In court-decided eviction outcomes for Waggaman, LA, tenants prevail in roughly 14.3% of contested cases. A higher number means landlords face stronger tenant defenses, longer calendars, and more required documentation — landlord-friendliness drops as this rises.
Timeline
41d
filing → judgment
From the moment an unlawful-detainer notice is filed in Waggaman, LA until a money judgment is entered, a contested eviction takes about 41 days on average. Longer timelines mean more lost rent and higher carry costs for landlords.
Cost range
$1.7–3.9k
legal + lost rent
A typical eviction in Waggaman, LA costs landlords $1,654 to $3,887 all-in — court filing fees, process-server costs, attorney time, and lost rent during the calendar between filing and possession.
Average rent
$1,510
51% stretched on rent
Median gross rent in Waggaman, LA is $1,510 per month per the U.S. Census American Community Survey (5-year 2023). 51% of renter households here spend more than 30% of pre-tax income on rent — the federal cost-burden threshold.
Renters
29.8%
of households
29.8% of occupied housing units in Waggaman, LA are renter-occupied (vs owner-occupied). A higher renter share usually correlates with more eviction filings, more turnover, and a more active rental market.
Poverty
26.5%
6.2% unemp.
26.5% of Waggaman, LA residents live below the federal poverty line, and unemployment runs at 6.2%. Both feed into the economic-stress sub-score in our Eviction Risk Score model because rent payment problems track poverty + joblessness more reliably than any other single signal.
Time machine
Scrub 50 years
197619861996200620162026
2026
● LIVE · today◀ REPLAY · historical
Nine-axis profile
9-axis profile · today
Shape of the risk surface
1 landlord · 10 tenant
Sub-scores · with sparkline
Where the score comes from
1 → 10 scale
Local political climate
GOP margin +13.0% (2024)
4.2
Regional political climate
County-weighted neighbor mix
4.2
State political climate
Louisiana legislature & governorship
2.3
Economic stress
26.5% poverty · 6.2% unemp.
8.1
Supply constraint
$1,510 average · 29.8% renters
7.4
Rent Control risk
51.0% of income on rent
9.6
Eviction process difficulty
41 days filing → judgment
2.1
Tenant organizing strength
29.8% renters
6.6
Housing court bias
County bench composition
9.2
Geographic context
Risk heat across Waggaman and the region
Click any city to see its score
How Waggaman compares
Risk score vs. peers, county, state, and the U.S.
Rank in Jefferson Parish
Elevated
#8of 21 cities
#8 of 21 cities in Jefferson Parish for landlord eviction risk.
Rank in Louisiana
High
#51of 489 cities
#51 of 489 cities in Louisiana for landlord eviction risk.
vs. county · state · U.S.
Score story
Six-stop tour of the risk profile
5.6
/ 10 · ELEVATED
The verdict
A Elevated-tier market.
Composite 5.6/10. Mid-range market; standard documentation usually wins. The 50-year curve shows a sharp climb.
50-yr trend+2.8 over 50 yr
197620012026
Steepening since 2010 · COVID inflection visible
41d
Typical timeline
The money
What renting (and evicting) looks like.
Rent published at $1,510/mo. A contested eviction takes 41 days and costs $1,654–$3,887 per case.
50-yr trendCalendar drag rising since '15
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
29.8%
Renters
The renters
Who you'll be renting to.
Out of 11,330 residents, 29.8% rent. 51% are spending 30%+ income on rent, 26.5% below the poverty line.
50-yr trendRenter share rising
197620012026
ACS 1970-present · once the migration overlay is in.
4.2
Local + regional
The politics
Mid-range climate. Not a coastal market.
Local & regional political climate score 4.2 and 4.2 (GOP margin +13.0% (2024)). State climate at 2.3 — mid-range statehouse.
50-yr trendTracks county vote margin
197620012026
Built on 50-yr presidential margins back to 1976.
2.3
State politics
The process
Moderate calendar, moderate friction.
State political climate 2.3/10 sets the legislative ceiling for landlord remedies — and shows up in process. Eviction process difficulty reads 2.1, housing court bias 9.2, rent-control risk 9.6. Standard process speed for the state.
50-yr trendProcess difficulty +-2.9 since '00
197620012026
Court-clerk data lands in the next release.
8.1
Economic stress
The stress
Economic pressure is the real risk.
Economic stress: 8.1. Supply constraint: 7.4. The numbers behind those: 26.5% poverty, 6.2% unemployment, 51% of income on rent.
50-yr trendTwo visible dips · '08 + COVID
197620012026
Mirrors BLS unemployment series.
US eviction landscape · timeline × all-in cost
Waggaman sits in the quick & cheap quadrant
Bubble size = population · color = risk score
Waggaman · 41d · ~$2.8k all-in ($68/day) · score 5.6National average: 58d · $4.6k all-inHover any bubble for stats · click to openColor: 0–4 4–7 7–10
Landlording in Waggaman, Louisiana, presents an elevated-friction market where documented notices and proactive screening matter. The Eviction Risk Score is 5.6/10 (ELEVATED tier), drawn from the nine sub-axes shown above — covering rent-control exposure, eviction-process difficulty, housing-court bias, tenant-organizing strength, supply constraint, economic stress, and local, regional, and state political climate. This is not a quick-fix market: it's a Elevated-friction market where lease drafting, screening discipline, and well-documented notices materially change outcomes.
Waggaman is a city of 11,330 residents where 29.8% of occupied units are renter-occupied, and the typical renter spends 51.0% of income on rent. At an average rent of $1,510/month, the typical renter household here spends more than the federal 30% threshold on housing — a leading indicator of payment volatility and a precondition for the kinds of tenant defenses that show up most often in housing court.
