Louisiana is a slow-paced state located in the Deep South Region of America. It’s a state known for its rich culture, some lip-smacking food, fresh air, grand festivals, and its natural aesthetic. In fact, it’s known as the Festival Capital of America, thanks to all the grand festivals that take place in the state. Plus it has a low cost of living, affordable housing, and quality education as well.
There’s a lot more that this beautiful state offers you! If you’re planning on moving to Louisiana, here are a few things that you might want to look deeper into.
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A Festival For Everything
As mentioned earlier, Louisiana is known as the festival capital of America. The state is known to have celebrated over 400 festivals a year. From the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival to several harvest festivals, Louisiana celebrates it all. You name it, and the state probably has a festival to celebrate.
Delicious Food
For all the weird names they’ve given their food, Louisiana grub is definitely some of the best-tasting food in the country. The state is known to have perfected every dish they have ever created including the famous Turducken. Taste any of their dishes, and you’re bound to fall in love.
Low Cost Of Living
The state of Louisiana has a low cost of living. The housing market, rental market, groceries, and utilities all add up to a rate that is lower than the national average. Living here will be affordable and comfortable with a decent-paying job in hand.
Unpredictable Weather
Living in Louisiana, you’ll have to say goodbye to white snowy Christmas. The weather in the state is very strange as winters don’t properly start until mid-January. Additionally, the summer heat is unbearable.
Uninvited Wildlife
You’ll come across many rude critters lurking in your backyards or front yards when living in Louisiana. Most of these are snakes, possums, and rats. Due to the marshes, swamps, forests, and bayou, you will see them more often than needed.
High Crime Rates
The state has a high crime rate with an increasing number of cases of drug abuse and violent crimes. Some cities like New Orleans and Clarence have some of the highest crime rates in the state.
Limited Job Opportunities
The employment opportunities in Louisiana are limited. The state has been struggling to provide job opportunities and stability to its residents, which became that much harder during the pandemic.
The state of Louisiana is subjected to subtropical weather conditions. This means you have the typically hot and humid summers with mild winters that this region is used to.
The state experiences 217 days of sunshine a year, along with summers that last from March to August. The humid summers have an average summer temperature of 92°F with July being the hottest month of the year.
If you are expecting snowy winters in Louisiana, you might be disappointed. With mild winter temperatures of 38°F, the state experiences no snowfall. January is the coldest month of the year and the winters last from November to February.
The state has an average rainfall of 60 inches and is prone to some natural disasters as well. Tropical cyclones, wildfires, tornadoes, drought, and extreme heat are some of the natural disasters that are common occurrences in Louisiana. Getting insurance and having a safety kit in your car and at home is a must.
When it comes to the housing market, the prices in Louisiana are lower than the national average. It is one of the few states with relatively lower housing prices, and also has a wide range of homes that you can buy in the state. There are apartments, old country homes, condos, family houses, luxury bungalows, and many other kinds of homes on offer! Abbeville, Oakdale, Patterson, Sulphur, Franklin, Tallulah, and Scott are some of the affordable places in Louisiana to buy a house.
Here’s a table that will give you an idea of what median prices of homes in Louisiana are like when compared to the national average.
| Louisiana | United States | |
| Median Home Value | $203,222 | $320,662 |
See Also: Louisiana DMV change of address
Renting a house in Louisiana is equally affordable as buying a house is. Even with house appreciation in the past few years, the rental market in the city has stayed affordable.
The following is a table taken from Bestplaces.net that will help you know what the rental market in Louisiana is compared to the national average.
| Apartment Size | Louisiana Average Monthly Rent | US Average Monthly Rent |
| Studio apartment | $675 | $950 |
| 1-Bedroom Home | $757 | $1,050 |
| 2-Bedroom Home | $914 | $1,278 |
| 3-Bedroom Home | $1,178 | $1,680 |
| 4-Bedroom Home | $1,356 | $1,950 |
Taxes in Louisiana are slightly lower than the national average, which makes it good news if you were worried about your annual expenditures. Of the three, the sales tax is fairly high at 4.45%. This rate keeps changing depending on the municipalities, and the tax rates can go higher in some of them. In some cities, the sales tax is as high as 11.45%.
