Advantages & Disadvantages of Moving to Louisiana
You think about moving to Louisiana but want to get additional information about overall quality of life, housing, living costs, entertainment, nightlife, safety, medical infrastructure, public transport and much more?
Great! This article is exactly for you since I will show you the pros and cons of living in Louisiana in the following chapters.
Living in Louisiana – Overview
Climate | People in Louisiana can enjoy hot and sunny summers and rather mild winters. |
Housing | Apart from the big cities of Louisiana, housing shortage is not a big problem yet and property prices and rents are pretty low in many regions. |
Living Costs | Living costs in Louisiana are below national average and you therefore don’t have to make a fortune to afford a decent lifestyle in this region. |
Income | Median household income in Louisiana is significantly below national average and you may therefore make far less money from your job compared to people living in California or other regions where income levels are higher. |
Crime | Louisiana is not the safest state in the US and crime rates are way above national average. |
Education | While you will find some solid schools and colleges in the urban regions of Louisiana, people living in rural areas often have a hard time finding really good education for their kids. |
Job Market | Unemployment rate in Louisiana is higher compared to the rest of the US and many people have a pretty hard time finding decent jobs in this region. |
Culture | While you will find lots of cultural diversity in New Orleans and other big cities, cultural diversity may be rather low in the small towns and rural regions where people are often still pretty traditional and conservative. |
Leisure Activities | People in Louisiana can go fishing, hiking, hunting and do many other things in nature while you will also find many things to do in the big cities of Louisiana. |
Landscape | There are many lakes, rivers and forests in the Louisiana region and you can therefore spend lots of time outdoors. |
Infrastructure | Medical infrastructure and public transport are not really great outside the big cities of Louisiana. |
Level of Tolerance | Louisiana is a pretty tolerant state where you will be welcome no matter where you come from and can have a great time with people from all over the US and even the world. |
Nightlife | Nightlife in Louisiana is not great outside the big cities since there will just be a pretty limited number of great bars and clubs in this region. |
Total Population | 4.67 million inhabitants. |

Advantages of Living in Louisiana
- Louisiana has a coastline
- Many nature reserves and national parks in Louisiana
- People in Louisiana can spend lots of time outdoors
- You can get lots of fresh air in Louisiana
- You can exercise while having fun at the same time
- Pretty high air quality in many parts of Louisiana
- Many recreational spaces in Louisiana
- You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in Louisiana
- Mild winters are attractive to many people in Louisiana
- Rather low living costs in Louisiana
- Housing shortage is not a big problem in Louisiana
- Rents are still affordable for many people in Louisiana
- Property prices are still rather low in most parts of Louisiana
- People don’t have to spend as much money on housing as in many other states
- Many people in Louisiana can still live the American dream
- Overall financial pressure for people living in Louisiana is often rather low
- You can find decent education in the major cities of Louisiana
- High level of cultural diversity in the big cities of Louisiana
- You will find many nice bars and clubs in the major cities of Louisiana
- You can try many delicious foods in the urban parts of Louisiana
- Many nice free things to do in Louisiana
- Louisiana may be an interesting place to retire
- Traffic is not a big problem in most parts of Louisiana
- Easy to find a parking lot in Louisiana
- Louisiana is a pretty tolerant state
- You can meet many interesting people in Louisiana
- Many people in Louisiana are pretty helpful
- Easy to socialize in the urban parts of Louisiana
- You may be able to make many friends for a lifetime
- Louisiana is a rather relaxed state
- Money may not be as important as in many other states
- Louisiana is a rather pet-friendly state
- You have more than enough space for yourself in public
- You can make many nice day trips from Louisiana
- Louisiana may be an interesting place for a self-sufficient life
- Louisiana may be an interesting state for property investors
- Decent internet connection in most parts of Louisiana
- Louisiana may become increasingly popular in the future
- Louisiana may still be underrated
Louisiana has a coastline
One advantage of living in Louisiana is that you can enjoy nice beaches and if you live in the southern parts of Louisiana, you can go surfing and relax at the beach on a regular basis while people living in Arkansas and other places that are not located at the coast just don’t have this luxury.
