You may not have thought about relocating to Louisiana recently, but we think that you should. Life there is slower and sweeter, almost like a throwback to simpler times. You don’t need to live in the Big Easy to have a great time and eat amazing Cajun food, either. Whether you’re looking for somewhere affordable to live or somewhere with plenty of job opportunities, there’s a place on this list for you. From fishing villages to cities filled with culture and history, here are the best places to move to The Bayou State if you want the quality of life to be so good that it feels like home.
1. Baton Rouge
The Baton Rouge metropolitan area is home to over half a million people. The city is largely driven by the energy sector, and several petrochemical plants are located along the Mississippi River. Baton Rouge also has a diverse economy that includes a growing healthcare sector, an active space exploration sector, and a burgeoning computer software industry. The cost of living in Baton Rouge is about 5% lower than the national average, and the median household income is about $53,000 per year. The city of Baton Rouge has a few different city parks where residents can enjoy outdoor activities. Areas like Spanish Lake Park and George B. Hannegan Park have lakes where people can go fishing or paddle boating. The city is also home to the Louisiana State University Agricultural Center, which has a large park that is open to the public. Residents who want to get outdoors can enjoy activities like hiking, biking, or playing sports at the park.
2. Shreveport
Shreveport is a river city on the edge of Cajun country where you can enjoy the best of both worlds – the big-city lights of nearby Dallas and the cultural charm of the Louisiana bayou. The city has a bustling economy driven by aerospace, healthcare, and the casino industry. There are more than 30 casinos in the Shreveport region, and the city is home to the Louisiana State Fair, the Louisiana Hayride, and the Caddo Mounds Museum. The cost of living in Shreveport is about 4% lower than the national average and the median household income is about $44,000 per year. The city boasts an expansive system of parks where residents can enjoy a wide variety of outdoor activities like fishing, hiking, biking, or playing sports.
3. New Orleans
New Orleans is one of the most unique cities in America. The city is famous for its Southern charm, rich culture, and amazing food. New Orleans has a large tourism industry, and many people visit the city every year. The cost of living in New Orleans is about 15% higher than the national average, but the median household income is about $46,000 per year. New Orleans has a lot of different city parks where people can enjoy outdoor activities. Some of the parks even have swimming pools where people can go swimming. One of the most famous parts of New Orleans is Bourbon Street. This is a street where people can go out and enjoy bars and restaurants. There are also many stores on Bourbon Street where visitors can buy souvenirs.
4. Lafayette
Lafayette is a city in the heart of Cajun country that is rich in both culture and history. The city is home to several museums and attractions, including the Acadiana Center for the Arts and the Center for Louisiana Studies. Lafayette’s economy is driven by chemical manufacturing, health care, and agriculture. The cost of living in Lafayette is about 6% lower than the national average and the median household income is about $44,000 per year. The city has a wide array of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy, including fishing, hiking, or playing sports. The city also has a few different city parks where people can enjoy outdoor activities like going swimming or hiking.
5. Lake Charles
Lake Charles is a charming city in the southern part of the state that is well-known for its active senior community. The city is home to several active adult communities as well as a large number of retirement communities. Lake Charles also has some of the best healthcare in the state, which is great for retirees who need regular medical care. The cost of living in Lake Charles is about 12% higher than the national average, but the median household income is about $38,000 per year. Lake Charles has a wide variety of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy, including fishing, hiking, or going swimming. The city also has a few different city parks where people can enjoy outdoor activities.
6. Hammond
Hammond is a charming city in the southern part of the state that is known for being an incredible value. The cost of living in Hammond is about 14% lower than the national average, and the median household income is about $33,000 per year. The city has a great economy that is driven by healthcare, chemical manufacturing, and the energy sector, and there are plenty of jobs available in these industries. Hammond has a wide variety of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy, including fishing, hiking, or going swimming. The city also has a few different city parks where people can enjoy outdoor activities like going fishing or hiking.
