Livingston Parish

Livingston Parish sits at a gross rent-to-price ratio of 7.39%, which places it squarely in the middle ground between pure cash-flow territory and appreciation-driven markets. The 4.81% cap rate tells a similar story: better than many coastal or Sun Belt glamour markets, but not the kind of number that carries itself at today's financing costs. Running the standard 20% down scenario at 6.85%, the modeled monthly cash flow comes out at negative $311, with a cash-on-cash return of -6.44%. That gap is real and an investor ignoring it is already in trouble. The appreciation side of the ledger provides some offset: home prices are up 3.41% year-over-year, and the parish scores 81 out of 100 on the appreciation dimension, ranking 149th nationally out of 1,000 counties analyzed, putting it in the 81st percentile. This is not a market you buy today for immediate monthly income; it is a market you buy because the asset is growing and your tenant is covering most of the carry.

The profile here suits a medium-horizon appreciation buyer who can absorb modest negative monthly cash flow without distress, or an operator willing to push rents above the $1,551 median. At a $251,771 median price, the affordability index of 76 suggests the market is not yet priced out of reach for working-class renters, which keeps vacancy risk manageable even if the numbers do not explicitly state it. A value-add buyer hunting distressed assets below the median has a real angle: shave $30,000 to $40,000 off the purchase price and the cap rate math improves materially. A pure cash-flow buyer looking for immediate positive leverage should look elsewhere, because at 6.85% debt cost and a 4.81% cap rate the leverage spread is inverted and negative cash flow is the arithmetic outcome, not a rounding error.

The tax and insurance picture in Louisiana is genuinely worth understanding as a line item. The modeled combined monthly tax and insurance payment is $254, which is included in the $543 estimated expenses figure. The property tax component uses a state-average effective rate of 0.55%, which the Tax Foundation classifies as low. That is a real tailwind for the cash-flow math. Holding cost on the tax side is materially lighter than in states running 1.5% or higher. Be aware that the 0.55% is a state-average estimate and actual Livingston Parish or township-level rates may differ, so confirm the specific assessed rate before closing. The insurance figure at 0.66% of value annually reflects Louisiana coastal exposure and is worth watching as carrier availability in the Gulf Coast region has tightened across recent years.

The stability score of 50 out of 100 is the most important number in this profile to sit with. It is the lowest dimension score in the set and it signals meaningful variability in this market, likely tied to Louisiana's exposure to weather events and the parish's documented history with flooding, particularly in the Amite River corridor. An investor underwriting Livingston Parish must price flood insurance separately where required, confirm FEMA flood zone designation on any specific parcel, and stress-test for periods where the property may be unrentable after a major event. Concentration risk is a factor too: this is a suburban bedroom community of roughly 143,000 people, and demand is anchored to the Baton Rouge metro economy rather than a standalone local employer base. That dependence on the metro is not inherently bad, but it means Livingston Parish rents and occupancy track what happens in Baton Rouge more closely than a more economically diversified market would.

Compared to the neighboring parishes in the data, Livingston holds up well on a total-return basis despite the carry drag. Jefferson Parish comes in at nearly identical rent ($1,549 versus $1,551) but at a higher median price of $261,373 and a rent-to-price ratio of 7.11% against Livingston's 7.39%, making Livingston the more attractive buy for the same rental income level. West Baton Rouge Parish has a lower median price at $249,157 but a rent-to-price ratio of only 6.30%, meaning rent relative to price is weaker despite comparable entry cost. Iberia Parish stands out with a rent-to-price ratio of 10.63% and a median price of $134,124 — that is a cash-flow profile that warrants serious attention from an income-focused buyer who does not need appreciation upside. If your thesis is positive monthly cash flow from day one, Iberia Parish's numbers are in a different league. If your thesis is appreciation plus a tenant covering most of your debt service in a metro-adjacent suburban market with an 81st percentile national ranking, Livingston Parish at $251,771 is a more credible bet than either Jefferson or West Baton Rouge on the yield-adjusted comparison.