5 Great Places to Move To in Louisiana

Welcome to Louisiana, a country of lush lowlands nourished by warmth and humidity, rainy southern coasts, and warm weather most of the year. (When you rent a self storage unit here, you’ll definitely want one with climate control.) Culturally, Louisiana is different than any other state with its mix of French, Spanish, other European, and African heritage. Everywhere, you’ll find unique food and lots of interesting sites.

Unlike other states, Louisiana doesn’t call its groups of cities “counties.” Instead, they’re known as parishes. And, in most parishes, once a year you’ll find a Mardi Gras festival, complete with music, cooking, and beads up for exchange.

Here are five great places to live in Louisiana.

New Orleans

New Orleans is the best known, and the largest city in Louisiana with a population of 393,000. There is so much to do in New Orleans that reflects local history and culture, yet is simply fun. Enjoy a day in the French Quarter where you can check out the late 1700s architecture, and head to its main road, Burbon Street, in the evening to check out the bars and listen to some jazz. There are also plenty of parks, like CIty Park and Washington Square, so you can enjoy outdoor activities.

Rent in New Orleans varies, and naturally, the cheaper areas are less desirable. They start at about $550 a month, but the city’s median rent is about $1,200 for an 895 square foot place. The areas with higher rent also have the best schools in the city. Interestingly, the median household income is lower than the rest of the state at about $37,000, but the average price of a home is reasonable at $230,000.

Inniswold

Near the state capital of Baton Rouge, you’ll find Inniswold with its population of just 6,200. This town is part of East Baton Rouge Parish. New Orleans has great restaurants, naturally, but you’ll also find incredible eats, with Louisiana flare, here. A  couple of popular restaurants are Bayou Smokehouse and The Jambalaya Shoppe.

This low-crime area also has a low population of just 6,180. Residents earn a good living, and the median household income of Inniswold is $72,500. What’s amazing is that the average rent is just $1,100 for a 976 square foot place, and the median price of a home is just $235,000.

You’ll also have a short commute to Baton Rouge, just 22 minutes, and your kids will get a quality education. The student to teacher ratio here is superb with just 14 students per teacher.

Scott

Another great place to live in Lafayette Parish is Scott, Louisiana. This comfortable suburb has a population of about 8,800. The air quality is good, even on hot summer days, and you’ll find the area family-friendly. In fact, the musical, festive Mardi Gras parade in Scott, held every year in February, is even fine for kids.

Families here earn a good living. The median household income is $66,000. Like Inniswold, the cost of living is also low. In fact, it’s lower than the last place on our list. In Scott, the average rent is $890 for a 912 square foot place, and the median home price is a low $142,000.

Youngsville

Next, we come to Youngsville, a town with an enviable lifestyle. The population is just 13,500, so you won’t feel crowded. Residents make the highest living in the state. Here, the median household income is $85,000. Rent and home prices are surprisingly low, too. A 792 square foot apartment rents for about $960, and the median cost of a home is just $197,000. About 85 percent of residents are homeowners, which is no surprise considering the low cost of a home compared to local incomes.

The weather is great, never snowing, and averaging 220 sunny days per year. While residents have a pleasant, suburban lifestyle, Youngsville is close enough to Lafayette that they can enjoy the perks of city living, too. Youngsville residents are friendly, and this is a good place to raise a family.

Mandeville

Back in the greater New Orleans metropolitan area, we find Mandeville, a city of about 12,500 residents. When we say “greater,” we mean it. Mandeville is 35 miles from New Orleans, and that’s along the insanely long Lake Ponchartrain Causeway bridge southward across Lake Pontchartrain.

For beautiful, natural views, though, Mandeville is the place to be. You’ll be just a short drive from Fontainebleau State Park, Northlake Nature Center, and Fairview-Riverside State Park. You and your family can also feel safe here, where the crime rate is in the bottom 10 percent in the state.

Families make a pretty high income here, too, with the median being $72,000. At $1,086, rents are affordable, and so are homes, averaging about $256,000.

We hope this got you thinking about where you might like to move to in Louisiana. And, if you’re comparing states, feel free to check out our many articles on interesting places to live.