The Baton Rouge metro is home to 871,379 people (up 5.0% over five years), with a median household income of $68,910. Typical rent of $1,366/month works out to 23.8% of the median household income — comfortably below the 30% affordability threshold (Census ACS + Zillow, September 2026).
The share of Baton Rouge's workforce by sector — the base of tenant demand:
| Sector | % of workforce |
|---|---|
| Education & health care | 24.4% |
| Retail trade | 11.0% |
| Manufacturing | 9.6% |
| Professional & management | 9.5% |
| Construction | 9.2% |
Education & health care is the metro's largest employment base — sectors like education and health care are recession-resilient anchors for rental demand.
Rents at 23.8% of median income leave room for rent growth without pricing out the median tenant. Market pricing, yields and the Star Score live on the Baton Rouge market page; run a deal in the calculator.
At the 30%-of-income affordability rule, typical rent of $1,366/month suggests a household income around $55,000/year. The metro's median household income is $68,910.
By workforce share: Education & health care (24.4%), Retail trade (11.0%), Manufacturing (9.6%) (Census ACS 5-year).