Many nature reserves and national parks in Louisiana
You will also find many nature reserves and other natural environments in the Louisiana region and can therefore go fishing, rock climbing, hunting and do many nice things which may also help you relax and reload your batteries for the challenging times that may still lie ahead of you.
People in Louisiana can spend lots of time outdoors
Since you can do many things in nature, you will also have the incentive of spending lots of time outdoors and this may get you into a pretty good mood compared to people who live in regions where they can’t enjoy as many nice natural habitats and may rather spend their time indoors.
You can get lots of fresh air in Louisiana
Thanks to the many nature activities you can do in Louisiana, you may also get lots of fresh air and this can be great for your brain and your body since the more oxygen you get, the better your system will work in the long run.
You can exercise while having fun at the same time
Another upside to living in Louisiana is that due to all the nice things you can do outdoors, you can also exercise in a natural manner while having fun at the same time while people in many other regions who don’t have this luxury may just have to go to the gym to stay fit and in shape in the long run.
Pretty high air quality in many parts of Louisiana
If you live outside the big cities of Louisiana, you may also find many places with pretty good air quality and while you might not think this is crucial, you may still be able to lower your risk of suffering from serious health conditions compared to people living in more polluted regions.
Many recreational spaces in Louisiana
You will also find many parks and other green spaces in the Louisiana region and will therefore have more than enough locations where you can relax during lunch break or after work to reload your batteries so you might be able to perform at work in the best possible manner for quite a long time.
You can enjoy hot and sunny summers in Louisiana
Another benefit of living in Louisiana is that you can also experience warm and sunny summers in many parts of Louisiana and this may help you get tanned and you can also get into a pretty good mood at the same time.
Mild winters are attractive to many people in Louisiana
Not only summers are great in Louisiana but also winters are pretty mild and if you don’t like cold weather, you may be far better off moving to Louisiana compared to people living in Chicago or other places where it is usually much colder during winter months.
Rather low living costs in Louisiana
You should also know that living costs are pretty low in many regions of Louisiana and you may therefore be able to afford much more for the same budget compared to people moving to NYC or other more expensive regions.
Housing shortage is not a big problem in Louisiana
Since competition in the Louisiana housing market is rather low compared to many other states out there, housing shortage is also not a big problem yet in most regions and you will find more than enough housing options, no matter whether you are single or looking for a home for a big family.
Rents are still affordable for many people in Louisiana
You should also keep in mind that rents are still pretty low in many parts of Louisiana and people therefore don’t have to spend as much money on housing as people moving to Seattle or other much more expensive regions.
Property prices are still rather low in most parts of Louisiana
Not only rents are pretty affordable but Louisiana may also be an interesting place to move to in case you want to buy your own home sooner or later since home prices are still pretty low compared to many other regions and many people are able to buy decent homes without financially overcommitting themselves.
People don’t have to spend as much money on housing as in many other states
In general, housing in Louisiana is cheaper than in many other states and this means that you don’t have to spend a high fraction of your income on housing and may have more money to spend on other important and nice things of life.
Many people in Louisiana can still live the American dream
Another advantage of moving to Louisiana is that thanks to rather low living and housing costs, many people are still able to live the American dream including owning a nice home, a solid car and so on while people in more expensive regions often struggle to live this kind of lifestyle unless they make really good money.
Overall financial pressure for people living in Louisiana is often rather low
Since many things in Louisiana are still pretty affordable, also overall financial pressure for many people in Louisiana is rather low and you may therefore not have to make really good money to stay out of financial problems and may also not have to work as many extra hours to be able to provide for your family as in many other states.
You can find decent education in the major cities of Louisiana
Another upside to moving to Louisiana is that you will also find solid schools and colleges in the urban parts of the state and can make sure that you and your kids get decent education so you can improve your chances in the job market and may have a bright future.
High level of cultural diversity in the big cities of Louisiana
If you move to New Orleans or other big cities, you will also find high levels of cultural diversity and will also be able to experience customs and traditions from all over the world so you can make many nice experiences and can really expand your knowledge and grow in character in the long run.
You will find many nice bars and clubs in the major cities of Louisiana
As long as you move to the big cities of Louisiana, you will also find decent nightlife and can spend your evenings in nice bars and clubs and may even be able to party until the early morning if you are still young and want to really explore yourself.
