Where to Live Now

Best Places To Live in Louisiana

iStock/Art Wager
Home > LA > Where to Live Now > Best Places To Live in Louisiana

Best Places To Live in Louisiana

If you crave culture, Louisiana is your oyster. And these 6 cities are not only fun places to visit, they're also great places to live.

By Livability on January 16, 2024

When you think about Louisiana, what comes to mind? Living on the bayou, delicious Creole and Cajun food like crawfish and gumbo. And, of course, Mardi Gras! The state offers all that and more. Its hot and humid summers are almost as famous as the 64 parishes that make up the state (rather than counties). New Orleans, Baton Rouge and Shreveport are Louisiana’s largest cities.

Louisiana is known for its diverse culture and colorful history, having both French and Spanish influences, as well as African, Acadian, Native American and Southern. The state’s natural beauty is inspiring with picturesque forests, beaches, swamps, lakes, rivers, enormous Southern live oak trees and more.

The state has a lower cost of living than many other places and boasts a strong economy with industries such as petroleum and natural gas production, tourism, chemicals, agriculture and filmmaking. Here’s a list of the best places to live in Louisiana. 

Baton Rouge

The Louisiana State Capitol is located in downtown Baton Rouge.

Baton Rouge is a best city in Louisiana.

Baton Rouge is in the state’s largest parish, East Baton Rouge, and also is the state capital (with the country’s tallest state capitol building) and home to Louisiana State University with over 37,000 students (Go Tigers!). Its location on the Mississippi River adds to the economy of the city and the state, with the Port of Greater Baton Rouge an integral part of commerce. Baton Rouge, located in the southeastern part of the state, has a booming downtown area with cultural attractions such as museums, restaurants, art galleries and places to see live music. It also is an inclusive city with an active LGBTQ scene. The Mississippi River Levee Path is the perfect place to walk or ride a bike. With more than 180 parks, the city also has plenty of places to get outside and play. The primary industries in Baton Rouge are industrial services, energy and construction. The city of nearly 226,000 has a lower cost of living compared to other major metro areas.

What makes Baton Rouge stand out?

The city is a mix of both Cajun and Creole influences and maintains a sense of history that can be seen in museums, plantation homes, historic buildings and the USS Kidd, a retired World War II destroyer, which is a fixture on the Mississippi River and now a museum. 

Read more about living in Baton Rouge, LA.

Bossier City

A view of Bossier City, Louisiana, from the Horseshoe.
Getty Images/Aswin Hanagal
Bossier City, Louisiana, is situated along the Red River. It has many waterfront attractions, including three casinos.

Bossier City is a best place to live in Louisiana.

Considered a suburb of Shreveport, Bossier City has been noted for its reasonable cost of living along with its great quality of life, education, housing, and health and safety, which are some of the reasons it attracts families and retirees. Not to mention friendly people! The downtown district is a great place to enjoy the city’s bars, restaurants and unique shops. Speaking of shopping (and dining and entertainment), Louisiana Boardwalk Outlets is a popular destination nestled along the banks of the Red River. The top industries in this city of approximately 63,000 are retail, finance, real estate, insurance, construction, industrial manufacturing, and oil and gas. To explore the outdoors, you can head to nearby Red River National Wildlife Refuge or Bodcau State Wildlife Management Area, or make a play date at one of the many city parks.

Is gambling popular in Bossier City?

Like the penny slots or do you go for high-gaming stakes? You can find it all at the three riverfront casinos on the banks of the Red River. In addition to taking a turn with Lady Luck, you will find all sorts of live entertainment, shopping, dining and comfortable accommodations.

Read more about living in Bossier City, LA.

Lafayette

An image overlooking the trees and buildings of downtown Lafayette, LA, during a summer sunset. Lafayette is a great city to live in Louisiana.
iStock/DenisTangneyJr
Redevelopment in downtown Lafayette, LA, is attracting new businesses and residents.

Lafayette is a great city to live in Louisiana.

Lafayette offers plenty of reasons to call it home. For starters, the city of 123,000-plus in the heart of Acadiana is the center of Cajun and Creole culture. Known as the “Happiest City in the United States,” Lafayette features big-city amenities in a small-town atmosphere. It’s dog-friendly, affordable and has plentiful outdoor opportunities such as hiking, fishing, paddling and bird-watching along the rivers, swamps and bayous. And then there’s the food. Traditional dishes — along with more modern fare — are on the menu, with a side of Cajun and Creole influences. It’s a haven for tech-based companies due to widespread connectivity and community support, in addition to health care, finance, manufacturing, construction and energy. Downtown redevelopment includes a creative area with international restaurants, public art, boutiques and festivals such as the Festival International de Louisiane featuring performers from around the world.

What makes Lafayette the epicenter of Cajun and Creole cuisine?

