Markets  ›  LA  ›  Lafayette

Lafayette, LA housing market

Lafayette, LA metro median sale price $242K in Jul–Sep 2026, up 2.7% year over year. Also days on market, price cuts, affordability and ZIP-code figures.

The median sale price in the Lafayette, LA metro is $242K over Jul–Sep 2026, up 2.7% from the same 3 months a year earlier. That change sits near the middle of the 383 U.S. metros Pecan Street ranks on this measure. FHFA's repeat-sales index for the metro shows a larger change, up 5.6% through Q2 2026, 2.9 points apart; Price reconciliation below shows both.

On median sale price, Lafayette ($242K) ranks 6th of the 10 Louisiana metros Pecan Street tracks, between Shreveport ($246K) and Lake Charles ($236K). On median days on market, Lafayette (81 days) ranks 2nd of the 10 Louisiana metros, between Houma (95 days) and Hammond (77 days). On share of listings with a price cut, Lafayette (30%) ranks 4th of the 10 Louisiana metros, between Hammond (32%) and Alexandria (30%).

Listings spent a median 81 days on market in Oct 2026, the 29th-most of the 385 metros. 30% of active listings carry a price cut; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is 0.4 points lower. That share is lower than in most of the 385 metros. Median asking prices sit about 7% above the median sale price. Building permits authorized 160 new housing units in Sep 2026.

At the 7.12% 30-year fixed rate with 20% down, principal and interest on a median-priced home come to $1,303 a month; at 28% of gross income, that takes about $56K a year. The median sale price equals about 15 years of HUD Fair Market Rent, a ratio down 2.8% from a year earlier. That ratio is lower than in most of the 373 metros. Active listings ask a median $149 per square foot; the 3-month average vs a year earlier is down 1.5%.

In nine of the 12 ZIP codes in the table below, median list prices are lower than a year earlier; three are higher.

Headline

Median sale price

Jul–Sep 2026

$242K

+2.7% year-over-year

How it’s calculated

Average of the last three monthly median sale prices vs. the same three months a year earlier.

Mortgage rate

Nov 4, 2026

7.12%

30-year fixed

Where it comes from

National benchmark: Optimal Blue OBMMI 30-year conforming, via FRED. An average of rates borrowers have actually locked, updated daily.

The same rate appears on every market page.

Monthly payment

Principal & interest

$1,303/mo

$56K/yr income needed

How it’s calculated

Payment — this market’s median sale price with 20% down, on a 30-year fixed loan at the rate shown. Principal and interest only — no property tax, insurance, PMI or HOA.

Income needed — that payment at 28% of gross income. A rule of thumb, not a lending decision.

How Lafayette compares to other U.S. metros

Days on market↑29th of 385 (top 8%)
Price cuts↓269th of 385
Asking-vs-sale gap↑105th of 300 (top 35%)
Price-to-rent↓229th of 373
Home-price growth175th of 383 (top 46%)

Rank across the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, on market data alone — a higher rank means more of that measure (more price cuts, faster price growth, a wider asking-vs-sale gap, a higher price-to-rent ratio, or more days on market). The bar shows where this metro sits within that metric’s own cohort (left is more, right is less); ↑ and ↓ mark the positions furthest from the middle, and rows are ordered the same way. Metrics without data for this metro are omitted.

Affordability

Price-to-rent ratio≈ 15 -2.8% YoY
↓229th of 373
Asking price / sq ft$149 -1.5% 3-month average vs a year earlier

Price-to-rent divides the median sale price by the annual HUD Fair Market Rent (a 3-bedroom, 40th-percentile benchmark), so it is a directional rent-vs-buy read, not a cap rate; its year-over-year change is directional in the same way. Asking price per square foot is the median across active for-sale listings (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market pressure

Listings with a price cut≈ 30% -0.4 pts 3-month average vs a year earlier
↓269th of 385
New housing units permitted160

The median asking price $260K runs about 7% above the median sale price $242K.

Price-cut share is the portion of active for-sale listings that have taken a price reduction (Realtor.com), as of Oct 2026. New housing units authorized by residential building permits in the metro that month — new supply in the pipeline, which counts of existing listings don't capture (US Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey), as of Sep 2026. Asking is the median list price of active listings (Realtor.com, Oct 2026); sale is the headline median of recent closings (Redfin, Jul–Sep 2026) — distinct sources and windows, so the gap is a directional read, not a like-for-like difference. The bar under a figure places this metro among the U.S. metros we track on that measure, highest first.

