Total monthly cost of ownership
Cost to Own a Home in Westlake, Louisiana
A $168,000 home here costs
$1,489per month, all in, with 20% down at today's 7.40% 30-year fixed rate. By the 28% rule that takes a household income of about $64,000 a year.
A standard mortgage calculator would have told you $931. The real number is $558 higher every month, 60% more than the payment most buyers budget for.
Compare Calcasieu Parish with anywhere in America · full county breakdown
Small-place caveat: the Census publishes these figures for Westlake from a five-year rolling sample, and with about 4,794 residents that sample is small. The median home value here carries a much wider margin of error than a big-city figure does, so treat it as indicative rather than exact. The Calcasieu Parish figures are drawn from a far larger sample if you want a steadier number.
Where every dollar goes
Only the first line is a mortgage payment. Change any assumption above and every figure below recalculates.
Westlake against Calcasieu Parish and Louisiana
| Measure | Westlake | Calcasieu Parish |
|---|---|---|
| Median home value | $168,200 | $208,500 |
| Median property tax | $548 | $926 |
| Effective tax rate | 0.326% | 0.444% |
| Median gross rent | $960 | $1,096 |
| Population | 4,794 | 208,668 |
The weather behind that power bill
Westlake sits in Calcasieu Parish, which averages a high of 92.8°F in its hottest month and a low of 43.4°F in its coldest, with 59.75" of precipitation a year and 31% of it in a single three-month stretch. That climate drives 3,063 cooling and 1,315 heating degree days, which is what sets the $153 electricity line above.
See the full climate breakdown for Calcasieu Parish , month by month temperatures, rainy season timing, snowfall and heating and cooling costs.
Other cities in Calcasieu Parish
Full Calcasieu Parish cost breakdown · Every county in Louisiana
Talk to someone who works this market
These are Westlake 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 Westlake every week. Free, no obligation, and we never sell your details to a list.
I'm looking to buy in Westlake I already own here and may sell
Common questions
How much does it cost to own a home in Westlake?
A $168,000 home in Westlake, Louisiana costs approximately $1,489 per month with 20% down at 7.4%. That is $931 principal and interest, $46 property tax, $152 homeowners insurance, $221 utilities and $140 set aside for maintenance.
What is the property tax rate in Westlake?
Westlake has an effective property tax rate of 0.326%, based on a median home value of $168,200 and median real estate taxes of $548. That is lower than the Calcasieu Parish average of 0.444%.
What is the average home price in Westlake?
The median owner-occupied home value in Westlake, Louisiana is $168,200, against $208,500 across Calcasieu Parish.
Is it cheaper to rent or buy in Westlake?
Median gross rent in Westlake is $960 a month, against $1,489 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 Westlake?
Using the standard 28% rule, housing costs at no more than 28% of gross income, buying the median home in Westlake, Louisiana at today's rate takes a household income of roughly $64,000 a year. That covers the full $1,489 monthly cost, not just the mortgage payment.
Sources & methodology
- Median home value, real estate taxes, gross rent and population for Westlake, 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.