Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Central, Louisiana
A $271,000 home here costs
$2,204per month, all in — with 20% down at today's 6.66% 30-year fixed rate.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,393. The real number is $811 higher every month — 58% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Central against East Baton Rouge Parish and Louisiana
| Measure | Central | East Baton Rouge Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $270,700 | $241,800 |
| Median property tax | $1,743 | $1,547 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.644% | 0.640% |
| Median gross rent | $1,373 | $1,121 |
| Population | 29,603 | 452,821 |
The weather behind that power bill
Central sits in East Baton Rouge Parish, which averages a high of 92.2°F in its hottest month and a low of 41.6°F in its coldest, with 61.94" of precipitation a year and 29% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,818 cooling and 1,534 heating degree days, which is what sets the $127 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for East Baton Rouge Parish — month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in East Baton Rouge Parish
Full East Baton Rouge Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Central?
A $271,000 home in Central, Louisiana costs approximately $2,204 per month with 20% down at 6.66%. That is $1,393 principal and interest, $145 property tax, $245 homeowners insurance, $195 utilities and $226 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Central?
Central has an effective property tax rate of 0.644%, based on a median home value of $270,700 and median real estate taxes of $1,743. That is in line with the East Baton Rouge Parish average of 0.640%.
What is the average home price in Central?
The median owner-occupied home value in Central, Louisiana is $270,700, against $241,800 across East Baton Rouge Parish.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Central?
Median gross rent in Central is $1,373 a month, against $2,204 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Central — US Census Bureau, American Community Survey ACS 2023 5-Year, place-level tables.
- Homeowners insurance — NAIC average premium for Louisiana.
- Electricity price — EIA Electric Power Monthly Table 5.6.A.
- Mortgage rate — Freddie Mac PMMS, refreshed weekly.
- Maintenance (1%/yr) and water and sewer ($68/mo) are national estimates. Every assumption above is editable.