The median home price in Lafayette is $210,000, with a local 30-year mortgage rate of 6.95%. A buyer putting 20% down carries a loan of $168,000, generating a monthly P&I payment of $1,112. Adding property taxes ($81/mo) and homeowners insurance ($88/mo) brings total monthly PITI to $1,280.
Lafayette's property tax rate of 0.46% is among the lower rates in the country, which improves overall affordability by keeping total PITI closer to the principal and interest payment alone. On the Lafayette median home, that is $81/month, or $966 per year.
Louisiana levies a state income tax, which affects take-home pay and effective buying power. High-income earners in Lafayette should factor state tax liability into their overall housing budget — mortgage interest may be deductible on both federal and state returns.