St. James Parish, LA: Fair Market Rent 2027 and Income Limits

Official HUD figures for landlords and renters, effective October 1, 2026 (rents) and May 1, 2026 (income limits).

$1,1652-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$8911-bedroom FMR, FY2027

$75,20080% income limit, family of 4 (FY2026)

$94,000Median family income (FY2026)

The FY2027 Fair Market Rent for a two-bedroom unit in St. James Parish is $1,165 a month, up 26.5% from $921 in FY2026. St. James Parish belongs to the St. James Parish, LA HUD Metro FMR Area FMR area, so the same figures apply across that area. FMRs are gross rents: rent plus all tenant-paid utilities except phone, cable and internet.

Fair market rent in St. James Parish by bedroom count

Unit size	FY2027 FMR	FY2026 FMR	Change	Payment standard range (90–110%)
Studio	$868	$697	+24.5%	$782 – $954
1 bedroom	$891	$702	+26.9%	$802 – $980
2 bedrooms	$1,165	$921	+26.5%	$1,049 – $1,281
3 bedrooms	$1,613	$1,281	+25.9%	$1,452 – $1,774
4 bedrooms	$1,753	$1,315	+33.3%	$1,578 – $1,928

Source: HUD Fair Market Rents FY2027 (effective October 1, 2026) and FY2026 (revised file), details.

What can a landlord charge a Section 8 tenant here?

The FMR is not a cap on what you can ask on the open market. For a Housing Choice Voucher tenant, the local housing authority sets a payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the FMR (or of the ZIP-level Small Area FMR where those apply). For a two-bedroom unit in St. James Parish that is typically $1,049 to $1,281 including utilities. You can charge more than the payment standard if the rent passes the housing authority's rent-reasonableness test and, at move-in, the tenant's share stays within 40% of their adjusted monthly income. Ask the housing authority for its current payment standard schedule.

Can local renters afford the fair market rent?

$28,621median income of renter households

$903Median gross rent, all units

38%Rent-to-income ratio (median rent ÷ median renter income)

64%of renter households pay 30% or more of income on rent

At the 30% rule, a renter household earning the local median of $28,621 can afford about $716 a month including utilities. The FY2027 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent of $1,165 is $449 (62.8%) more than that. To rent a two-bedroom at the FMR, a household needs $46,600 a year under the 30% rule, or $41,940 under the common landlord rule that income must be three times the rent.

St. James Parish, ACS 2020–2024	Estimate ± MOE
Median gross rent (rent + utilities)	$903 ±$386
Median income of renter households	$28,621 ±$7,735
Renters paying 30% or more of income (cost-burdened)	64.4% ±39.9
Renters paying 50% or more (severely cost-burdened)	41.5% ±7.3
Renter households (where the share can be computed)	762

Change since 2015–2019

	ACS 2015–2019	ACS 2020–2024	Change
Median gross rent	$644	$903	+40.2%
Median renter household income	$19,774	$28,621	+44.7%
Renters paying 30%+ of income	55.3%	64.4%	+9.1 pts

Rent-to-income calculator: does an applicant qualify? → · Most affordable counties to rent in this state →

Source: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-Year Estimates 2020–2024 and 2015–2019 (tables B25064, B25119, B25070). ± = margin of error at 90% confidence. Dollar figures are not adjusted for inflation.

Small Area FMRs by ZIP code (FY2027)

In metro areas HUD also publishes ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents. Housing authorities in designated areas must use them for voucher payment standards; others may opt in. Here the two-bedroom SAFMR ranges from $910 to $1,530 depending on the ZIP code.

All 9 ZIP codes in this FMR area

ZIP	0 BR	1 BR	2 BR	3 BR	4 BR
70052	$1,070	$1,090	$1,430	$1,980	$2,150
70071	$1,140	$1,170	$1,530	$2,120	$2,300
70086	$760	$780	$910	$1,180	$1,440
70090	$880	$1,010	$1,210	$1,540	$1,800
70346	$930	$960	$1,090	$1,360	$1,750
70723	$870	$890	$1,170	$1,620	$1,760
70743	$870	$890	$1,170	$1,620	$1,760
70763	$910	$940	$1,220	$1,690	$1,840
70792	$870	$890	$1,170	$1,620	$1,760

Source: HUD FY2027 Small Area FMRs (effective October 1, 2026).

HUD income limits for St. James Parish (FY2026)

Income limits decide who qualifies for Section 8 vouchers, public housing and most HUD-assisted units. The area median family income is $94,000 (FY2025: $94,700, −0.7%). Small figures under each limit show the change from FY2025.

Household size	1 person	2 people	3 people	4 people	5 people	6 people	7 people	8 people
Extremely low income (30%)	$19,750 +1.5%	$22,600 +1.8%	$27,320 +2.5%	$33,000 +2.6%	$38,680 +2.7%	$44,360 +2.8%	$50,040 +2.9%	$55,720 +2.9%
Very low income (50%)	$32,900 +1.7%	$37,600 +1.6%	$42,300 +1.7%	$47,000 +1.6%	$50,800 +1.7%	$54,550 +1.7%	$58,300 +1.7%	$62,050 +1.6%
Low income (80%)	$52,650 +1.7%	$60,200 +1.8%	$67,700 +1.7%	$75,200 +1.8%	$81,250 +1.8%	$87,250 +1.7%	$93,250 +1.7%	$99,300 +1.8%

The 30% limit is HUD's “extremely low income” limit: the higher of 30% of median income or the federal poverty guideline, but never above the 50% limit. That is why it can rise faster than 30% of median for larger households. Tax-credit (LIHTC) properties use separate Multifamily Tax Subsidy Project limits.

Source: HUD Section 8 Income Limits FY2026 (effective May 1, 2026) and FY2025, details.