The food in Lafayette is steeped in tradition, yet continues to evolve with inventive chefs putting their own spin on familiar dishes. There’s a reason this city has been named Best Food City in the USA by Rand McNally. Its Bayou Culinary Trail offers up dishes like boudin, gumbo, crawfish bread and jambalaya.

Read more about living in Lafayette, LA.

Lake Charles

Lake Charles is the fifth-largest incorporated city in the U.S. state of Louisiana.

Lake Charles is a best city in Louisiana.

Lake Charles is situated on scenic Lake Charles in Calcasieu Parish. This southwest Louisiana city, with a population of more than 79,000, is known for its affordability and an excellent quality of life. Lake Charles is also an important industrial, cultural and educational center with petrochemical refining, tourism, gambling and education as the major business sectors. The city boasts a vibrant downtown and lots of locally owned businesses, as well as four major casinos that appeal to both locals and visitors alike. In addition, Lake Charles features a variety of dining options (can you say Cajun cuisine?), shopping and places to play outdoors. In fact, the Creole Nature Trail, a 180-mile driving tour, offers fishing, boating and ever-changing wildlife. The city is home to McNeese State University and Sowela Technical Community College.

Why is Lake Charles known as the Festival Capital of Louisiana?

Lake Charles hosts more than 75 festivals annually, so it’s no wonder it’s called the Festival Capital of Louisiana. Some of the larger events include Mardi Gras (of course!), Louisiana Pirate Festival and the Downtown Lake Charles Crawfish Festival, all of which offer food, live music and loads of fun!

Read more about living in Lake Charles, LA.

Metairie

Aerial view of Interstate 10 bisecting Metairie, Louisiana, with New Orleans in the distance. Metairie is a best place to live in Louisiana.
iStock/Art Wager
Metairie, LA, is situated along Lake Pontchartrain and is part of the New Orlean metropolitan area.

Metairie is a best place to live in Louisiana.

Metairie is part of the New Orleans metropolitan area, but still a city in its own right. The city was named one of the Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S. for 2023 due to its Southern charm and character. Other amenities such as restaurants, shopping, sports, theater and parks, also give the city of 140,000 a sense of vibrancy. Metairie is the largest community in Jefferson Parish and home base for the training facility and corporate headquarters of the NFL’s New Orleans Saints and the NBA’s New Orleans Pelicans. The city’s primary industries include oil and gas, health care, and tourism and hospitality. Because of Metairie’s proximity to NOLA, residents have easy access to health care providers such as Ochsner Medical Center, Tulane Medical Center and the Children’s Hospital New Orleans. 

What makes Metairie’s location special? 

The city is situated on massive Lake Pontchartrain, which is not really a lake at all but an estuary — one of the largest estuaries in the United States, which is connected to the Gulf of Mexico and lots of other rivers and bayous. This translates to marinas and boating, strolls on the boardwalk and delectable waterfront dining.

Read more about living in Metairie, LA.

Shreveport

Shreveport, LA, is nestled along the Red River, which offers riverboat casinos and many outdoor activities.

Shreveport is a great city to live in Louisiana.

Shreveport is a place with big-city amenities but with small-city prices, making it an attractive city to raise a family or retire. Located in northwest Louisiana, it’s the county seat of Caddo Parish with a population of approximately 177,500, making it the third-largest city in the state. Shreveport, nestled along the Red River, has plenty of places to play such as family-friendly parks, museums and attractions like the Shreveport Aquarium and the Sci-Port Discovery Center — and riverboat casinos for the grown-ups! Shreveport is culturally diverse and has seven historic districts and many historic landmarks, as well as an active LGBTQ scene. Food lovers can get their fill of delicious Cajun and Creole fare, alongside Texas-style barbecue and international cuisine. The Red River and area lakes provide outdoor activities such as fishing, boating and paddling.

What is commerce like in Shreveport?

Due to its location, Shreveport has become an industrial and commercial center, often called the capital of the three-state region known as Ark-La-Tex, producing products such as petroleum, natural gas, iron and steel, chemicals, cotton and lumber. In addition, the city is known for agriculture, construction and manufacturing and retail.

Read more about living in Shreveport, LA.

Thinking of Moving to Louisiana?

Finding a great place to live in Louisiana doesn’t have to be a chore. We have more resources for moving to Louisiana as well as other best places to live in the Southeast. No matter where you want to live, we can help you decide where to move and discover the best places to live in the U.S .

Other great place to live near Louisiana

Best Places To Live in Mississippi

Array ( [0] => 161670 [1] => 161641 [2] => 161617 )
Array ( )
Array ( )
Array ( [0] => 161670 [1] => 161641 [2] => 161617 )

More To Read

Newsletter Sign Up

Keep up to date with our latest rankings and articles!
Enter your email to be added to our mailing list.