Thankfully, the property tax and income tax make up for it. The property tax in Louisiana is 0.53%, lower than the national average of 1.07%. The income tax rate depends on your income bracket, and the tax range is anywhere between 1.8% and 4.25%.
Your monthly expenses in Louisiana are lower than the national average. This makes living in the state affordable and helps in reducing your overall cost of living. Let us have a look at the breakdown of your monthly and yearly average expenses when living in Louisiana.
In Louisiana, your average monthly utility bill is lower than the national average at $367. This includes your electricity, gas, water, sewer, cable, and internet bill for the month.
Your food and groceries are another everyday expense that amount to a large chunk of your cost of living. On average, an individual living in Louisiana spends about $3,120 yearly on food and groceries. This rate is lower than the national average expense of $3,245.
The healthcare expenses in Louisiana are higher than the national average. A single adult spends $4,710 a year on health care services in the state. These rates are high, placing Louisiana as the 17th most expensive state in terms of healthcare services according to 247wallst.
Also Read: Average Living Expenses of Single Person
Crime rates are naturally a big part of your moving decision, and unfortunately, Louisiana is not the safest state to live in the country. The rising crime rates in the state are higher than the national average, and both property and crime rates are high in the state.
The property crime rate in Louisiana is 28.77 per 1,000 people. This rate is higher than the national average of 19. This leaves you with a 1 in 35 chance of being a victim of property crimes in the state.
The violent crime rate here is 6.38 per 1,000 people, higher than the national average of 4.0 per 1,000 people. This means that you have a 1 in 157 chance of being a victim of violent crime in Louisiana.
The crime rate in the state is sure high, but there are plenty of cities that have a safer environment for you to reside in, even with a family. Some of these safe cities in Louisiana are Turkey Creek, Shongaloo, Baskin, Epps, Sibley, Jenna, and Ringgold.
Louisiana’s economy is not the strongest in the country. According to US News, it ranks 47th for its economy out of the 50 states, which is a fairly low rank. The GDP of Louisiana in 2020 was $235,437.4 million. This rate has been consistently growing in the past decade which shows that the economy has been growing at a consistent rate. However, it still leaves a lot to be desired.
Some of the contributing industries to the economy of Louisiana are energy, bioscience, agribusiness, entertainment, automotive, advanced manufacturing, healthcare, aerospace, seafood, minerals, and ores. These are also the same industries that provide job opportunities to budding and skilled professionals in the state.
The job opportunities in the state have not been the greatest, and limited job opportunities have been an ongoing issue. Having said that, in the past few years, the job opportunities in Louisiana have been increasing consistently. This has reduced the unemployment rate to a good extent. The unemployment rate in Louisiana was 4.8% in December 2021, considerably lower than the 7.2% of December 2011. The average salary of professionals working in Louisiana is $82,000 according to Ziprecruters.
The state has some multinational companies that have been actively trying to increase job opportunities for young professionals. Some of these companies that are major recruiters in Louisiana are CenturyLink, Acadia HealthcareMomentum, Odyssea Marine, Walmart, the State of Louisiana, Piccadilly Restaurants, Tulane University, Entergy, Future Pipe Industries, Turner Industries, Kronos Louisiana, and Amedisys Home Health and Hospice Care.
Also Read: Job Relocation Guide
Louisiana does not have a good reputation for education. According to US News, the state ranks 48th among the states with the best schools in the USA. Here, both higher education and pre-K education rank on the lower end of the scale. Even then, there are a few school districts, colleges, and universities that offer quality education at fairly affordable rates.
Let’s have a look at some of the best school districts in Louisiana according to Greatschools along with some top-rated colleges and universities.
When it comes to transportation and traffic in Louisiana, the state is a bit disappointing. New Orleans is the only city within the state that is a hub of transportation. Branching out from New Orleans is very convenient, and is pretty much the only option to get around the neighboring cities in Louisiana.
Taxis are a popular mode of transportation in Louisiana. You have the local taxis as well as the ridesharing Uber and Lyft services that you can avail of to get around. They are easy to hail on the streets and also have affordable rates as well.
