2026 ranking

Best small towns to live in Louisiana

The 25 Louisiana small towns with the best mix of affordability, safety, schools and jobs, picked from 77 real small towns of 1,000 to 15,000 people — not suburbs.

1
Oak Grove, LA Score 81/100
1,264 people · typical home $88k · household income $51k · 95 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 27% of LA · 3.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
2
Golden Meadow, LA Score 79/100
1,854 people · typical home $142k · household income $72k · 245 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of LA · 2.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
3
Delcambre, LA Score 77/100
2,552 people · typical home $128k · household income $59k · 40 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 12% of LA · 7.0% unemployment · 8 mi to a hospital
4
Erath, LA Score 74/100
1,907 people · typical home $108k · household income $48k · 173 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 14% of LA · 4.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
5
Jena, LA Score 74/100
4,160 people · typical home $140k · household income $72k · schools in the top 15% of LA · 2.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
6
Cut Off, LA Score 73/100
5,398 people · typical home $158k · household income $68k · 245 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of LA · 3.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
7
Galliano, LA Score 72/100
5,906 people · typical home $134k · household income $50k · 245 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of LA · 1.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
8
Morse, LA Score 72/100
1,099 people · typical home $83k · household income $46k · 242 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 22% of LA · 4.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
9
Oakdale, LA Score 71/100
6,546 people · typical home $99k · household income $43k · 44 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 21% of LA · 14.0% unemployment · 1 mi to a hospital
10
Urania, LA Score 71/100
1,240 people · typical home $94k · household income $58k · schools in the top 15% of LA · 6.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
11
Bayou L'Ourse, LA Score 71/100
2,132 people · typical home $88k · household income $60k · schools in the top 28% of LA · 3.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
12
Lake Arthur, LA Score 71/100
2,585 people · typical home $84k · household income $54k · 177 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 23% of LA · 5.0% unemployment · 13 mi to a hospital
13
Abbeville, LA Score 70/100
11,003 people · typical home $97k · household income $33k · 40 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 14% of LA · 6.0% unemployment · 7 mi to a hospital
14
Larose, LA Score 68/100
5,515 people · typical home $176k · household income $81k · 245 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 11% of LA · 7.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
15
Gueydan, LA Score 67/100
1,464 people · typical home $74k · household income $28k · 40 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 8% of LA · 18.0% unemployment · 15 mi to a hospital
16
Charenton, LA Score 65/100
1,440 people · typical home $122k · household income $63k · 312 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 28% of LA · 3.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
17
New Llano, LA Score 65/100
2,144 people · typical home $118k · household income $52k · schools in the top 13% of LA · 14.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
18
Oberlin, LA Score 64/100
1,809 people · typical home $96k · household income $32k · 44 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 21% of LA · 5.0% unemployment · 10 mi to a hospital
19
Church Point, LA Score 63/100
4,096 people · typical home $97k · household income $46k · 348 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 22% of LA · 9.0% unemployment · 0 mi to a hospital
20
DeRidder, LA Score 63/100
9,763 people · typical home $157k · household income $60k · 128 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 29% of LA · 10.0% unemployment · 4 mi to a hospital
21
St. Francisville, LA Score 62/100
1,805 people · typical home $275k · household income $57k · 176 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 10% of LA · 6.0% unemployment · 5 mi to a hospital
22
Jonesboro, LA Score 60/100
4,063 people · typical home $80k · household income $42k · schools in the top 41% of LA · 7.0% unemployment · 2 mi to a hospital
23
Rosepine, LA Score 59/100
1,702 people · typical home $173k · household income $61k · schools in the top 23% of LA · 1.0% unemployment · 9 mi to a hospital
24
Amelia, LA Score 58/100
1,712 people · typical home $88k · household income $55k · 312 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 34% of LA · 7.0% unemployment · 6 mi to a hospital
25
Merryville, LA Score 58/100
1,004 people · typical home $101k · household income $48k · 128 violent crimes per 100k · schools in the top 29% of LA · 11.0% unemployment · 17 mi to a hospital

How we ranked them

Every small town in Louisiana with 1,000–15,000 people that stands on its own (not part of a big metro core, by USDA rural-urban codes) and has solid Census data. Each town is scored against the others in Louisiana on: affordability (household income vs. home prices), safety (violent crime, FBI), schools (reading proficiency vs. other Louisiana districts), jobs (unemployment, half weight) and everyday access (distance to a hospital and a grocery store, quarter weight each). Missing numbers count as average.

The "best" town is different for everyone — weather, size, politics, things to do and more all matter too.

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