You can try many delicious foods in the urban parts of Louisiana
Thanks to the many different cultural influences in the urban parts of Louisiana, you may also be able to try many delicious foods and not only might this improve your overall quality of life but it may also give you some inspiration regarding what you want to cook at home so you may be able to improve your overall culinary knowledge in the long run.
Many nice free things to do in Louisiana
Another benefit of moving to Louisiana is that you will also be able to do many free things in this region and even though you might not make great money from what you are doing, you may still be able to have a great time in Louisiana since there are just many things to do in nature that cost close to nothing.
Louisiana may be an interesting place to retire
You should also know that Louisiana may be a good place to retire since you can do many free things, living and housing costs are pretty low and even though you may not receive a great pension, it may still be enough to live a decent lifestyle in Louisiana so you may be able to spend the last chapter of your life with dignity.
Traffic is not a big problem in most parts of Louisiana
Since Louisiana is not the most crowded state, traffic jams are also not a big problem yet and you will therefore be able to get around by car in a pretty efficient manner while people living in Los Angeles or other more congested regions may lose lots of time in traffic on a regular basis.
Easy to find a parking lot in Louisiana
Since streets are not congested in most parts of Louisiana, you will also have a rather easy time finding a parking lot and don’t have to spend as much time and money as in many other big metropolitan regions out there.
Louisiana is a pretty tolerant state
You should also keep in mind that Louisiana is a rather tolerant state and you will therefore be welcome no matter where you come from and can also spend your time with many interesting people from many different regions.
You can meet many interesting people in Louisiana
Since you will find high levels of cultural diversity in the urban parts of Louisiana, you will also be able to meet many interesting people and by talking to those people, you can get information on various different ways of life and can just have a great time while you can expand your knowledge and become a more mature person in the long run.
Many people in Louisiana are pretty helpful
You should also not forget that you can meet many helpful people in Louisiana and in case you need support in various parts of life, you can be pretty sure to find someone who will assist you and you will often also be able to really count on your friends to support you during difficult periods of your life.
Easy to socialize in the urban parts of Louisiana
Since you will be able to meet many open and curious people in the big cities of Louisiana, you will also be able to get in touch with many different people in a rather playful manner and don’t have to worry about getting socially isolated since you will meet many like-minded people pretty quickly.
You may be able to make many friends for a lifetime
Since you can meet so many interesting people in Louisiana and can also really count on many of them, you may also be able to make many friends for a lifetime who will be therefore for you during the darkest times of your life when you urgently need emotional support to carry on.
Louisiana is a rather relaxed state
Since living and housing costs in Louisiana are rather low, people often also don’t have to worry about financial problems as much as in many other states and this also often means that people are much more relaxed since they have more time enjoying the nice things in life.
Money may not be as important as in many other states
In general, while money is still important, it may not play as an important role as in many other states and people in Louisiana may also be less career-focused and may take more time to get into conversations with you which can make your life just much more interesting in the long run.
Louisiana is a rather pet-friendly state
Moving to Louisiana may also make quite a lot of sense for you in case you love pets since you will meet many other pet owners and will therefore be able to build a strong social circle of people who have similar preferences and interests and may just become a valued member of society rather quickly since you can meet many like-minded people by just walking down the streets with your dog.
You have more than enough space for yourself in public
Since Louisiana is not the most crowded state, you may also have enough space to spend in public on your own during times you just don’t want to talk to people and need time to think about serious problems that need to get solved without getting distracted by annoying people or loud noises.
You can make many nice day trips from Louisiana
Since there are so many nice things to do in nature, people in Louisiana can also make many nice day trips and can therefore explore the areas surrounding the big cities so they can relax while still having a great time and also learn a lot about nature.
Louisiana may be an interesting place for a self-sufficient life
Also in case you want to live a self-sufficient lifestyle sooner or later, Louisiana may be an interesting place for you since you can buy a piece of land at a rather low price and can grow your own crops and veggies while raising farm animals and may no longer have to rely on conventional stores in the long run.
Louisiana may be an interesting state for property investors
Since laws in Louisiana are rather landlord-friendly and you can also find many properties with pretty decent rental yields, moving to Louisiana may also be an interesting idea in case you want to build a property portfolio with decent positive cash flows rather quickly.
