Report says B.R. housing is ‘moderately unaffordable’

With an average home price of $167,200 and median household income of $48,800, Baton Rouge ranks 147th in the United States—and 164th internationally—for housing affordability. That’s according to the eighth annual “Demographia International Housing Affordability Survey: 2012,” which compares and ranks 325 metropolitan markets in the United States, Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. The report lumps Baton Rouge into the “moderately unaffordable” category of metro areas. Other Louisiana metros were judged to be more affordable. Lafayette is ranked 16th on the list for affordability in the United States and internationally, with a $106,000 average home price and $47,300 average household income. Houma is ranked No. 32 in the nation, while New Orleans is more comparable to Baton Rouge at No. 140. Shreveport is ranked No. 177 domestically, placing it—as well as New Orleans—in the “moderately unaffordable” category. Houma and Lafayette rank in the “affordable” category. If you want to look through the complete 54-page report, you can find it here.