Rents are 5% below what Lafayette's 10-year trend predicts — a better deal than its own history suggests.
Rent by unit size
These are HUD Fair Market Rents, the payment standard for a Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8). They often differ from the $1,329 market median above, and that is expected: FMR is the 40th percentile of standard-quality units and counts gross rent, so it includes essential utilities such as electricity, water, gas, sewer, and trash. The market median is asking rent, which usually excludes utilities. HUD sets FMR once a year; market rent here updates monthly.
Source: HUD Small Area Fair Market Rents. Read the methodology →
12-month history
Last updated: October 17, 2026
What the numbers show
December. Asking rents in Lafayette usually run 0.7% below trend in December and 0.8% above it in July, about $20 a month apart at today's median. Based on 10 years of data.
Rent in Lafayette is 0.5% below its high of $1,336 in March 2026, at $1,329 as of September 2026.
Rent in Lafayette changed +0.7% over the year to September 2026. Across the 36 Louisiana cities Zillow tracks, the typical change was +3.9%.
From 2019 to 2024, rent in Lafayette rose 25.6% while median household income rose 20.8% ($51,264 to $61,915). Rent outpaced income.
Rent in Lafayette is 28.5% higher than in March 2020. Across the US, rent is up 37.3% over the same stretch.
Rent has risen 3 months in a row, and rose in 9 of the last 12 months.
30% of the median household income ($61,915) is $1,548 a month. That covers HUD's Fair Market Rent for up to a 3-bedroom ($1,390); a 4-bedroom is $1,828.
The priciest of 5 ZIP codes in Lafayette, 70507 ($1,487/mo), costs 38% more than the cheapest, 70501 ($1,078/mo).
From Zillow's monthly rent index (ZORI) for Lafayette. The seasonal pattern compares Zillow’s seasonally adjusted and unadjusted series. Income is the Census median household income (5-year estimates). Fair Market Rents are HUD’s, which include utilities.
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Who lives here
Lafayette, LA is roughly split between renters and owners, has a median income below the national average, 41.1% of residents hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Source: U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2024 5-Year Estimates
How Lafayette, LA has changed in 5 years
Five years ago, renters in Lafayette, LA paid around $1,100 a month. That figure now sits near $1,329, up 20.8% from the 2021 baseline. Census figures show median household income at $61,915 today, compared with $55,329 five years earlier. Because rent grew faster than wages over the same span, the affordability picture has tightened relative to 2021. The renter share has risen from 43.7% to 46.9%, with owner-occupied housing accounting for the remainder. The combined trend lines point to a market that has changed measurably from where it stood in early 2021.
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Can you afford rent in Lafayette on your salary?
At $1,329/mo, how Lafayette rent compares to typical pay (30% rule).
Lafayette rent by bedroom count
Median rent for each apartment size in Lafayette. Click any size for full breakdown.
Tips for renters in Lafayette
Last updated: October 17, 2026
The median rent in Lafayette is $1,329/mo as of October 2026. A studio apartment averages $776/mo while a 2-bedroom runs $1,106/mo. One-bedroom apartments average $978/mo and 3-bedroom units go for $1,390/mo.
At 26% of local median household income ($61,915/yr), Lafayette ranks as affordable compared to the national benchmark of 30%. Rents have increased 0.7% over the past year.
Frequently asked questions
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Which nearby cities are cheaper to rent in than Lafayette?
At $1,329/mo, rent takes ~26% of Lafayette's median household income ($61,915/yr). The standard benchmark is 30%.
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Estimated from ZIP-level data
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