Decent internet connection in most parts of Louisiana
Thanks to decent internet connection many people in Louisiana have, you can also stay connected to the world and to your loved ones from other parts of the country since you can make video calls or use social media to share your experiences.
Louisiana may become increasingly popular in the future
While Louisiana is not the most popular state right now, it may become increasingly popular in the future since many people living in more popular and expensive regions consider moving to Louisiana in the future to save lots of money on housing and this may make this region much more interesting in the long run.
Louisiana may still be underrated
Due to rather low living and housing costs and the many nice things you can do in Louisiana, Louisiana may still be underrated and by moving to Louisiana right now, you may be able to get much more for the same budget than in many other popular regions.
Now that you know the reasons for moving to Louisiana, we also have to talk about the drawbacks of living in Louisiana so you will get a more realistic picture of reality and can better decide whether you still want to move to Louisiana or rather want to move to Arizona or other interesting regions instead.

Disadvantages of Living in Louisiana
- Unemployment is a big problem in Louisiana
- Overall income level in Louisiana is pretty low
- Hard to find a decent job in many regions of Louisiana
- Low-qualified people often have a pretty hard time in the job market
- Not many big cities in Louisiana
- Moving to Louisiana may not make sense if you don’t like nature
- Louisiana is a pretty hot place
- You may miss real seasons in Louisiana
- Louisiana has to deal with pretty high crime rates
- Many social problems in Louisiana
- Nightlife is not great in many rural regions of Louisiana
- Hard to find really good education outside the big cities of Louisiana
- Public transport is rather poor in many rural regions of Louisiana
- Louisiana may not be the greatest place for cyclists
- You may miss cultural diversity in the rural regions of Louisiana
- Distances can be pretty long in Louisiana
- You may have to spend lots of time bringing your kids to school
- Commuting to work and back may take you quite a while
- Medical infrastructure is not great in many rural regions of Louisiana
- You may not find as many great sports teams as in other states
- Limited number of fancy shopping opportunities in Louisiana
- Entertainment options may be rather limited in the rural parts of Louisiana
- You may get bored with the Louisiana lifestyle sooner or later
- Hard to build a strong business network in many regions of Louisiana
- Many people in Louisiana live a rather unhealthy lifestyle
- Louisiana may not be the greatest place for students
- Your loved ones may worry about your well-being quite a lot
- You may get hit by floods or other natural disasters
- Homeowners insurance can be pretty expensive in Louisiana
- Climate change may make weather conditions even more extreme in the future
- Hard to meet many international tourists in Louisiana
Unemployment is a big problem in Louisiana
One problem with living in Louisiana is that unemployment rate is pretty high in many regions and you may therefore have a hard time finding and keeping a decent job in this region and it may therefore be hard to plan your future in a proper manner.
Overall income level in Louisiana is pretty low
You should also know that overall income level in Louisiana is rather low and unless you have really good education and also many skills needed in the job market right now, you may just not be able to make as much money as people moving to San José or other regions with far higher income levels.
Hard to find a decent job in many regions of Louisiana
If you want to move to the rural parts of Louisiana, you may also have a pretty hard time finding decent jobs in those regions since there are often just not many big corporations to work for and you may therefore have to search for quite a long time to find a job from which you can make a solid living.
Low-qualified people often have a pretty hard time in the job market
While highly-qualified people often find a decent job within a reasonable period of time, low-qualified people often have a pretty hard time finding decent jobs since the job market in Louisiana is pretty fierce for people who don’t have solid education and you may therefore have to work under pretty poor conditions.
Not many big cities in Louisiana
Another downside to living in Louisiana is that you will also not find many big cities. In fact, apart from New Orleans and a few other urban regions, you will just not be able to enjoy big city life and may miss the special feeling you might get when you are surrounded by skyscrapers in bigger metropolitan areas.
Moving to Louisiana may not make sense if you don’t like nature
You should also ask yourself whether you like nature before moving to Louisiana since in case you don’t, you might just not get happy with your life in this region and may want to move to more urban regions instead.
Louisiana is a pretty hot place
While many people like hot summers and mild winters in Louisiana, others just can’t stand the heat and if you belong to the second group of people, you may be better off moving to Alaska or other cooler regions.