Market facts

ZIPs with listing data12 shown of 34
MLS board of record—
Price methodologyRedfin vs FHFA HPI
Sale-price windowJul–Sep 2026

Recent signals

No signals flagged for this market right now.

Recent notable readings

Readings from the latest data that sit at one end of the U.S. metros Pecan Street tracks, from the nightly cross-metro comparison. They are not signal alerts.

Housing Economy

Lafayette · ConstructionCOPIED

Lafayette builders pulled 5.5% fewer single-family permits than a year earlier

Single-family building permits in the Lafayette metro area, by month, one line per year, units

AprJulOct10514017521024520252026
AprJulOct10514017521024520252026
2024
Chart data
Month202420252026
Dec112130—
Nov143128—
Oct163145—
Sep169159160
Aug159168192
Jul164186165
Jun154176138
May186180163
Apr185209191
Mar213238200
Feb164201172
Jan165155192

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, Building Permits Survey · data through September 2026

Builders in the Lafayette metro area pulled 1,976 single-family permits in the twelve months through September 2026, 5.5% fewer than in the twelve months before. So far in 2026, permits are running 5.9% below the same months of 2025.

Why it matters. Permits come before starts, and starts come before new homes for sale, so this is the earliest read on how much new building is planned in the Lafayette area. When the permit pipeline shrinks, buyers see fewer new-build options later; when it grows, sellers of existing homes face more competition from builders.

Lafayette · Home pricesCOPIED

Lafayette home prices are 5.6% higher than a year ago

Home prices in the Lafayette metro area, change from a year earlier, FHFA all-transactions index, quarterly, percent; shaded bars mark recessions

1990200020102020-18%-9%0%9%18%Lafayette
1990200020102020-18%-9%0%9%18%Lafayette
No changeRecession
Chart data
DateLafayette
Jun 20265.6%
Mar 20262.3%
Dec 20253.6%
Sep 20257.8%
Jun 20250.7%
Mar 20252%
Dec 20246.6%
Sep 20240.7%
Jun 20242.4%
Mar 20244%
Dec 2023-4.1%
Sep 2023-2.2%
Jun 20230.2%
Mar 20232.4%
Dec 20228.7%
Sep 202211.5%
Jun 202214.8%
Mar 20229.3%
Dec 20218.5%
Sep 20217.3%
Jun 20214.2%
Mar 20212.8%
Dec 20203.6%
Sep 20202.3%
Jun 20202.6%
Mar 20204.2%
Dec 20193.2%
Sep 20193.6%
Jun 20191.4%
Mar 2019-0.6%
Dec 2018-2.3%
Sep 2018-0.3%
Jun 20181.6%
Mar 20181.8%
Dec 20172.7%
Sep 20170.8%
Jun 20170.6%
Mar 20171.1%
Dec 20161.1%
Sep 20160.9%
Jun 20161.1%
Mar 20162.1%
Dec 20151.5%
Sep 20153%
Jun 20153.2%
Mar 20152.2%
Dec 20143.9%
Sep 20142.7%
Jun 20142.6%
Mar 20142.5%
Dec 20132%
Sep 20131.8%
Jun 20132%
Mar 20132.4%
Dec 20120.6%
Sep 20122.6%
Jun 20122.1%
Mar 20120.8%
Dec 2011-0.2%
Sep 2011-2.2%
Jun 2011-1.5%
Mar 2011-1.3%
Dec 2010-0.3%
Sep 20100.3%
Jun 2010-2.3%
Mar 2010-2.5%
Dec 20090.6%
Sep 20091%
Jun 20090.7%
Mar 20091.8%
Dec 2008-0.3%
Sep 20080.4%
Jun 20082.9%
Mar 20083.7%
Dec 20076.2%
Sep 20074.8%
Jun 20075.5%
Mar 20076.1%
Dec 20066.9%
Sep 20069.9%
Jun 20069.9%
Mar 200610.9%
Dec 20059.6%
Sep 20057.4%
Jun 20057.3%
Mar 20056.8%
Dec 20045.8%
Sep 20046.6%
Jun 20045.5%
Mar 20044.3%
Dec 20034.7%
Sep 20034.2%
Jun 20035.4%
Mar 20034.4%
Dec 20025.3%
Sep 20025.3%
Jun 20023.8%
Mar 20024.3%
Dec 20014%
Sep 20013.6%
Jun 20015%
Mar 20013.3%
Dec 20003.1%
Sep 20002.3%
Jun 20001.8%
Mar 20001.9%
Dec 19991.6%
Sep 19992.8%
Jun 19992.5%
Mar 19994.6%
Dec 19985.4%
Sep 19985.3%
Jun 19984.8%
Mar 19984.8%
Dec 19973.7%
Sep 19975.6%
Jun 19976.8%
Mar 19976.8%
Dec 19966.9%
Sep 19965%
Jun 19964%
Mar 19966.8%
Dec 19954.4%
Sep 19953.9%
Jun 19955.3%
Mar 19953.7%
Dec 19947.5%
Sep 19948.7%
Jun 19948.6%
Mar 19947.6%
Dec 19935.3%
Sep 19934.6%
Jun 19933.5%
Mar 19934.3%
Dec 19924.8%
Sep 19924.1%
Jun 19926.2%
Mar 19924.7%
Dec 19915.2%
Sep 19915.7%
Jun 19915.2%
Mar 199112.4%
Dec 19906.5%
Sep 19906.5%
Jun 199013.3%
Mar 19907.3%
Dec 198917.1%
Sep 198914.2%
Jun 19890.7%
Mar 1989-2.9%
Dec 1988-5.2%
Sep 1988-10.8%
Jun 1988-15.4%
Mar 1988-14.4%
Dec 1987-17.7%
Sep 1987-15.5%
Jun 1987-11.7%
Mar 1987-11.2%
Dec 1986-12.4%
Sep 1986-8.3%
Jun 1986-4.9%
Mar 1986-7.7%
Dec 1985-4.8%
Sep 1985-10.3%
Jun 1985-11.5%
Mar 1985-4.1%
Dec 1984-6.8%
Sep 1984-1.8%
Jun 1984-4.1%
Mar 1984-8.4%
Dec 1983-1.2%
Sep 1983-4.1%
Jun 19833.9%
Mar 19835%
Dec 19823.4%
Sep 198211.4%
Jun 198211.3%
Mar 198213.4%
Dec 198112.3%
Sep 198110.4%

