Houma, LA vs Ruston, LA

Ruston is moderately more affordable than Houma, with a 8.4% lower cost of living index. Houma scores 79 compared to 73 for Ruston, where the US average is 100. This difference means residents of Houma can expect to pay noticeably more for everyday expenses, housing, and services.

On the housing front, median rent in Houma is $1,011/month compared to $819/month in Ruston — a 23% difference. Interestingly, home values tell a different story: while Ruston has cheaper rent, Houma actually has lower median home values ($207,900 vs $226,700).

Median household income in Houma is $54,637 compared to $32,765 in Ruston (+66.8%). While Houma is more expensive, its higher salaries more than compensate — residents there may actually end up with more disposable income. Looking at affordability, residents of Houma spend roughly 22.2% of their income on rent, less than the 30% in Ruston.