You may miss real seasons in Louisiana
Since it is pretty warm in Louisiana all year long, you may also miss real seasons sooner or later since while many people in Minneapolis or other cooler regions can enjoy the snow in winter, you may just get fed up with warm weather all year long sooner or later.
Louisiana has to deal with pretty high crime rates
Another disadvantage of living in Louisiana is that it is also not the safest state and you may live in a region with pretty high crime rates and may just not feel safe when walking down the streets during nighttime or even during the day which may greatly lower your overall quality of life.
Many social problems in Louisiana
You should also not forget that the gap between the rich and the poor is about to increase substantially and this may lead to all sorts of social problems, increasing crime rates and the deterioration of social cohesion in the long run.
Nightlife is not great in many rural regions of Louisiana
While nightlife can be pretty interesting in the big cities of Louisiana, you may still not find as many great bars and clubs in the rural parts of this region and in case you are a party person, you may just not get happy with village life in most parts of Louisiana.
Hard to find really good education outside the big cities of Louisiana
Another problem with moving to Louisiana is that unless you move to the big cities, you may also have a hard time finding good education for you and your kids and if you want to get the best education possible, you may be better off moving to Boston or other regions that have a history of world-class schools and colleges.
Public transport is rather poor in many rural regions of Louisiana
You should also keep in mind that public transport is not great in many rural areas of Louisiana and you may therefore urgently need a car to get around in an efficient manner which may mean trouble for people who are just no longer able to drive due to various possible reasons and may just not be as mobile as they might wish.
Louisiana may not be the greatest place for cyclists
You should also know that Louisiana is also not the greatest place for cyclists since it is a pretty hot place and getting around by bicycle for longer distances may therefore just not be practical unless you are in really good physical condition.
You may miss cultural diversity in the rural regions of Louisiana
While you will find lots of cultural diversity in the big cities of Louisiana, you may have a hard time in this regard in the rural parts of Louisiana since many people in those regions are still pretty conservative and may not appreciate alternative ways of life as much as in the big cities.
Distances can be pretty long in Louisiana
Outside the big cities of Louisiana, distances can also be pretty long and you may have to drive for quite a long time until you find what you are looking for since public infrastructure is just not great in those rural regions.
You may have to spend lots of time bringing your kids to school
Another downside to moving to Louisiana is that it might also take you quite a long time to bring your kids to and pick them up from school and in some remote regions, homeschooling may even be a better option compared to sending your kids to school from a practical standpoint.
Commuting to work and back may take you quite a while
If you are not able to work from home, you may also have to spend lots of time commuting to work and back and this may make your life pretty inefficient and you may therefore not have as much time to spend on other nicer things as people in regions where distances are often far shorter.
Medical infrastructure is not great in many rural regions of Louisiana
You may also not be able to enjoy great medical infrastructure outside the big cities of Louisiana and in case you suffer from a serious health condition that needs urgent medical treatment, you may not get medical support in time and may even lose your life if you are unlucky due to that.
You may not find as many great sports teams as in other states
While there are some solid sports teams in the big cities of Louisiana, you should still not expect to find many great teams in the rural parts of Louisiana and if you are a sports fan and want to watch many games live in person, you may be better off moving to the urban parts of Louisiana or moving to Dallas or other big metropolitan regions where sports may play an even bigger role.
Limited number of fancy shopping opportunities in Louisiana
Another disadvantage of moving to Louisiana is that you will also find a pretty limited number of fancy shopping opportunities, especially outside the big cities where you will rarely find fancy boutiques or shopping malls and in case fashion is your life and you want to follow fashion trends on a regular basis, you may be better off moving to Las Vegas or other places where fashion may play a much bigger role.
Entertainment options may be rather limited in the rural parts of Louisiana
You should also be aware of the fact that overall entertainment options in many rural parts of Louisiana may be rather limited and in case you are the type of person who needs adrenaline all day long, you may just not find what you are looking for in Louisiana in the long run.
You may get bored with the Louisiana lifestyle sooner or later
Since Louisiana may not be the most exciting state, you may also get bored with your life in Louisiana sooner or later and may rather want to move to bigger urban regions instead where you might find more action and entertainment.
