1st Advantage MortgageAbout 79% of St. Tammany Parish homes are owner-occupied, and the median household income is $81,202. Those figures describe the county, not you: compare at least three written offers by APR and total cost, and confirm the lender's license before you apply.
On this page
- Getting oriented in St. Tammany Parish
- Jobs and commutes in St. Tammany Parish
- Income in St. Tammany Parish compared with Louisiana
- Rent, home values and ownership in St. Tammany Parish
- Regional comparison for St. Tammany Parish
- The communities that make up St. Tammany Parish
- Who lives in St. Tammany Parish, in numbers
- Before borrowing in St. Tammany Parish
- What a median St. Tammany Parish budget can carry
- A St. Tammany Parish borrower's checklist
- Who licenses lenders for St. Tammany Parish residents
- Nearby and statewide guides
- Frequently asked questions
Getting oriented in St. Tammany Parish
St. Tammany Parish is home to about 272,421 people, according to the Census Bureau's 2020 to 2024 American Community Survey, which makes it the 4th most populous of 64 county-level areas in Louisiana. Land area is 845 square miles (2024 Gazetteer), so density runs near 322 per square mile. The federal metro definitions (OMB, July 2023) place it in the Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA metropolitan area. Slidell is the biggest of its 11 Census places, at roughly 28,561 people (10% of the county total).
Jobs and commutes in St. Tammany Parish
By the Census industry count, 25% of employed St. Tammany Parish residents work in education and health care and 11% in professional and administrative services. Compared with Louisiana, the county leans toward finance, insurance and real estate (7% against 5%). ACS puts five-year average unemployment at 4.8% in St. Tammany Parish. About 77% drive to work alone and 28% have trips of 45 minutes or more. Only 4.3% of homes here go without a vehicle.
| Industry | Share of St. Tammany Parish workers | vs Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Education and health care | 25.5% | 0.0 pts |
| Professional and administrative services | 11.3% | +1.4 pts |
| Retail trade | 10.1% | -1.0 pts |
| Arts, lodging and food service | 8.7% | -0.6 pts |
| Construction | 8.1% | -0.2 pts |
| Finance, insurance and real estate | 7.2% | +2.1 pts |
Where long drives are the norm, a car repair is one of the most common surprise bills. A small repair fund can keep a breakdown from turning into a loan.
Income in St. Tammany Parish compared with Louisiana
At $81,202, the typical St. Tammany Parish household income is 24% above the median U.S. county ($65,681). That places it 4th among Louisiana's 64 county-level areas.
| Yearly household income | St. Tammany Parish | Gap to Louisiana |
|---|---|---|
| Under $35,000 | 20.0% | -10.7 pts |
| $35,000 to $99,999 | 39.6% | +0.2 pts |
| $100,000 to $199,999 | 27.9% | +5.7 pts |
| $200,000 or more | 12.6% | +4.8 pts |
About 20% of households earn under $35,000, while 40% clear $100,000. 11.4% of residents fall below the federal poverty line (statewide: 18.9%). The Gini index of income inequality is 0.459 (0 is perfect equality). None of these numbers decides a St. Tammany Parish application. Lenders weigh your own documented income against your own debts.
Rent, home values and ownership in St. Tammany Parish
A typical St. Tammany Parish rental runs $1,332 a month including utilities, which is 25% above Louisiana. 52% of renting households spend 30% or more of income on rent, and 25% spend half or more. The median owner-occupied home is valued at $284,000, about 3.5 times the median household income. The ownership rate is 79%. Half the housing stock was built before 1995.
| Home costs | St. Tammany Parish | Louisiana | U.S. middle county |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median gross rent | $1,332/mo | $1,064/mo | $877/mo |
| Median home value | $284,000 | $216,500 | $185,300 |
| Owners | 79% | 67% | 75% |
| Rent-burdened renters | 52% | 55% | 45% |
| Burdened owners | 30% | 28% | n/a |
Because most St. Tammany Parish households own, home repairs are a frequent reason to borrow. An unsecured personal loan leaves the house out of the deal, while a HELOC uses it as collateral. When half or more of renters are already stretched, a new payment needs a stress test: what happens if a paycheck is a week late?
Regional comparison for St. Tammany Parish
Distances run center to center, from Orleans Parish at 25 miles out to St. John the Baptist Parish at 37. None of the six report a higher median household income than St. Tammany Parish; Hancock County is highest at $67,708 and Washington Parish lowest at $45,380. The list crosses into Mississippi, where different lending rules and regulators apply.
