Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Ponchatoula, Louisiana
A $194,000 home here costs
$1,687per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.24% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $72,500 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $1,058. The real number is $630 higher every month, 60% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Tangipahoa Parish with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Ponchatoula against Tangipahoa Parish and Louisiana
| Measure | Ponchatoula | Tangipahoa Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $194,300 | $204,600 |
| Median property tax | $844 | $887 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.434% | 0.434% |
| Median gross rent | $1,079 | $974 |
| Population | 7,839 | 135,218 |
The weather behind that power bill
Ponchatoula sits in Tangipahoa Parish, which averages a high of 91.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 38.3°F in its coldest, with 64.17" of precipitation a year and 30% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 2,467 cooling and 1,797 heating degree days, which is what sets the $155 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Tangipahoa Parish , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Tangipahoa Parish
Full Tangipahoa Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Ponchatoula averages. What one specific house costs to own, or what it would sell for today, depends on the street and the condition of the place. We will connect you with one licensed local agent who works Ponchatoula every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Ponchatoula I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Ponchatoula?
A $194,000 home in Ponchatoula, Louisiana costs approximately $1,687 per month with 20% down at 7.24%. That is $1,058 principal and interest, $70 property tax, $175 homeowners insurance, $223 utilities and $162 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Ponchatoula?
Ponchatoula has an effective property tax rate of 0.434%, based on a median home value of $194,300 and median real estate taxes of $844. That is in line with the Tangipahoa Parish average of 0.434%.
What is the average home price in Ponchatoula?
The median owner-occupied home value in Ponchatoula, Louisiana is $194,300, against $204,600 across Tangipahoa Parish.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Ponchatoula?
Median gross rent in Ponchatoula is $1,079 a month, against $1,687 to own the median home all in. Renting costs less month to month here, though renting builds no equity.
What salary do you need to buy a home in Ponchatoula?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Ponchatoula, Louisiana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $72,500 a year. That covers the full $1,687 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Ponchatoula, 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.