Shreveport is home to the best residential real estate investment market in Louisiana.
The 71104 zip code in Shreveport presents the greatest opportunity for the best real estate investments among the 2,876 individual real estate markets in Louisiana we evaluated. We looked at property values, population trends, and six other metrics for each market. We used that data to calculate each market's InvestScore.
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Data sources
Most of the data in this article comes from the Zillow Home Value Index and the U.S. Census American Community Survey.
We update our data when the original sources update their data, usually monthly. Sometimes we'll update data more frequently.
Clever also performs regular quality checks to identify outdated data, broken data connections, and other data issues that may arise.
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5 best places to invest in Louisiana
| Rank | City | InvestScore | Affordability | Property value appreciation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shreveport | 100 | 2.3 | 0.50% |
| 2 | Ball | 97.7 | 2.3 | 5.65% |
| 3 | Patterson | 97.6 | 2.6 | 12.73% |
| 4 | Albany | 97.5 | 2.5 | 20.54% |
| 5 | Welsh | 96.3 | 2.0 | -12.21% |
🚨 This article is for informational purposes only. It isn't intended to convey financial or legal advice. We recommend you talk to a real estate agent or real estate attorney when buying a home in Louisiana.
1. Shreveport
We've identified the 71104 zip code in Shreveport as Louisiana's best real estate investment market. Here's why.
🔎 Key data about Shreveport (71104)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,876 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 100 | Highest |
| Typical property value | $130,671[1] | 37th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 0.50%[2] | 98th highest |
| Household income | $56,833[3] | 123rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.3 | 20th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 3.15%[4] | 45th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.70%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $1,053[6] | 108th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 33.30%[7] | 45th highest |
Shreveport (zip code 71104) is the best residential real estate investment market in Louisiana. It has the 98th highest property value appreciation among markets we evaluated, with a 0.50% appreciation of the typical property over the last five years.
Shreveport is the 20th most affordable market among the 2,876 Louisiana markets we evaluated, with an affordability ratio of 2.3.
2. Ball
The 71405 zip code in Ball is the runner-up spot for the best real estate investments in Louisiana.
🔎 Key data about Ball (71405)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,876 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 97.7 | 2nd highest |
| Typical property value | $174,029[1] | 79th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 5.65%[2] | 73rd highest |
| Household income | $76,318[3] | 53rd highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.3 | 18th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -0.43%[4] | 124th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.60%[5] | 4th lowest |
| Property taxes | $907[6] | 88th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 30.40%[7] | 55th highest |
The 71405 zip code in Ball features a typical property value of $174,029, the 79th lowest in the state.
Property values have appreciated 5.65% over the past five years, the 73rd highest increase among evaluated markets in the state. Ball homes have an affordability ratio of 2.3, the 18th most affordable in the state.
3. Patterson
The 70392 zip code in Patterson comes in at No. 3 in our ranking of the best residential real estate investment markets in Louisiana.
🔎 Key data about Patterson (70392)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,876 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 97.6 | 3rd highest |
| Typical property value | $152,158[1] | 59th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 12.73%[2] | 44th highest |
| Household income | $57,959[3] | 117th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.6 | 43rd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 0.18%[4] | 104th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.25%[5] | lowest |
| Property taxes | $584[6] | 57th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 10.00%[7] | 157th highest |
With a typical property value of $152,158, Patterson's 70392 zip code features the 59th lowest property values in the state.
Patterson homes have an affordability ratio of 2.6, the 43rd most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
4. Albany
The 70711 zip code in Albany ranks No. 4 among Louisiana's residential real estate investment markets.
🔎 Key data about Albany (70711)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,876 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 97.5 | 4th highest |
| Typical property value | $236,684[1] | 146th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | 20.54%[2] | 11th highest |
| Household income | $93,623[3] | 11th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.5 | 33rd most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | -0.16%[4] | 118th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 4.70%[5] | 5th lowest |
| Property taxes | $719[6] | 71st lowest |
| Educational attainment | 17.40%[7] | 110th highest |
Property values in Albany's 70711 zip code have seen the 11th highest increase among evaluated markets in the state, with an appreciation of 20.54% over the past five years.
