor best suited here is a value-add operator who can acquire below replacement cost, force appreciation through improvements, and generate cash flow from a basis that the broader market is not efficiently pricing. The $153,628 median price supports that thesis, but execution depends entirely on what local rents actually support, which the current data does not specify.

No economic anchor data was provided for Jefferson Davis Parish, so employer-level analysis is not possible here. What the population figure alone tells you is that this is a small, likely agriculture and energy-dependent rural Louisiana market, consistent with the region's broader profile, but that characterization is inference, not data. Investors should independently verify the primary employment base and any exposure to commodity cycles before committing capital.

On carry costs, the tax and insurance picture is a relative tailwind. The state-average effective property tax rate for Louisiana is 0.55%, which the Tax Foundation classifies as low, and annual property tax on a $153,628 purchase comes to roughly $845. Insurance runs approximately $1,014 annually at the 0.66% state-average rate. Combined, monthly tax and insurance is approximately $155. That is a meaningful number to hold onto: in a market where gross rents may be modest, a $155 monthly carry before mortgage debt service, maintenance, vacancy, and management is workable, and the low tax rate specifically is a line-item advantage over higher-tax states. The honest caveat here is that these are state-average estimates; actual Jefferson Davis Parish rates may differ, and Louisiana's coastal and near-coastal insurance market has seen significant premium pressure in recent years, so verifying current insurance quotes at the county level is non-negotiable before finalizing any underwrite.

The comparison to neighboring parishes sharpens the picture. Rapides Parish prices at $165,369 with a rent-to-price ratio of 7.05% and an overall score of 61, identical to Jefferson Davis. Bossier Parish prices at $237,022 with a 6.88% rent-to-price ratio, also scoring 61. Plaquemines Parish scores 62 and shows the highest rent-to-price ratio of the group at 7.67%, though at a $266,075 median price the absolute capital requirement is much higher. Beauregard Parish, the closest geographic comparison in profile, prices at $189,090 with a 6.21% rent-to-price ratio and scores 60. Jefferson Davis Parish has no rent-to-price data in the model, which is itself a problem; you cannot confirm whether its affordability advantage translates into a superior yield. If local rent research confirms a rent-to-price ratio at or above 7%, Jefferson Davis becomes a more compelling entry than Beauregard on yield per dollar deployed. If rents are suppressed relative to price, which is possible in a declining-price rural market, the affordability advantage evaporates. Choose Jefferson Davis over its neighbors only after you have verified current rent levels from local property managers or active listings, not before.