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Living in
Monroe.
About
Life in Monroe
Monroe offers genuine affordability—median home values around $198,900 and rent averaging $886 monthly are well below national figures—but you need to understand the economic realities before moving. The city has decent cultural amenities including the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, several museums, and the Monroe Civic Center hosting everything from rodeos to pageants. However, the weather requires serious consideration: summers are brutally hot and humid with temperatures exceeding 90 degrees roughly 91 days per year, and the area sees over 51 inches of rain annually with severe spring thunderstorms and tornado risk—the 2016 flooding dumped 15-20 inches in three days, causing nearly 10,000 homes to flood.
Monroe at a Glance
Population, income, housing and more
Median Age
35.0 yrs
Poverty Rate
35.9%
Foreign-Born
2.5%
Broadband Internet
80.3%
of households
Population Growth
-2.0%
recent change · Census Bureau
Median household income
Demographics2.5% foreign-born, most often from Nepal
Who lives in Monroe: race and ethnicity, ages, households, languages and countries of origin
In Monroe, the largest foreign-born group is from Nepal (15.7%), and 2.4% of residents speak Spanish at home.
Under 18
25.6%
of residents
65 and Older
16.2%
of residents
Households with Kids
32.6%
anyone under 18
Living Alone
38.6%
of households
Married Couples
26.6%
of households
Avg Household Size
2.41
people
Race & Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino of any race; other groups are non-Hispanic
Top countries of origin (foreign-born)
Languages Spoken at Home
Cost of Livingrent 17% below LA average
Rent, home values, and income in Monroe
In Monroe, rent runs 17% below the LA average, and home values are 8% below the LA average.
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
Rent Burdened
58.7%
spending 30%+ of income on rent
Severely Rent Burdened
36.2%
spending 50%+
Cost of Living Index
83.6
metro area (BEA) · US avg = 100
Median Property Tax
$1,001
per year, owner-occupied homes
Homeowners
47.8%
of occupied homes are owned
Typical Home Built
1971
median year built
Vacant Homes
15.0%
of housing units
Home Value Trend
Latest: $154,730 (September 2026)
Jobs & Economyunemployment 1.6 pts above LA average
Unemployment in Monroe
Unemployment in Monroe is 1.6 percentage points higher than the LA average.
Unemployment rate
City-level rate · BLS annual average
Unemployment Rate — 10 Year Trend
City-level (BLS) · Annual averages
What Monroe Residents Do for Work · share of employed residents by industry
City residents, wherever they work
Commute18.2 min avg
How Monroe residents get to work, and the nearest airports
In Monroe, most residents drive alone to work (73%), and 84% get there in under 30 minutes.
How People Get to Work
Commute Time Distribution
Nearest airports · with airline service
- 5 mi
Monroe Regional Airport (MLU)
Regional airport · few flights116k passengers boarded in 2025
Straight-line distance. Size is the FAA’s hub category, based on passenger traffic: regional airports may have only a few flights a day.
Safetyviolent crime 400% above national average
Crime rates for 2025
Violent crime in Monroe runs 400% above the national average.
Violent Crime Rate
1,647.4
per 100,000 residents
Above average (329 national, 2025)
Property Crime Rate
5,211.8
per 100,000 residents
Above average (1,552 national, 2025)
Monroe Police Department
Natural DisastersHeat most common — 25 events in 2025
Natural hazard risk, storms and earthquakes
FEMA National Risk Index
Relatively Moderate
87.5 / 100
Compares expected losses from natural hazards, social vulnerability and community resilience against every US county (higher = more risk).
Ouachita County, county-wide · FEMA NRI December 2025
In Ouachita Parish, which includes Monroe, the most common type is heat, with 25 recorded events in 2025.
Most common events:
Storm events by year
| Year | Events | Top Type | Property Damage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25 | Thunderstorm Wind | $35,000 |
| 2024 | 22 | Heat | None reported |
| 2023 | 29 | Heat | None reported |
| 2022 | 28 | Heat | $50,000 |
| 2021 | 21 | Heat | None reported |
| 2020 | 17 | Heat | $250.8M |
| 2019 | 21 | Heat | $3,000 |
| 2018 | 21 | Thunderstorm Wind | $165,000 |
Property damage is the National Weather Service's estimate filed with each event. “None reported” means the events were logged with $0 damage; “Not estimated” means no estimate was filed. Storms covering several counties aren't counted here, since NOAA doesn't split their damage by county.
24 earthquakes of magnitude 2.5+ within 100 miles in the past year
Ouachita Parish, county-wide
Air Quality45 median AQI — Good
Days by air quality category (2025)
Air quality in Ouachita Parish, which includes Monroe, is typically good — 227 good-air days per year.
Median AQI
45
Good Days
227
per year
Moderate Days
138
per year
Unhealthy Days
0
per year
Ouachita Parish, county-wide
Climate92°F summers, 39°F winters
30-year climate averages (1991–2020) — monthly temperatures and precipitation
Monroe has hot summers (avg high 92°F) and mild winters (avg low 39°F).