Albany's affordability ratio of 2.5 makes it the 33rd most affordable among the 2,876 markets we evaluated.
5. Welsh
The 70591 zip code in Welsh rounds out our top five residential real estate investment markets in Louisiana.
🔎 Key data about Welsh (70591)
| Data point | Value | Rank in state (of 2,876 markets) |
|---|---|---|
| InvestScore | 96.3 | 5th highest |
| Typical property value | $156,677[1] | 65th lowest |
| Five-year appreciation | -12.21%[2] | 169th highest |
| Household income | $78,393[3] | 169th highest |
| Affordability ratio | 2.0 | 11th most affordable |
| Five-year population growth | 6.18%[4] | 13th highest |
| Unemployment rate | 5.00%[5] | 6th lowest |
| Property taxes | $318[6] | 17th lowest |
| Educational attainment | 11.00%[7] | 151st highest |
Property values in Welsh's 70591 zip code rose -12.21% over the last five years, ranking the city 169th highest among evaluated markets in Louisiana.
Welsh homes have an affordability ratio of 2.0, the 11th most affordable among the markets we evaluated.
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Frequently asked questions
See our article Steps to Buying Your First Rental Property to learn the basics of real estate investing for beginners.
You'll learn the importance of setting goals, picking the right market, and more.
Cash investors often use what's called the 70% rule, which suggests they should pay around 70% of a house's after-repair value minus the cost of renovations.
By buying for about 70% of the after-repair value, they're positioning themselves to pay for repairs and other costs, and to lock in a profit.
The 70% rule isn’t a hard-and-fast formula, but a quick guideline investors use to evaluate potential deals.
Investing in residential real estate can be one of the best passive real estate investments in Louisiana.
Residential real estate offers accessible passive income and the potential to compound your original investment.
Renting out residential units is the top way to invest in real estate. House hacking also offers a great opportunity for passive real estate investment income.
How we rank residential real estate markets in Louisiana
To determine the best real estate investments in Louisiana we evaluated 2,876 markets on eight metrics, and then assigned an InvestScore based on a proprietary weighting framework. Each market corresponds to a specific zip code in Louisiana.
What is InvestScore?
InvestScore is a score on a scale of 0 (worst in state) to 100 (best in state) that estimates the residential real estate investment potential of a given market. It takes into account a suite of key data points for each city.
- Typical property value: This measures the typical home value in this zip code, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. It reflects the typical value for homes in the 35th to 65th percentile range, including all homes, with the numbers smoothed and seasonally adjusted. We prefer lower property values, which indicate both more room for growth and a greater ease of purchase.
- Property value appreciation: This measures how much property values have increased in the area over the past five years, according to the Zillow Home Value Index. We prefer a higher appreciation, as it indicates better returns on housing. However, past performance isn't indicative of future results.
- Median household income: This is the inflation-adjusted median household income in the zip code, according to U.S. Census American Community Survey data. We prefer a higher household income, as it indicates local residents have more income to spend on housing.
- Affordability ratio: This is the ratio of the typical home value to the median household income in the area. A lower ratio is better because it means more households can afford a home, which indicates higher demand.
- Population growth: This is how much the area's population has grown over the past five years, according to U.S. Census estimates. Higher is better, as it indicates residents are moving into the area at a rapid clip.
- Unemployment rate: This is the unemployment rate in the area, according to U.S. Census data. We prefer a lower rate, as it indicates the availability of steady employment in the area, meaning residents will find it much easier to afford homes.
- Property tax: This is the median real estate property tax paid in the area, according to U.S. Census estimates.
- Educational attainment: This is the percentage of residents in the area that have obtained a bachelor's degree or better, according to U.S. Census estimates. We prefer a higher rate because it indicates local residents who have higher earning potential and thus should be able to afford homes.