| Nearby county | Center to center | Household income | Gross rent | Owner-occupied |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Tammany Parish | - | $81,202 | $1,332/mo | 79% |
| Orleans Parish, LA | 25 mi | $56,631 | $1,251/mo | 51% |
| Hancock County, MS | 28 mi | $67,708 | $977/mo | 79% |
| Tangipahoa Parish, LA | 31 mi | $56,760 | $1,003/mo | 70% |
| Washington Parish, LA | 31 mi | $45,380 | $774/mo | 69% |
| Pearl River County, MS | 33 mi | $58,135 | $906/mo | 80% |
| St. John the Baptist Parish, LA | 37 mi | $66,630 | $1,334/mo | 77% |
The communities that make up St. Tammany Parish
11 Census places fall mainly inside St. Tammany Parish; the 11 biggest are below. They account for 74,914 residents, leaving about 73% of the county in unincorporated, unnamed areas. Incomes vary by place: $109,583 at the median in Madisonville, $56,719 in Pearl River. Live in one of these St. Tammany Parish communities, or between them? This is your local guide.
| Place in county | Status | Population (ACS) | Median HH income | Monthly rent | Distance from center |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell | city | 28,561 | $70,497 | $1,375 | 13 mi |
| Mandeville | city | 12,946 | $94,405 | $1,422 | 9 mi |
| Covington | city | 11,658 | $75,851 | $1,396 | 11 mi |
| Eden Isle | CDP | 7,683 | $78,426 | $1,328 | 15 mi |
| Lacombe | CDP | 6,310 | $72,813 | $886 | 7 mi |
| Abita Springs | town | 2,699 | $77,257 | $1,040 | 6 mi |
| Pearl River | town | 2,614 | $56,719 | $1,167 | 12 mi |
| Madisonville | town | 869 | $109,583 | $1,180 | 13 mi |
| Folsom | village | 709 | $62,375 | $588 | 21 mi |
| Lewisburg | CDP | 484 | $155,179 | n/a | 9 mi |
| Sun | village | 381 | n/a | $883 | 17 mi |
CDPs are unincorporated communities the Census Bureau defines for counting.
Who lives in St. Tammany Parish, in numbers
College graduates make up 38% of the adult population. About 7% go without health insurance.
| Indicator | St. Tammany Parish | All of Louisiana | U.S. county median |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median age | 40.5 | 38.0 | 41.5 |
| Bachelor's or higher | 37.7% | 27.0% | 22.2% |
| No high school diploma | 8.0% | 12.7% | n/a |
| No health insurance | 6.8% | 7.8% | 7.8% |
| No vehicle | 4.3% | 8.4% | 5.4% |
| Work from home | 13.2% | 8.1% | 8.7% |
| Poverty rate | 11.4% | 18.9% | 13.2% |
| Unemployment (ACS) | 4.8% | 6.3% | 4.4% |
| Trip time | Share |
|---|---|
| Under 15 min | 21.7% |
| 15 to 29 min | 31.2% |
| 30 to 44 min | 19.1% |
| 45 to 59 min | 13.6% |
| 60+ min | 14.4% |
Before borrowing in St. Tammany Parish
The county's numbers point to a few situations that come up often for St. Tammany Parish borrowers.
- Long drives. With 28% of commutes over 45 minutes, tires and repairs are fixed costs in many St. Tammany Parish budgets.
- Consolidation math. With 40% at six figures, card consolidation is common; it pays only if total cost falls (guide).
- Tight rental budgets. With 52% of St. Tammany Parish renters cost-burdened, test a new payment against a lean month.
What a median St. Tammany Parish budget can carry
How much room does a median St. Tammany Parish budget have? Take median income, subtract median rent, and check what is left under a few common debt-to-income limits.
- Monthly gross at the median, St. Tammany Parish: $6,767
- 20% goes to median rent ($1,332)
- At 35%, room after rent is $1,036 a month
- With a 45% ceiling, about $1,713 remains for car, card, student and any new loan payments
Car, student loan and card payments come out of that room first. Try your own numbers in the calculator.
A St. Tammany Parish borrower's checklist
Four checks before you sign anything:
- Get a written quote for whatever you are paying for in St. Tammany Parish.
- Ask each lender for the APR and all fees in writing.
- Check the license, then the reviews, then the offer.
- Never pay a fee up front to get a loan.
Who licenses lenders for St. Tammany Parish residents
Consumer lenders serving St. Tammany Parish are licensed by the state, not the county; in Louisiana that is the Louisiana Office of Financial Institutions. A CFPB complaint gets forwarded to the company for a response. See the Louisiana state guide for the statewide picture.
Nearby and statewide guides
For statewide rules and data, see the Louisiana guide.
Frequently asked questions
What does a typical St. Tammany Parish household make?
About $81,202 a year at the median (ACS 2020-24), 34% above the Louisiana median.
Is St. Tammany Parish expensive for renters?
Median rent is $1,332 against $1,064 statewide, and 52% of renter households are cost-burdened.
I own my home in St. Tammany Parish. Personal loan or HELOC?
A HELOC uses the house as collateral; a personal loan usually does not. With 79% of homes owner-occupied here, many readers can compare both in writing.
Which towns does the St. Tammany Parish guide cover?
Every community in the county, unincorporated areas included. The largest of its 11 Census places: Slidell, Mandeville, Covington, Eden Isle, Lacombe.
Will a St. Tammany Parish address affect my match?
Beyond confirming Louisiana as your state, no. Your answers about amount, credit, income and payments are all that count.