Spring (Mar–May)
77°/55°F
avg high / low
Summer (Jun–Aug)
92°/71°F
avg high / low
Fall (Sep–Nov)
78°/54°F
avg high / low
Winter (Dec–Feb)
59°/39°F
avg high / low
Annual Precipitation
57.6"
Annual Snowfall
0.6"
Hot Days/Year
97
days above 90°F
Freeze Days/Year
33
days below 32°F
Rainy Days/Year
106
Average month
Show month-by-month table ↓Hide table ↑
| Month | High | Low | Precip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 57°F | 37°F | 5.15" |
| Feb | 61°F | 40°F | 4.65" |
| Mar | 69°F | 47°F | 5.21" |
| Apr | 77°F | 54°F | 5.83" |
| May | 84°F | 63°F | 4.43" |
| Jun | 91°F | 70°F | 4.45" |
| Jul | 93°F | 73°F | 3.94" |
| Aug | 94°F | 71°F | 3.56" |
| Sep | 89°F | 66°F | 3.55" |
| Oct | 79°F | 54°F | 4.95" |
| Nov | 67°F | 44°F | 4.16" |
| Dec | 59°F | 39°F | 5.22" |
Healthcare4 hospitals, avg 3.0/5
Hospitals, ratings, and health insurance in Monroe
Monroe has 4 hospitals, averaging 3.0 out of 5 on CMS's quality rating.
Hospitals
4
within city limits
Uninsured
6.7%
of residents
Avg Hospital Rating
3.0 / 5
Ochsner Lsu Health Monroe
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Fmol Health St Francis
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available
Monroe Surgical Hospital
Acute Care Hospitals
Freedom Behavioral Hospital of Monroe
Psychiatric
Nearby hospitals · within 15 miles
Glenwood Regional Medical Center
Acute Care Hospitals · ER available · 4.6 mi away · West Monroe
Adult Health · vs. the typical US place
Share of adults. Modeled estimates, not counted cases. “US” = the typical US place.
Medicare-certified hospitals only. Doesn’t include clinics, urgent care, or freestanding ERs.
Education13.0:1 student/teacher ratio
Schools and degree attainment in Monroe
Monroe's student/teacher ratio is 13.0:1 (lower than the national average of 16:1), and 32.4% of adults 25+ hold a bachelor's degree or higher.
Public Schools
22
within city limits
Private Schools
6
within city limits
College Degree Rate
32.4%
adults 25+ with bachelor's or higher
Student/Teacher Ratio
13.0:1
National avg 16:1
Schools located within city limits (2023) — school-level metrics change slowly year to year
Colleges & Universities in Monroe
University of Louisiana at Monroe
Public · 4-year · 5,022 students · in-state tuition $9,556 · 54% graduate · median earnings $49,742 (10 yrs after entry)
Degree-granting colleges with 100+ students, placed by campus location (main campuses only — branch campuses are reported under their parent school)
Parks & Recreationclosest: Poverty Point National Monument, 40 mi
Nearby national parks, recreation areas and public libraries for Monroe
Monroe has 4 nearby national parks or recreation areas, closest being Poverty Point National Monument (40 mi away).
Nearby National Parks & Recreation Areas
Poverty Point National Monument
National Monument
40 mi awayVicksburg National Military Park
National Military Park
72 mi awayNatchez National Historical Park
National Historical Park
78 mi awayCane River Creole National Historical Park
National Historical Park
81 mi awayPublic Libraries in Monroe
Ouachita Parish Public Library
1800 Stubbs Avenue, Monroe
Anna Meyer Branch
1808 Highway 165 South, Monroe
Carver-Mcdonald Branch
2941 Renwick Street, Monroe
Cities Near Monroe
The closest cities within 60 miles
Planning a move to Monroe?
Read our full moving guide — what it's really like to live here.
Monroe FAQ
Is Monroe, Louisiana affordable?⌄
Monroe's median rent is $886/month, which is below the national average, making it relatively affordable. The median household income is $40,505/year. Median home value is $198,900.
Is Monroe, Louisiana safe?⌄
Monroe's violent crime rate was 1647 per 100,000 residents in 2025, which is significantly above the national average of 329/100k that year. Property crime rate is 5212 per 100,000. As with any city, crime rates vary by neighborhood.
What is the job market like in Monroe, Louisiana?⌄
Monroe has an unemployment rate of 5.9%, which is above the national average of 4.3%.
What is the cost of living in Monroe, Louisiana?⌄
The cost of living in Monroe is primarily driven by housing. Median rent is $886/month and median household income is $40,505/year. The median home value is $198,900. About 59% of renters spend more than 30% of their income on housing.
How is the commute in Monroe, Louisiana?⌄
The average commute in Monroe is 18 minutes, which is shorter than average compared to the national average of 26 minutes.
Data from the US Census Bureau, BLS, FBI, NOAA, EPA, Zillow Research and other public sources. Where our data comes from