Trains are a great option when traveling within Louisiana. Amtrak’s Crescent, Sunset Limited, and City of New Orleans lines run all across the state. They help make intrastate travel a little easier and also run on a daily or weekly basis. The only drawback to these trains is that they are slow and a bit inconsistent at times.
You will also find Greyhound buses that make traveling to and within Louisiana favorable. They have a few stops across a few cities and they run regularly at affordable rates.
Having your own car is an added benefit as you get to go anywhere around the state without having to wait around for buses, trains, or taxis to come your way. It’s a convenient way of traveling around the state that works well for locals, given the current state of the transit system.
Baton Rouge is the capital city of Louisiana and also the second-largest city in the state. The economy of this city is ever-growing with the healthcare, medical, logistics, and technology industries being the back pillars of employment opportunities and contributors of economic advancements. It is the go-to city for jobs and to even start businesses. All of this has encouraged young graduates and skilled professionals to move to the city.
Population: 224,149
Median Home Value: $215,300
Monthly Median Rent: $1,117
Annual Median Household Income: $44,570
New Orleans is the largest and most populous city in Louisiana. It is a tourist hub of the state and also contributes largely to its economy as a whole. It is a city with opportunities, artistic flair, a welcoming community, public parks, and much more. A large number of students fly from around the country to get quality education in some of the top-rated schools, colleges, and universities in New Orleans.
Population: 390,845
Median Home Value: $271,070
Monthly Median Rent: $1,225
Annual Median Household Income: $41,604
For a laidback and quiet place to retire in Louisiana, Natchitoches is the ideal destination to be at. It is a small town also known to be the oldest settlement in the state. You will see that the town has preserved its history in its architectural presence. The job market in this town is pretty stagnant, but there are several outdoor activities that you can engage in. The slow-paced life is something that attracts retired couples to call Natchitoches home.
Population: 17,898
Median Home Value: $225,100
Monthly Median Rent: $1,216
Annual Median Household Income: $21,715
Lafayette is a dynamic city in Louisiana known for its diverse and welcoming community. It is one of the most desirable cities in Louisiana among families and also has a very affordable cost of living. The vibrant cultures in this city are celebrated by the locals through music, food, and arts all year long. You will also see an abundance of job opportunities along with good schools, parks, playgrounds, and an affordable housing market. It is an ideal city for people who want to raise a family.
Population: 126,666
Median Home Value: $198,795
Monthly Median Rent: $1,020
Annual Median Household Income: $51,264
Summing Up
Louisiana is a state in the US that brings to you a vibrant lifestyle, low cost of living, affordable houses, and excellent food choices along with the typical subtropical weather. These are definitely some of the best attributes of Louisiana that you will love when you move here.
Having said that, the state also has high crime rates, a poor healthcare system, a lack of quality education, and a bunch of unfriendly animals lurking in your backyard. If you weigh your options and look for things that most matter to you, Louisiana might just be the ideal place to call home. Overall, it has a good mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, architecture, which makes for a lively place to live in.
Before you move to Louisiana, there are a few things you need to know about the 25th most populous state in the country. The state has a lower than the average cost of living, an affordable real estate market, high crime rates, and a developing economy. It is a dynamic state to call home. However, the job market is fairly stagnant as is the transportation system.
When living in Louisiana, you have a few bumps in the road that you need to deal with. Some of the major ones are high crime rates, limited job opportunities, poor healthcare, shoddy education, and limited transportation services.
Louisiana is one of the most affordable states to live in the country. Moving to Louisiana comes with its set of benefits, some of which are excellent universities located in New Orleans, affordable houses, and also low tax rates compared to the national average.
Louisiana experiences a subtropical climate which means it has mild winters and hot and humid summers. The summers in the state last from March to August and July is the hottest month of the year.
Also Read: Moving to New England – A Relocation Guide for 2022
Alex Sherr is the founder of My Long Distance Movers, a blog that provides moving information and resources for people who are relocating. He has more than two decades of experience in the moving and relocation industry, and he is passionate about helping people relocate smoothly and efficiently. When he's not writing or blogging, Alex enjoys spending time with his wife and two young children.
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