Income Limits by County

FY2027 Fair Market Rent · Louisiana

Calcasieu Parish Fair Market Rent & Income Limits

HUD's FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom home in Calcasieu Parish, LA is $1,231 a month, up 1.2% from FY2026. The area median family income is $93,000, and a family of four counts as low income up to $74,400 a year.

2-bedroom FMR$1,231per month ▲ 1.2%
Median family income$93,000FY2026 ▲ 2.1%
80% limit, 4 people$74,400low income

Fair Market Rent by unit size

FY2027 FY2026

Fair Market Rents are gross rents: rent plus the cost of all utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Check your household

Enter your household size and total yearly income before taxes to see which HUD income category it falls in for Calcasieu Parish, LA.

Low income (80% limit)

A household of 4 earning $72,400 is under the 80% limit of $74,400 for this area. At 30% of income it could pay about $1,810 a month for rent and utilities.

This is a quick comparison with HUD's published limits, not an eligibility decision. Programs count income in their own ways and many have waiting lists; the local housing agency or property decides.

Income limits in Calcasieu Parish

HUD's FY2026 income limits for Lake Charles, LA are based on a median family income of $93,000. Programs such as Housing Choice Vouchers, public housing and HOME use the 30%, 50% and 80% columns; Low-Income Housing Tax Credit properties use the 50% and 60% Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

FY2026 income limits by household size (yearly gross income)
PeopleExtremely low30% / povertyVery low50%60% (LIHTC)MTSPLow income80%
1$19,550$32,550$39,060$52,100
2$22,350$37,200$44,640$59,550
3$27,320$41,850$50,220$67,000
4$33,000$46,500$55,800$74,400
5$38,680$50,250$60,300$80,400
6$44,360$53,950$64,740$86,350
7$50,040$57,700$69,240$92,300
8$55,720$61,400$73,680$98,250

Rent history

Since FY2017 the two-bedroom FMR here has gone from $786 to $1,231, up 56.6% over ten years. HUD has published a two-bedroom FMR for this area since FY1983, when it was $323.

2-bedroom Fair Market Rent, 2001 to 2027$0$400$800$1,200$1,600200520102015202020252027$1,231FY2001: $480FY2002: $496FY2003: $510FY2004: $512FY2005: $542FY2006: $555FY2007: $577FY2008: $624FY2009: $667FY2010: $709FY2011: $731FY2012: $683FY2013: $748FY2014: $729FY2015: $712FY2016: $762FY2017: $786FY2018: $791FY2019: $827FY2020: $837FY2021: $869FY2022: $884FY2023: $983FY2024: $1,080FY2025: $1,144FY2026: $1,217FY2027: $1,231

What it takes to afford the rent

To keep a two-bedroom rent of $1,231 at no more than 30% of income, the usual affordability rule, a household needs about $49,200 a year. That is 53% of the area median family income of $93,000, so a typical family can afford it with room to spare.

Fair Market Rent by year (monthly gross rent incl. utilities)
UnitFY2027FY2026FY2025Income to affordat 30%
Studio$935$921$871$37,400
1 bedroom$941$928$877$37,600
2 bedrooms$1,231$1,217$1,144$49,200
3 bedrooms$1,467$1,459$1,383$58,700
4 bedrooms$1,713$1,611$1,517$68,500

How Calcasieu Parish compares

Calcasieu Parish is part of the Lake Charles, LA HUD Metro FMR Area, together with Cameron Parish. HUD publishes one Fair Market Rent and one set of income limits for the whole area, so the numbers on this page apply in every county of it.

Calcasieu Parish has the 8th highest two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of the 64 counties in Louisiana; the population-weighted average across Louisiana is $1,161 and the nationwide average is $1,751.

St. James Parish $1,165Ascension Parish $1,149East Baton Rouge Parish $1,149East Feliciana Parish $1,149Livingston Parish $1,149Pointe Coupee Parish $1,149

All 64 counties in Louisiana →

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code

HUD also publishes Small Area Fair Market Rents for each ZIP code. In Calcasieu Parish the two-bedroom figure ranges from $1,100 to $1,480 across 20 ZIP codes, against the area-wide $1,231. This area is not on HUD's list of mandatory Small Area FMR areas, so most agencies here use the area-wide FMR; an agency may still opt in to ZIP-level rents.

ZIPPlace2 BR SAFMR110% payment std.
70605Lake Charles$1,480$1,628
70665Sulphur$1,480$1,628
70611Lake Charles$1,390$1,529
70609Lake Charles$1,340$1,474
70602Lake Charles$1,230$1,353
70606Lake Charles$1,230$1,353
70612Lake Charles$1,230$1,353
70616Lake Charles$1,230$1,353
70629Lake Charles$1,230$1,353
70647Iowa$1,230$1,353
70664Sulphur$1,230$1,353
70615Lake Charles$1,210$1,331
70607Lake Charles$1,190$1,309
70669Westlake$1,150$1,265
70601Lake Charles$1,100$1,210
70633Dequincy$1,100$1,210
70646Hayes$1,100$1,210
70661Starks$1,100$1,210
70663Sulphur$1,100$1,210
70668Vinton$1,100$1,210

Questions

What is the Fair Market Rent in Calcasieu Parish, LA for 2027?

For FY2027 (October 1, 2026 to September 30, 2027) HUD's Fair Market Rents in Calcasieu Parish, LA are $935 for a studio, $941 for one bedroom, $1,231 for two bedrooms, $1,467 for three and $1,713 for four bedrooms, per month including utilities.

What is the area median income in Calcasieu Parish, LA?

HUD's FY2026 median family income for the area is $93,000, up 2.1% from $91,100 in FY2025.

What is 80% of AMI in Calcasieu Parish, LA for a family of 4?

The FY2026 low-income limit (80%) for a household of four is $74,400 a year. The very low-income limit (50%) is $46,500 and the extremely low-income limit is $33,000.

What is the 60% AMI limit for tax credit housing in Calcasieu Parish, LA?

Under HUD's FY2026 Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits, the 60% limit is $39,060 for one person and $55,800 for four.

Is the Fair Market Rent the same as the Section 8 payment standard?

No. Housing agencies set their payment standard between 90% and 110% of the FMR (for a two-bedroom here: $1,108 to $1,354), and can ask HUD for exceptions. Check the payment standard with your local housing agency.