7. Port Arthur
Port Arthur is a charming city in the southern part of the state that is well-known for being an incredible value. The cost of living in Port Arthur is about 11% lower than the national average, and the median household income is about $33,000 per year. The city has a great economy that is driven by healthcare, chemical manufacturing, and the energy sector. There are plenty of jobs available in these industries and there are several different businesses that offer employment to residents. Port Arthur has a wide variety of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy, including fishing, hiking, or going swimming. The city also has a few different city parks where people can enjoy outdoor activities like going fishing or hiking.
8. Lake Charles
Lake Charles is a charming city in the southern part of the state that is well-known for being an incredible value. The cost of living in Lake Charles is about 12% higher than the national average but there are plenty of jobs available in many industries and there are several different businesses that offer employment to residents as well as healthcare services from some hospitals and medical centers nearby. The median household income in Lake Charles was about $38,000 per year which was lower than most other cities on this list but still one of the highest median incomes among all cities with populations above 10,000 people. There were also many job opportunities available at companies like BP or Valero Energy Refining Corporation if someone was interested to work at these companies as an employee or contractor respectively.
9. Gonzales
Gonzales is a charming city in the southern part of the state that is well-known for being an incredible value. The cost of living in Gonzales is about 12% lower than the national average, and the median household income is about $38,000 per year. The city has a great economy that is driven by healthcare, chemical manufacturing, and the energy sector. There are plenty of jobs available in these industries and there are several different businesses that offer employment to residents. Gonzales has a wide variety of outdoor activities for residents to enjoy, including fishing, hiking, or going swimming.
10. Livingston Parish
Livingston Parish is one of the most rural parts of Louisiana with a population of fewer than 10,000 people and it’s located right on the border with Texas which makes it easy to commute to work from anywhere in Louisiana after you live there for a while. Livingston Parish has some industries like agriculture or forestry but they are not as important as they once were so there aren’t many jobs available in these industries but pretty much everyone who lives in Livingston Parish works in one of these industries so many people have jobs at least part-time even if it’s only for about 3 months out of every year or so depending on what kind of job they have as an employee at one of these companies or another company that does something related to the industry they work in.
11. East Feliciana Parish
East Feliciana Parish is located on the western end of Louisiana and it’s home to 10,000 people but has a greater population than that because it includes the city of Clinton which is one of the largest cities in Louisiana. East Feliciana Parish has some industries like agriculture and forestry and there are many jobs available from these industries but not a lot at all so most people have jobs from other industries or work part-time for about 3 months out of every year or so. The median household income in East Feliciana Parish was about $35,000 per year which was about 1% lower than the national average for cities with similar populations.
12. St Tammany Parish
St Tammany Parish is an area that is located between New Orleans and Baton Rouge and it’s home to more than 200,000 people but only has a population of around 10,000 because it includes Covington which is another large city near New Orleans among its residents. St Tammany parish has several different industries including agriculture and forestry but they aren’t as important as they once were so there aren’t many jobs available from these industries at all.
13. Orleans Parish
Orleans Parish is located on the eastern end of Louisiana and is home to almost 300,000 people but only has a population of around 150,000 because it includes the city of New Orleans which is one of the largest cities in Louisiana among its residents. Orleans Parish has many different industries including agriculture and forestry but they aren’t as important as they once were so there aren’t many jobs available from these industries at all and there aren’t very many part-time jobs either because most people have full-time employment elsewhere or they don’t have any kind of job at all. The median household income in Orleans Parish was about $40,000 per year which was much higher than the national average for cities with similar populations. Most people who live in this city commute to work from somewhere else because there aren’t a lot of jobs available to be had here by itself so most people who live here also have jobs elsewhere as well as some part-time jobs that they do while they are commuting to work.
Conclusion
There is a lot to love about Louisiana. The people are friendly, the culture is unique, and there are tons of outdoor activities to enjoy all year round. If you’re looking for a new place to call home, Louisiana might be just what you’re looking for. We think that the best places to live in Louisiana are Baton Rouge, Shreveport, New Orleans, Lafayette, Hammond, and Lake Charles.
