Neighborhood · Baton Rouge, LA

Smiley Heights Eviction Risk: Moderate

1 census tracts · pop 3,143 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.3/10 · range 5.3–5.3

Smiley Heights is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Baton Rouge with 1 census tract and a population of 3,143 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.3/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 47% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 11% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $907/month sits 15% lower than the Baton Rouge citywide average ($1,067).

Risk score

5.3

Moderate

1 tracts · population-weighted

Smiley Heights vs Baton Rouge How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

47.4% +34%

Baton Rouge: 35.4%

Average gross rent

$907 -15%

Baton Rouge: $1,067

Average HH income

$41,394 -17%

Baton Rouge: $49,944

Poverty rate

25.2% +1%

Baton Rouge: 25.0%

Renter share

57.5% +10%

Baton Rouge: 52.2%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across Smiley Heights and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 1 tracts span score 5.3–5.3

Why Smiley Heights scores 5.3

9 axes · pop-weighted · 1 = landlord-friendly

State political climate

legislature & governorship · Range 2.3–2.3 across tracts

2.3

Regional political climate

County-level mix · 2024 presidential margin · Range 5.7–5.7 across tracts

5.7

Local political climate

Parent city governance · Range 5.5–5.5 across tracts

5.5

Rent control risk

47% of income on rent · Range 1.5–1.5 across tracts

1.5

Eviction process difficulty

State notice requirements & court backlog · Range 4.5–4.5 across tracts

4.5

Tenant organizing strength

58% renter households · Range 4.0–4.0 across tracts

4.0

Housing court bias

County bench composition · Range 3.5–3.5 across tracts

3.5

Economic stress

25.2% below poverty line · Range 6.3–6.3 across tracts

6.3

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 2.4–2.4 across tracts

2.4

Risk score comparison

Smiley Heights vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

1 tracts in Smiley Heights

Ranked highest-risk first. Click for per-tract detail.

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
22033000702	5.3	3,143	47%	$907

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 87

Pop-weighted across 1 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 91%ile

Poverty, unemployment, no-HS-diploma, housing cost burden

Household characteristics 55%ile

Single-parent HH, disability, language barriers, age 17- / 65+

Racial/ethnic minority 97%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 75%ile

Multi-unit structures, mobile homes, crowding, no vehicle

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in Smiley Heights

Average across all constituent tracts, population-weighted. Source: CDC PLACES (cwsq-ngmh) crude prevalence.

32.9%Housing insecurity
26.7%Utility shutoff threat
44.3%Food insecurity
44.7%SNAP enrollment
12.1%No health insurance
46.3%Any disability

Frequently asked

About Smiley Heights

What is the eviction-risk score for Smiley Heights?

Smiley Heights scores 5.3/10 (Moderate tier) across 1 census tracts. The pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score blends state law, county filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income and poverty signals.

How does Smiley Heights compare to Baton Rouge overall?

Smiley Heights scores 1.9 points higher than Baton Rouge overall (3.4/10). Renters spend 47% of income on rent vs 35% citywide. Average rent: $907 vs $1,067.

What is the average rent in Smiley Heights?

Average gross rent in Smiley Heights is $907/month (pop-weighted across 1 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 47% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of Smiley Heights residents are renters?

58% of Smiley Heights households are renter-occupied (vs 52% in Baton Rouge). The neighborhood has 3,143 residents.

Is Smiley Heights a high social-vulnerability area?

Smiley Heights sits in the 87th percentile nationally on the CDC Social Vulnerability Index (highly vulnerable). The index combines poverty, unemployment, household composition, racial/ethnic minority share, and housing/transportation factors across all US census tracts.

How safe is Smiley Heights for landlords?

Smiley Heights carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.3/10). Pop-weighted across 1 constituent tracts, the score blends parent-city rent-control posture, county eviction-process timelines, and tract-specific rent-to-income / poverty signals. Compared to Baton Rouge as a whole (3.4/10), this neighborhood is higher-risk.

What is the demographic breakdown of Smiley Heights?

Smiley Heights has 3,288 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (93.2%), Hispanic / Latino (2.9%), White (non-Hispanic) (2.3%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near Smiley Heights

5.8 East Dayton 2 tracts · pop 5,089 5.7 West Merrydale 2 tracts · pop 12,329 3.6 Goodwood Place 2 tracts · pop 5,989 5.7 Dayton 2 tracts · pop 2,464 5.7 Roseland Terrace 2 tracts · pop 5,020 6.1 Scotlandville 2 tracts · pop 10,862

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Baton Rouge

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to Smiley Heights.

5.3 Eden Park 1 tracts · pop 3,747 5.3 Harwich 2 tracts · pop 9,416 5.3 Riffel Place 1 tracts · pop 3,095 5.3 Spanish Town 1 tracts · pop 3,160 5.4 Magnolia Ridge 2 tracts · pop 9,823 5.4 University Hills 1 tracts · pop 4,749

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