The Best Place To Live In Louisiana

Louisiana is one of the most fascinating states in the country. Great Guys Movers reports that it centers around a wonderfully unique cultural hodgepodge of French, Afro-Caribbean, Spanish, and Native American character. This true melting pot has resulted in the Creole and Cajun identities that dominate Louisiana demographics.

Louisiana, of course, sits in a precarious spot when it comes to Atlantic hurricane season (via NOAA). However, Dividends Diversify notes that there is never a lack of outdoor activities or cultural events to take part in while living there. The state is brimming with energy and excitement, and calling it your home can be a great way to start a fresh new life in a place with amazing food, coupled with a low overall cost of living. 

While it may be tempting to consider New Orleans the place to land when moving to the Pelican state, Baton Rouge is actually the best place to call home if you're relocating to Louisiana. The truth is, irrespective of your lifestyle choices, age, hobbies, and interests, the city is a fantastic place to take advantage of all the area has to offer.

Baton Rouge is the capital of Louisiana and it's located just 80 miles from downtown New Orleans (via Google Maps). It sits upriver from The Big Easy and a small distance back from both Lake Pontchartrain and Lake Maurepas. This means that residents are able to enjoy a less pest-filled environment than those who find themselves along the shores of these bodies of water (but using a few natural remedies around the house is still a good idea). 

Being slightly north in the state means that Baton Rouge has all of the benefits of this part of the country, but without sitting directly in the bayou areas of the southern Louisiana countryside. This also gives the locale a bit more protection from the worst of any tropical storm or hurricane that may make its way through.

The median home prices in Baton Rouge is $213,350 (per Redfin). The city also sports a cost of living that's 20% lower than competing towns in the surrounding area, shares the City of Baton Rouge. This means that you can save a significant amount of your budget for other things, such as vacation opportunities, retirement, or any other needs that factor heavily into your future plans. 

Not only is Baton Rouge the home of the state's capital, but it also plays host to Louisiana State University (LSU), one of the most well-known universities in the United States. As a result, this institution is a significant player in the cultural diversity and overall makeup of the city. In addition, it's a community staple with 31,914 students on campus in 2021 (via Louisiana State University) and a plethora of D1 college sports to cheer for. Baton Rouge is also home to Southern University and A&M College, an intellectual haven in its own right.

Whether you're a university student or not, living in a college town provides a wealth of perks that everyone can benefit from. These towns often make many educational resources available to the public, so opportunities to expand your horizons by visiting the library, museums and exhibitions, and more can be a fun and enriching part of your daily routine. Furthermore, living in this type of community brings you into close contact with individuals from all over the country, all who bring their unique perspectives to the table. 

These types of communities also help support a booming local economy; businesses can thrive while tending to college students, university staff, and visitors who come to see them.

History buffs, this one's for you: According to Visit Baton Rouge, the city was the location of a number of crucial Civil War battles, and has the unique honor of being the site of the only Revolutionary War battle fought outside of the 13 Colonies. Additionally, at LSU's campus there are two 6,000-year-old mounds built by Native Americans that are some of the oldest relics of human activity in the world -– even older than the Pyramids in Egypt, Stonehenge in the United Kingdom, and the ancient city of Rome!

The historical weight of Baton Rouge blends cultural identities to produce something of a modern marvel, from the native civilization that predated European arrival to the era dominated by the Civil Rights Movement. As a result, the city has an energy and character found nowhere else, making it a truly unique place to live.

Speaking of Civil Rights, Baton Rouge has played host to some of the movement's most significant victories of the 20th century. For example, Civil Rights Trail reports that T. J. Jemison helmed The United States' first bus boycott in Baton Rouge in 1953. This boycott lasted eight days and was underpinned by a free carpool system organized by Jemison and his fellow activists.

This served as something of a blueprint for the Montgomery bus boycott that would come later in Alabama. Also of note, A.Z. Young and Robert Hicks launched a 106-mile march that eventually ended in Baton Rouge, growing in numbers rapidly along the way. What's stunning about this particular act of protest is that their calls for protection from violence at the hands of white racists along their trail were heard by the federal government, when more than 2,000 National Guardsmen and police officers joined the marchers. 

The impacts of these and other demands for equality are felt in Baton Rouge today, where embracing diversity is a top priority, as noted by the Baton Rouge Area Chamber. Their initiatives promote inclusion throughout the area, a desirable factor in any city.

There are also quite a few unique museums and cultural centers in Baton Rouge. From the U.S.S. Kidd Veterans Museum to the LSU Museum of Art (via the Louisiana Office of Tourism), there's always something new to check out. The city also hosts a variety of art galleries, live music venues, and theaters for those with an interest in the performing arts.

Visit Baton Rouge adds that many of the interactive museums found around the city bring the history of the area to life in a tactile and fun way. For example, destinations like the Old Governor's Mansion and Capitol Park Museum breathe life into the long and storied history of the region more specifically. For bird aficionados, the Audubon State Historic Site and Oakley House offer up a fantastic historical treasure: A site that John James Audubon himself called home and a 100-acre woodland ripe for environmentalists and avian enthusiasts (per Visit Baton Rouge).