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Baton Rouge vs Lafayette for Rental Property Investing

Side-by-side comparison of Baton Rouge, LA and Lafayette, LA — cap rates, rent, prices, and investment metrics.

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Lafayette wins 6–1 across key metrics
Lafayette leads on cash flow (4.83% vs 4.76% cap rate)
Metric
Baton Rouge, LA
Lafayette, LA
Est. Cap Rate
4.76%
4.83%
Median Home Price
$220,000
$210,000
Median Monthly Rent
$1,200
$1,150
1% Rule
0.55%
0.55%
GRM
15.3x
15.2x
Price / Income
4.6x
4.2x
Property Tax Rate
0.56%
0.52%
Vacancy Rate
6.5%
6.4%
Population Growth
0.5% / yr
0.6% / yr
Annual Appreciation
2.3%
2.2%
Population
224,149
126,000
Median Income
$48,200
$50,200

Baton Rouge vs Lafayette: Which Is Better for Investors?

Cash flow: Lafayette has the edge with an estimated cap rate of 4.83% compared to Baton Rouge's 4.76%. Neither city passes the 1% rule outright, so deal sourcing and value-add strategies become more important. Median home prices are $220,000 in Baton Rouge vs $210,000 in Lafayette, while rents come in at $1,200/mo and $1,150/mo respectively.

Growth & appreciation: Lafayette is growing faster at 0.6% annually vs Baton Rouge's 0.5%. Baton Rouge leads on home value appreciation at 2.3% per year.

Costs & risk: Property taxes are 0.56% in Baton Rouge vs 0.52% in Lafayette. Vacancy rates of 6.5% and 6.4% are mixed — Lafayette has the tighter rental market.

Bottom line: Lafayette edges out Baton Rouge on most key metrics. While cap rates are moderate at 4.83%, Lafayette's overall profile is stronger. Use our free calculators to model specific deals in Baton Rouge or Lafayette.

Baton Rouge, LA
4.76% cap rate · $220,000 median · $1,200/mo
Full analysis →
Lafayette, LA
4.83% cap rate · $210,000 median · $1,150/mo
Full analysis →
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