How much rent can you afford in Ruston, LA?
Run your salary against Ruston's current rent, or find the income you'd need for a target rent. Powered by live RentDataNow medians.
The 30% rent rule, in Ruston
At a median rent of $1,442/mo, Ruston is expensive when measured against Ruston median household income of $31,120/yr. Rent would consume roughly 56% of pre-tax income, and a salary of about $57,680 keeps rent at the recommended 30% threshold.
How Ruston compares nearby
Median rent for the closest cities with data.
Frequently asked
How much rent can I afford in Ruston?
On a $31,120 salary (the Ruston median household income), the recommended ceiling is 30% of pre-tax income, or about $778/mo. Ruston's median rent is $1,442/mo. Use the calculator on this page to run your own salary.
What salary do I need to live in Ruston?
To keep Ruston's $1,442/mo median rent under 30% of income, you'd need about $57,680/yr. Lower your target share (e.g. 25%) to need more, or raise it (e.g. 40%) to need less.
Is Ruston affordable on the median Louisiana income?
Ruston is expensive on a $31,120 income. Rent would take 56% of pre-tax pay, outside the recommended 30% threshold.
What's the 30% rent rule?
The 30% rule is a long-standing budgeting guideline that keeps rent at or below 30% of gross (pre-tax) income. It leaves enough room for utilities, transit, savings, and debt service. In high-cost markets, many renters exceed 30%, and the Census Bureau classifies households paying more than 30% of income on rent as "cost-burdened".