1st Advantage MortgageInvestors buying in Metairie, LA are measured on the rent the property earns. Locally, median gross rent is $1,175 and median real estate taxes are $1,814 a year, which together set how much loan a rent can carry.
What the numbers say about Metairie
Median gross rent in Metairie: $1,175, about 10% above the Louisiana median of $1,064. Median owner-occupied home value: $327,500, well above the Louisiana median of $216,500. Those are citywide medians, so an individual address can sit well on either side of them. Dividing a year of median rent by the median home value gives a gross rent-to-value ratio of 4.3%, a lean ratio that leaves little room for taxes, insurance and dues. It mixes apartments and houses, so treat it as a compass and not as the number for any one property.
| Indicator | Louisiana | Metairie | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Persons per household | 2.49 | 2.27 | |
| Share in 2-4 unit buildings | 7.9% | 10.0% | +27% |
| Share of homes detached | 65.3% | 61.2% | -6% |
| Degree holders, age 25+ | 27.0% | 41.2% | +52% |
| Workers on their own account | 10.6% | 12.4% | +17% |
| Renters paying 30%+ of income | 54.8% | 49.6% | -9% |
| Units sitting vacant | 14.4% | 7.7% | -47% |
| Typical construction year | 1983 | 1972 | |
| Annual rent divided by value | 5.9% | 4.3% | -27% |
| Tax as a share of home value | 0.55% | 0.55% | +2% |
| Annual property tax bill, median | $1,180 | $1,814 | +54% |
| Household income, median | $60,756 | $73,042 | +20% |
| Typical owner-occupied value | $216,500 | $327,500 | +51% |
| Typical monthly rent | $1,064 | $1,175 | +10% |
| Residents (Census estimate) | 4,611,961 | 139,729 |
37.9% of Metairie households rent, about 16% above the Louisiana median of 33%. That is a healthy base of tenants without the churn of a pure student or military town. Incomes matter for rent growth: the median household earns $73,042, about 20% above the Louisiana median of $60,756, and 50% of renters are already cost-burdened at 30 percent of income or more.
Homes, buildings and vacancies in Metairie
Only 61% of units in Metairie are detached houses. The rest is townhomes, duplexes and apartments, with two to four unit buildings at 10% of the total. A median build year of 1972 puts most of the stock in its second round of big repairs, and an inspector will show what remains.
About 8% of Metairie's housing units are vacant, and the rental vacancy rate (units for rent against rented plus for-rent units) works out to 6.1%.
How investors should read Metairie
A gross yield of 4.3% means Metairie is a market where purchase prices run ahead of rent, so a 1.0 ratio generally takes a larger down payment or a property priced below the local median. A median build year of 1972 suggests moderate repair budgets with the usual replacement cycles. With about 38% of households renting, Metairie has enough tenants to support investors without being dominated by them.
Taxes, insurance and hazards in Metairie
The Census reports median real estate taxes paid of $1,814 in Metairie, well above the Louisiana median of $1,180. Against the median value that is an effective rate of roughly 0.55%, compared with 0.55% for Louisiana as a whole. Set beside the median rent, the tax alone consumes about 13% of annual rent.
County-level hazard data from FEMA (National Risk Index 1.20) shows Jefferson County with relatively high overall risk and hurricanes (very high), lightning (very high) and coastal flooding (very high) at the top of the list.
| Hazard in Jefferson County, FEMA index | Level |
|---|---|
| Heat waves exposure | Relatively High |
| Coastal flooding exposure | Very High |
| Lightning exposure | Very High |
| Hurricanes exposure | Very High |
| Social vulnerability score | Relatively High |
| Annualized loss estimate | Relatively High |
| Composite risk | Relatively High |
A Metairie landlord policy is priced on roof, age, wiring and location, and the annual premium divided by twelve lands in the payment the lender tests.
Working the Metairie rent math
At the city medians a DSCR file in Metairie has $1,024 a month after taxes to cover principal, interest, insurance and dues if the ratio is 1.00, or $789 if the ratio is 1.25. Those two numbers show why insurance quotes and tax estimates come first.