01Process
How Waggaman eviction process actually works
Eviction process difficulty here reads 2.1/10 — a number that combines statutory complexity (notice categories, just-cause rules, mandatory pre-filing disclosures) with operational realities (court calendar length and clerk responsiveness). The typical contested filing in Waggaman closes 41 days after the initial notice. For non-payment of rent the first step is a properly-formatted, properly-served pay-or-quit notice; for material lease breaches it's a cure-or-quit; for tenancies under just-cause protection an at-fault grounds notice (or a no-fault notice with statutory relocation assistance) is required.
The slow part of Waggaman's timeline is usually the calendar, not the motion practice. Housing court bias scores 9.2/10 here, meaning judges read borderline procedural defects in the tenant's favor more often than the national norm. The practical implication: every notice and every proof of service needs to be airtight before it gets filed.
02Cost
What it costs (and how long it takes)
An all-in eviction in Waggaman runs $1,654 to $3,887 per case once you account for filing fees, attorney time, lost rent during pendency, sheriff lockout, and unit turnover. That range is wide because the upper bound assumes a tenant answer plus motion practice — common when housing court bias is high. The lower bound assumes a default judgment after proper service.
For landlords running the numbers on holding costs vs. cash-for-keys: if your projected timeline times your monthly rent already exceeds the high-end cost number, cash-for-keys at 1–2 months' rent is typically the economically rational choice. With 41 days of typical timeline and $1,510/month in lost rent, that crossover happens fast here.
03Operations
Security deposits, screening, and lease terms
Tenant organizing strength scores 6.6/10 in Waggaman, and the city sits at the top of the rent control risk spectrum (9.6/10). Operations practice that survives audit in this environment looks like:
Screening discipline. Document income (verified at 2.5–3x rent), credit (with a clear minimum), and prior-tenancy reference checks — but do not screen on protected categories or source-of-income where banned. Keep a written, consistent screening criteria document for every applicant.
Lease specificity. Use a state-specific lease that names every term clearly: rent due date, late fees within statutory caps, deposit handling, smoke and CO disclosure, lead paint disclosure (pre-1978 stock), and a clean attorney's-fees clause.
Security deposit handling. Itemize deductions within the statutory window. Photograph move-in/move-out condition. In Louisiana, deposit cap and refund window are statute — exceed at your own risk.
Mid-tenancy documentation. Keep date-stamped records of every rent receipt, every habitability request, every notice served. The day you need them in court is too late to start.
04Strategy
What an everyday landlord should actually do here
If you own one to four units in Waggaman: hire a property manager who knows the local court. The pricing differential between self-managing and hiring out is small relative to the cost of one botched eviction in a ELEVATED tier market. If you own five or more: build relationships with a local landlord-side attorney before you need one — retainer fees are negligible compared to emergency-rate billing when an eviction is already moving.
The avoidable mistakes here are all upstream of the filing: weak screening, an informal lease, sloppy rent receipts, and notice templates pulled off the internet that don't match Louisiana's statutory language. Fix those four, and most cases settle or default. Skip them, and a $3,887 all-in fight is the realistic worst case.
04bPractical traps
Local traps to avoid in Waggaman
Trap · 9.2/10
For landlords, the 5.6/10 score is most actionable when combined with St. Charles County's specific court behavior. Housing-court bias sub-score: 9.2/10. Use proactive screening and documented notices.
05FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Q1
What's the best way to avoid eviction in Waggaman?
The best defense is a strong offense: thorough tenant screening. Verify income, check credit, criminal, and eviction history. Call previous landlords. Don't rush. A good tenant is worth waiting for. Also, clear communication and a well-written lease prevent many issues.
Q2
Can I raise the rent whenever I want in Waggaman?
Louisiana doesn't have statewide rent control, so you can raise the rent. However, you must provide proper notice, typically 30 days for month-to-month leases. For fixed-term leases, you can only raise the rent upon renewal. Always check your lease agreement for specific terms.
Q3
How long does an eviction actually take from start to finish?
In Waggaman, expect the typical eviction process to take about 41 days from the moment you issue the initial notice to when the sheriff can execute a lockout. This is an average; contested cases or procedural errors can extend it further.
Q4
Should I accept partial rent payments?
Generally, no, not without a very specific written agreement. Accepting partial rent can be seen as waiving your right to evict based on the original non-payment notice. If you do accept a partial payment, get a signed agreement that explicitly states it does not waive your eviction rights and that the full balance is still due.
Q5
What if my tenant damages the property beyond normal wear and tear?
You can deduct the cost of repairing damages beyond normal wear and tear from the security deposit. Make sure to document everything with photos and receipts. Provide an itemized statement to the tenant within 30 days of them vacating the property.
Q6
When should I hire an attorney for an eviction?
It's always advisable to consult an attorney as soon as you anticipate an eviction, especially after the initial notice period expires. Given Waggaman's high housing court bias, having legal counsel ensures you follow all procedures correctly and increases your chances of a successful outcome.
A 5.6/10 places Waggaman in the 90th percentile of Louisiana cities on the Eviction Risk Score index. The score is the average of the nine sub-axes, all calibrated on a national 1–10 scale where 1 is most landlord-friendly and 10 is most tenant-protective. The 50-year reconstruction shows this score has risen sharply since 1976 — a structural drift driven by court-calendar growth, rent-control adoption, and the rise of tenant-side legal aid. The trajectory matters more than the snapshot: the score is the climate, not the weather.
Cities with similar eviction risk to Waggaman (5.6/10)
Same risk band nationally · click any city for its full breakdown.
