What it's like to live in West Monroe
West Monroe is a small city in Louisiana with rent below the national average, home prices that remain within reach, commutes that run shorter than most cities, and schools with class sizes near the national average. Those factors carry real weight for anyone weighing where to move next.
The tradeoffs are worth naming plainly. West Monroe deals with household incomes below the national average, crime rates above the national average, air quality that falls short of national benchmarks, and a population that has been shrinking.
The good
- Rent below the national average
- Affordable home prices
- Short commutes
- Average class sizes
The not so good
- Below-average household incomes
- Crime above national average
- Air quality concerns
- Shrinking population
- High poverty rate
- Hot summers
How West Monroe compares
Median household income
Median rent (per month)
Median home value
What it takes to move to West Monroe
Based on West Monroe's median rent, home value and household income
To rent
$1,652
up front: first month plus a typical one-month deposit
- Income to keep rent under 30%: $33,040 a year
- 42% of West Monroe renters spend 30% or more of their income on rent
To buy
$38,480
a 20% down payment on the median home
- With 10% down: $19,240
- Homes cost 3.9× the typical local household income (US: 4.1×)
Moving costs, closing costs and taxes not included.
The details
Cost of living▼ 42% below US
$826/mo median rent
Rent here is genuinely low, with median rent around $826 a month. Factoring in local incomes, the value gets even better. Money stretches further here than in most of the country. Home prices here are genuinely accessible, with a median around $192,400. That kind of affordability is rare in today's market.
Median home value $192,400 · 42% of renters cost-burdened
Job market
4.5% county unemployment
Unemployment in Ouachita Parish is 4.5%, close to the national average of 4.3%. That's the county-wide rate; BLS doesn't measure a place this size on its own.
Ouachita Parish (county-wide)
Safety▲ 225% above US
1070 violent crimes per 100k
Crime is a real factor here, with violent rates significantly above the national average. That doesn't make the whole city a write-off, but it does mean specific neighborhoods deserve real research before signing a lease.
Property crime 5391/100k · West Monroe Police Department · 2025 data
Getting around▼ 24% below US
20 min average commute
Commutes are reasonable, averaging 19.8 minutes. Nothing heroic, and there's still time left over for a life after work. 9 in 10 workers drive to work; 5% work from home.
How workers get to work
Climate
Summers are hot and humid, with highs regularly hitting 92°F, and winters are chilly but manageable, with lows around 39°F. It's a wet climate overall.
Average month
30-year averages, 1991–2020
Healthcare
1 hospital
There's one Medicare-certified hospital inside city limits, rated 2.0 out of 5 by Medicare. Hospitals in neighboring towns aren't counted here.
Medicare-certified hospitals
Education & workforce▼ 39% below US
22% bachelor's degree or higher
College degree attainment runs below average at 22%. That tends to reflect a more trade and working-class economy, which can be great or limiting depending on the industry.
Schools
6 public schools inside the boundary
There are 6 public schools inside the boundary and 2 private schools. The student-to-teacher ratio is 17:1, close to the national average of 16:1.
Parks & recreation
The nearest national park or historic site is Poverty Point National Monument (44 miles away). There are 4 national parks and sites within a day's drive.
Bottom line
West Monroe's strongest points are rent below the national average and home prices that remain within reach; the main tradeoffs are household incomes below the national average and crime rates above the national average. A year of median rent ($826/mo) equals 20% of the median household income here, about the same as the 21% typical nationwide. It tends to suit people watching their budget and people who want short commutes. It may be a harder fit for anyone who doesn't drive.
Other places near West Monroe
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