Source: FHFA house price index; recession dates from NBER · data through Q2 2026

FHFA's all-transactions index for the Lafayette metro area in the second quarter of 2026 was 5.6% above its level a year earlier. Since 1981, prices have risen an average of 2.7% a year. Nationally, prices were 3.0% higher than a year earlier.

Why it matters. Long-run context shows how the latest change in Lafayette home prices compares with the market's own history, including the recessions shaded on the chart. When appreciation slows, sellers have less room for a list price to run ahead of recent sales, and buyers feel less pressure to stretch to keep up; when it speeds up, the reverse holds: list prices can run ahead of recent sales and buyers compete harder.

Price reconciliation

amber · 2.9pp

Redfin (metro)

+2.7%

FHFA HPI · Q2 2026

+5.6%

Year-over-year home-price change from two independent methods — Redfin (sale prices over the last 3 months) and FHFA (quarterly repeat-sales index). When they diverge, the market is mid-shift; cite the figure with that in mind.

More markets in LA

AlexandriaBaton RougeHammondHoumaLake CharlesMonroeNew OrleansShreveportSlidell

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ZIP-level data

ZIPMedian list priceActive listingsNew listingsPrice reductionsDays on marketHome value
70501$125K↓101↑20↑24↑78↓$106K↓
70503$319K↓137↑36↓36↓86↑$286K↑
70506$225K↓163↑56↑52↑79↑$208K↑
70507$260K↑66↑32↑20↓68↑$213K↑
70508$324K↓200↓52↓56↓81↓$295K↑
70517$265K↑79↑20↓20↓103↑$174K↑
70518$340K↓103↑4832↑60↑$282K↑
70520$223K↑73↑28↑20↑74↓$213K↑
70560$133K↓94↑20↓24↓85↑$119K↓
70578$192K↓38↑16↑8↓95↑$172K↑
70583$260K↓68↑8↑16↑114↑$215K↑
70592$360K↓234↑52↓68↓89↑$278K↑

ZIP figures from Realtor.com listing data; home value from Zillow ZHVI. ZIP codes shown have the most complete listing-data history and active for-sale inventory in this metro; the latest available month is shown per ZIP. Arrows show the direction of each figure against the same three months a year earlier; no arrow means the change rounds to zero or the comparison isn't available.