Legal checks before a Metairie purchase
For Metairie, treat local rental rules as an open question to close before you offer. Ask the city and Jefferson Parish about landlord registration, inspections and short-term rental permits, and check association documents too. Nightly stays carry state tax in Louisiana. Louisiana treats short-term rentals furnished to transient guests as taxable sleeping-room rentals, and platforms such as Airbnb must collect and remit state and local sales tax on Louisiana bookings.
The return clock runs 30 days from move-out in Louisiana, so Metairie landlords should keep move-in photos and repair receipts. Expect to give Written notice at least 10 calendar days before the end of the month of notice to end a month-to-month arrangement at a Metairie rental.
How Metairie stacks up against its neighbors
Slidell's median home value of $217,700 is the group's floor and Mandeville's $376,100 its ceiling, while Metairie is $327,500.
| Market | Renter share | Tax bill | Home value | Residents | Rent |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell | 31% | $1,563 | $217,700 | 28,561 | $1,375 |
| Mandeville | 32% | $3,108 | $376,100 | 12,946 | $1,422 |
| New Orleans | 49% | $2,606 | $315,700 | 371,853 | $1,251 |
| Kenner | 37% | $933 | $246,300 | 64,904 | $1,179 |
| Metairie | 38% | $1,814 | $327,500 | 139,729 | $1,175 |
Employers and institutions near Metairie rentals
The self-employed share of the workforce is 12.4%, and those owners tend to be exactly the buyers DSCR financing was built for. On the workforce side, government workers are about 12% of employment, 41% of adults hold a bachelor's degree or higher and 8% of commuters travel 45 minutes or more.
From a Metairie listing to a loan
Bring the Metairie numbers to a loan officer: the rent, the taxes, the insurance and your reserves. Apply online or ask for a quote, and use the calculator to preview the ratio.
More Louisiana markets
- All Louisiana DSCR loans
- DSCR loans in Kenner, LA
- DSCR loans in New Orleans, LA
- DSCR loans in Mandeville, LA
- DSCR loans in Slidell, LA
- Every market we cover
Where we checked
- Census ACS profile behind the Metairie figures
- FEMA hazard ratings for Jefferson Parish
- Wikipedia: Metairie, Louisiana
- Louisiana landlord deposit rules, La. R.S. 9:3251, 9:3252, 9:3254
- State rule cited for Metairie hosts: Louisiana Department of Revenue FAQ
All Metairie statistics are ACS five-year survey estimates from 2020 to 2024. The Louisiana legal summaries are from the RedFlagLease dataset, licensed CC BY 4.0, with statute links. Our check date is October 2026, so look for newer Metairie rules before you commit.
Quick file checklist
For a Metairie rental, request the current lease, the last tax bill and the insurance declarations page early, and confirm which utilities the tenant pays, because each one changes the monthly figure a lender compares with the rent.
DSCR loan availability varies by property and lender program and is not an offer to lend. See our disclosures.
Frequently asked questions
Which rent counts when I finance a Metairie property?
Expect to supply a lease, or let the appraiser's rent schedule stand in for one; the Metairie median rent of $1,175 is context and not a substitute.
Do taxes and insurance count in the Metairie DSCR ratio?
They do. Rent of $1,175 divided by 1.25 gives about $940 as the payment ceiling, and $151 of that is spoken for by the median Metairie tax bill.
What tax bill should I expect on a Metairie rental?
The median bill is $1,814, an effective rate near 0.55%. Because Jefferson Parish may reassess at sale, use an estimate on the new price when you run the ratio.
Do DSCR lenders count short-term rental income in Metairie?
It depends on the program and on local law. A Metairie owner needs the right permit or registration, an association that allows nightly stays, and documented bookings.
What deposit rules apply to a LA rental?
Start with La. R.S. 9:3251, 9:3252, 9:3254. Return window: 30 days. Talk to a Louisiana attorney for a lease form that matches.
How exposed is Metairie to natural hazards?
At the county level FEMA calls overall risk relatively high. Insurance, not the index, shows up in the ratio, so price a policy for the Metairie address.
How do LLC closings work for Metairie rentals?
An individual can borrow too. If you prefer an entity for the Metairie purchase, expect to provide formation documents and sign a personal guaranty.