Hard to build a strong business network in many regions of Louisiana
Since unemployment rates are rather high and many highly-qualified people consider leaving Louisiana, you may also have a pretty hard time building a strong business network and it may therefore also take you longer to climb the corporate ladder.
Many people in Louisiana live a rather unhealthy lifestyle
While there are exceptions to this rule, many people in Louisiana still live a pretty unhealthy lifestyle and since you will adapt many characteristics of people in the region you live in, you may live unhealthier as well and your body may not thank you for that in the long run.
Louisiana may not be the greatest place for students
Since it is hard to find really good education in Louisiana and nightlife may just not be great in many regions, you may also not get happy with your student life in Louisiana and may rather want to study in Los Angeles or other more vibrant places.
Your loved ones may worry about your well-being quite a lot
Since Louisiana is not the safest state, your family and friends may also worry about your well-being quite a lot and may also not understand your decision of moving to Louisiana so you may have to justify quite a lot in this regard.
You may get hit by floods or other natural disasters
You should also not forget that floods, storms or other natural disasters may hit you in Louisiana sooner or later and in case this happens, you may lose your home or even your life in one of those tragic events.
Homeowners insurance can be pretty expensive in Louisiana
Since natural disasters may become more common in the future, you should also expect homeowners insurance to increase as well and it may become really expensive in the long run so you may no longer be able to afford homeowners insurance and may suffer huge financial losses in case a natural disaster hits.
Climate change may make weather conditions even more extreme in the future
Due to climate change, natural disasters, water scarcity and other unpleasant issues may become more common in the future and may greatly lower your overall quality of life in Louisiana.
Hard to meet many international tourists in Louisiana
You should also know that Louisiana is not the most popular state among international tourists and you may therefore have a hard time meeting many people from all over the world compared to people living in more popular places on a global scale.

Top 10 Moving To Louisiana Pros & Cons – Summary List
Living in Louisiana Pros | Living in Louisiana Cons |
---|---|
Living costs in Louisiana are pretty low | Rather poor public transport in many parts of Louisiana |
Housing shortage is not a big deal in most regions of Louisiana | Medical infrastructure may not be great outside the big cities |
Louisiana is located at the coast | Nightlife is not great in many parts of Louisiana |
Warm winters and mild winters are attractive to many people | Louisiana is a pretty hot place |
Rents and property prices are pretty affordable in Louisiana | You may miss real seasons in Louisiana |
Many people in Louisiana are open and tolerant | Louisiana is not the safest state |
High levels of cultural diversity in the big cities of Louisiana | Limited number of entertainment options outside the big cities |
You can meet many interesting people in Louisiana | You may get bored in Louisiana in the long run |
You may be able to live a self-sufficient lifestyle in Louisiana | Hard to meet many international tourists in Louisiana |
Louisiana may be an underrated state to live | Louisiana may not be the greatest state for young people |
Is Louisiana A Good Place To Live?
While moving to Louisiana can make quite a lot of sense since you can enjoy beautiful nature and can meet many interesting people while living and housing costs are still affordable in many regions, you should also know that Louisiana is just not the safest state and you may also get bored with your life in the rural parts of Louisiana in the long run.
In the end, it is on you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of moving to Louisiana carefully so you can make the best possible decision in this regard according to your individual circumstances.
Most Popular Cities To Live In Louisiana – Comparison
Living Costs | Property Prices | Income Level | Infrastructure | |
New Orleans | moderate | high | moderate | good |
Baton Rouge | moderate | moderate | moderate | decent |
Shreveport | moderate | low | poor | poor |
Metairie | low | low | poor | poor |
Lafayette | low | low | poor | poor |
Alternative States To Live
If you no longer want to move to Louisiana, you may also want to have a look at the following articles:
Advantages and disadvantages of living in Illinois
Advantages and disadvantages of living in Kansas
Advantages and disadvantages of living in Kentucky
Sources
https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/LA

About the author
This site is about living, moving and traveling to various parts of our fascinating planet.
My name is Andreas and when I was younger, I traveled the world and learned a lot about different cultures and countries.
Thus, I want to share my experiences with you so that you can benefit from them and avoid common mistakes in this regard.
In my articles, you will find everything you need to find the best location for a happy and successful life.