Neighborhood · Baton Rouge, LA

West Merrydale Eviction Risk: Moderate

2 census tracts · pop 12,329 · pop-weighted Eviction Risk Score 5.6/10 · range 5.2–6.1

West Merrydale is a black (non-hispanic) neighborhood in Baton Rouge with 2 census tracts and a population of 12,329 residents. The neighborhood's pop-weighted eviction-risk score of 5.6/10 (Moderate tier) blends state law, county-level filing rates, parent-city politics, and tract-specific rent-to-income ratios + poverty. 58% of renters here pay at least 30% of household income on rent, and 28% are severely cost-burdened (≥50% of income). Average gross rent of $754/month sits 29% lower than the Baton Rouge citywide average ($1,067).

Risk score

5.6

Moderate

2 tracts · population-weighted

West Merrydale vs Baton Rouge How this neighborhood stacks against the citywide average

% of income on rent

57.6% +63%

Baton Rouge: 35.4%

Average gross rent

$754 -29%

Baton Rouge: $1,067

Average HH income

$27,866 -44%

Baton Rouge: $49,944

Poverty rate

32.0% +28%

Baton Rouge: 25.0%

Renter share

64.4% +23%

Baton Rouge: 52.2%

Peer neighborhoods

Neighborhoods with similar eviction risk

Same county, closest by Eviction Risk Score.

Geographic context

Risk heat across West Merrydale and the region

Click any tract to drill in · 2 tracts span score 5.2–6.1

Why West Merrydale scores 5.6

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

58% 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

64% 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

32.0% below poverty line · Range 5.1–10.0 across tracts

7.4

Supply constraint

Rent-to-FMR gap & zoning friction · Range 1.0–1.9 across tracts

1.5

Risk score comparison

West Merrydale vs. parent city, state, U.S.

Eviction Risk Score (0–10 scale).

Census tracts

2 tracts in West Merrydale

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

Tract↕	Score↕	Pop↕	% over 30% on rent↕	Average rent↕
22033000200	6.1	5,896	59%	$653
22033003400	5.2	6,433	57%	$847

Social Vulnerability Index

CDC SVI percentile: 97

Pop-weighted across 2 tracts. Higher = more vulnerable to disaster, displacement, and rent shocks. Source: CDC/ATSDR SVI 2022.

Socioeconomic status 97%ile

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

Household characteristics 92%ile

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

Racial/ethnic minority 97%ile

Hispanic + non-white share of population

Housing & transport 86%ile

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

CDC PLACES 2023 · pop-weighted

Eviction-adjacent indicators in West Merrydale

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

37.2%Housing insecurity
31.3%Utility shutoff threat
50.9%Food insecurity
53.0%SNAP enrollment
14.0%No health insurance
51.0%Any disability

Frequently asked

About West Merrydale

What is the eviction-risk score for West Merrydale?

West Merrydale scores 5.6/10 (Moderate tier) across 2 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 West Merrydale compare to Baton Rouge overall?

West Merrydale scores 2.2 points higher than Baton Rouge overall (3.4/10). Renters spend 58% of income on rent vs 35% citywide. Average rent: $754 vs $1,067.

What is the average rent in West Merrydale?

Average gross rent in West Merrydale is $754/month (pop-weighted across 2 census tracts, ACS 5-year 2023). 58% of renter households are cost-burdened.

What percentage of West Merrydale residents are renters?

64% of West Merrydale households are renter-occupied (vs 52% in Baton Rouge). The neighborhood has 12,329 residents.

Is West Merrydale a high social-vulnerability area?

West Merrydale sits in the 97th 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.

Which tracts in West Merrydale have the highest eviction risk?

The highest-risk constituent tract in West Merrydale is census tract 22033000200 (score 6.1/10). Across the 2 tracts in this neighborhood the score ranges from 5.2 to 6.1, a spread of 0.9 points.

How safe is West Merrydale for landlords?

West Merrydale carries a moderate-tier eviction-risk profile for landlords (5.6/10). Pop-weighted across 2 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 West Merrydale?

West Merrydale has 13,026 residents (Black (non-Hispanic) Neighborhood). Top groups: Black (non-Hispanic) (95.8%), White (non-Hispanic) (1.7%), Other / Multiracial (1.6%). Source: ACS 5-year 2023, table B03002.

Nearby

Other neighborhoods near West Merrydale

5.8 East Dayton 2 tracts · pop 5,089 5.7 Dayton 2 tracts · pop 2,464 6.1 Scotlandville 2 tracts · pop 10,862 3.6 Goodwood Place 2 tracts · pop 5,989 5.7 Roseland Terrace 2 tracts · pop 5,020 5.7 Mag Terrace 2 tracts · pop 5,031

Sibling neighborhoods

Other neighborhoods inside Baton Rouge

Same parent city, ranked by score similarity to West Merrydale.

5.5 Belfair 1 tracts · pop 3,849 5.5 Red Oak 1 tracts · pop 2,438 5.5 Goodwood Homesites 1 tracts · pop 4,088 5.7 Dayton 2 tracts · pop 2,464 5.7 East Dayton 2 tracts · pop 5,089 5.7 Castlewood 1 tracts · pop 3,345

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