FMR Lookup › Louisiana › New Orleans-Metairie
Section 8 Fair Market Rent in New Orleans-Metairie, LA (FY2026)
HUD's official FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the New Orleans-Metairie, LA HUD Metro FMR Area, by bedroom count. These figures set the baseline for what the Housing Choice Voucher program pays landlords in this area.
| Unit size | FY2026 FMR | Payment standard range (90–110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Studio / efficiency | $964 | $868 – $1,060 |
| 1 bedroom | $1,113 | $1,002 – $1,224 |
| 2 bedrooms | $1,331 | $1,198 – $1,464 |
| 3 bedrooms | $1,701 | $1,531 – $1,871 |
| 4 bedrooms | $1,996 | $1,796 – $2,196 |
Source: HUD User — FY 2026 Fair Market Rents. FY2026 FMRs are effective October 1, 2025. Retrieved 2026-06-11.
How this market compares
The 2-bedroom FMR here is $1,331 — 54% above the Louisiana median of $866 across all 45 FMR areas in the state.
Counties and towns covered
The New Orleans-Metairie, LA FMR area is a metro area covering: Jefferson Parish, Orleans Parish, Plaquemines Parish, St. Bernard Parish, St. Charles Parish, St. John the Baptist Parish. One FMR applies across the whole area — HUD does not publish separate figures per city or ZIP here (some large metros have Small Area FMRs by ZIP; check with the local housing authority).
What a landlord actually collects
FMR is the baseline, not the contract rent. The local housing authority sets a payment standard between 90% and 110% of FMR (the range in the table above), and your unit must pass a rent-reasonableness comparison against similar unassisted rentals nearby. The voucher then covers the gap between the tenant's share (roughly 30% of their income) and the approved rent.
Run the numbers for a deal in New Orleans-Metairie: Section 8 vs market rent, DSCR, or cash-on-cash return.
Comparable Louisiana markets by 2BR FMR
| FMR area | 1 BR | 2 BR | 3 BR |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington | $1,130 | $1,331 | $1,724 |
| Lake Charles | $928 | $1,217 | $1,459 |
| Baton Rouge | $1,064 | $1,204 | $1,511 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City | $982 | $1,111 | $1,458 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux | $904 | $1,102 | $1,330 |
| Hammond | $848 | $1,099 | $1,372 |
Informational only — not financial, legal, or lending advice. Confirm current payment standards with the housing authority serving New Orleans-Metairie.