Some of you might be asking yourself, at this very moment, is Louisiana a good place?
The answer is unequivocally yes… if you know where to locate the best counties to live in Louisiana.
Lucky for you, we’re here to help you identify the best counties to live in the Pelican State based on the most recently available data from the Census. And this isn’t our first rodeo — we’ve been using Saturday Night Science to rank places for years.
The question becomes if you wanted to relocate to the best part of Louisiana, where would you go? To answer that, we looked at crime, cost of living, and demographic data for all 64 counties in the state.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Table | FAQs | Summary
The 10 Best Counties To Live In Louisiana For 2025
- Cameron Parish
- Plaquemines Parish
- Ascension Parish
- St. Tammany Parish
- St. Charles Parish
- West Feliciana Parish
- West Baton Rouge Parish
- St. James Parish
- Livingston Parish
- East Feliciana Parish
Cameron Parish is the county to be when it comes to living the good life in Louisiana. And you should avoid Concordia Parish if you can — at least according to the data.
Now you know exactly where to move in Louisiana. Keep on reading for more about the top ten and a detailed methodology.
Or, check out the best places to live in Louisiana and the cheapest places to live in Louisiana.
Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table
The Best Counties To Live In Louisiana For 2025
1. Cameron Parish
Biggest Place: Hackberry
Population: 5,222
Median Income: $72,500 (9th best)
Median Home Price: $183,300 (22nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 0.9% (best)
More on Cameron Parish:
2. Plaquemines Parish
Biggest Place: Belle Chasse
Population: 23,070
Median Income: $82,874 (3rd best)
Median Home Price: $275,800 (2nd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5% (7th best)
More on Plaquemines Parish:
3. Ascension Parish
Biggest Place: Prairieville
Population: 128,593
Median Income: $92,266 (best)
Median Home Price: $265,300 (4th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.5% (8th best)
More on Ascension Parish:
4. St. Tammany Parish
Biggest Place: Slidell
Population: 269,331
Median Income: $79,277 (5th best)
Median Home Price: $272,200 (3rd best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.8% (12th best)
More on St. Tammany Parish:
5. St. Charles Parish
Biggest Place: Luling
Population: 51,863
Median Income: $82,172 (4th best)
Median Home Price: $256,800 (6th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.3% (38th best)
More on St. Charles Parish:
6. West Feliciana Parish
Biggest Place: St. Francisville
Population: 15,381
Median Income: $74,277 (7th best)
Median Home Price: $263,200 (5th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.0% (3best)
More on West Feliciana Parish:
7. West Baton Rouge Parish
Biggest Place: Addis
Population: 27,666
Median Income: $87,320 (2nd best)
Median Home Price: $225,900 (10th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.6% (42nd best)
More on West Baton Rouge Parish:
8. St. James Parish
Biggest Place: Lutcher
Population: 19,797
Median Income: $64,536 (18th best)
Median Home Price: $197,800 (16th best)
Unemployment Rate: 5.4% (2best)
More on St. James Parish:
9. Livingston Parish
Biggest Place: Denham Springs
Population: 145,583
Median Income: $78,617 (6th best)
Median Home Price: $218,900 (11th best)
Unemployment Rate: 4.1% (4th best)
More on Livingston Parish:
10. East Feliciana Parish
Biggest Place: Jackson
Population: 19,378
Median Income: $72,899 (8th best)
Median Home Price: $213,700 (13th best)
Unemployment Rate: 6.0% (32nd best)
More on East Feliciana Parish:
Methodology: How do you determine which Louisiana county is the best?
To give you the best county in Louisiana, we have to look at a handful of metrics that signal the quality of a place. To do that, we made assumptions about what’s in a “best county” and what isn’t. For reference, we are trying to make the kind of argument you’d make at a bar using facts, Saturday Night Science.
With that in mind, we went to two of the best data sources on the internet. Namely, the American Community Survey data and FBI Crime data for the most recent period.
We paid particular attention to:
- Violent Crime Rates
- Property Crime Rates
- Median Home Values
- Median Income
- Unemployment Rates
- Adult Education Levels
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Poverty Rates
We then ranked each county in Louisiana across each of the criteria from one to 64, with one being the best.
Taking the average rank across all criteria, we created a quality of life score with the county posting the lowest overall score being the “Best County To Live In Louisiana.”
The result is some of the safest, quietest, and best counties to raise a family in the Pelican State.
We updated this article for 2025. This report is our tenth time ranking the best counties to live in Louisiana.
Read on to see why Cameron Parish is the best county, while Concordia Parish is probably in contention for being the worst county in Louisiana.
Summary: The Best Counties In Louisiana To Call Home For 2025
Living in Louisiana can vary from one part of the state to the next — who woulda thought?
The best counties in Louisiana are Cameron Parish, Plaquemines Parish, Ascension Parish, St. Tammany Parish, St. Charles Parish, West Feliciana Parish, West Baton Rouge Parish, St. James Parish, Livingston Parish, and East Feliciana Parish.
But now you know the outstanding parts and the parts to avoid, and that’s why you came here to learn at the end of the day.
You are welcome.
Here’s a look at the worst counties in Louisiana according to the data:
- Concordia Parish
- East Carroll Parish
- Madison Parish
For more Louisiana reading, check out:
- Best Places To Retire In Louisiana
- Richest Cities In Louisiana
- Best Places To Raise A Family In Louisiana
- Best Places To Buy A House In Louisiana
Detailed List Of The Best Counties In Louisiana
| Rank | County | Population | Median Income | Median Home Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cameron Parish | 5,222 | $72,500 | $183,300 |
| 2 | Plaquemines Parish | 23,070 | $82,874 | $275,800 |
| 3 | Ascension Parish | 128,593 | $92,266 | $265,300 |
| 4 | St. Tammany Parish | 269,331 | $79,277 | $272,200 |
| 5 | St. Charles Parish | 51,863 | $82,172 | $256,800 |
| 6 | West Feliciana Parish | 15,381 | $74,277 | $263,200 |
| 7 | West Baton Rouge Parish | 27,666 | $87,320 | $225,900 |
| 8 | St. James Parish | 19,797 | $64,536 | $197,800 |
| 9 | Livingston Parish | 145,583 | $78,617 | $218,900 |
| 10 | East Feliciana Parish | 19,378 | $72,899 | $213,700 |
| 11 | Lafayette Parish | 245,075 | $67,660 | $234,200 |
| 12 | Calcasieu Parish | 208,668 | $67,849 | $208,500 |
| 13 | Terrebonne Parish | 107,362 | $64,819 | $189,100 |
| 14 | St. John The Baptist Parish | 41,342 | $67,418 | $184,000 |
| 15 | Bossier Parish | 129,134 | $66,336 | $215,100 |
| 16 | Lafourche Parish | 96,670 | $63,439 | $190,800 |
| 17 | Lincoln Parish | 48,160 | $38,035 | $195,500 |
| 18 | Jefferson Davis Parish | 32,083 | $56,500 | $145,000 |
| 19 | Tangipahoa Parish | 135,218 | $57,256 | $204,600 |
| 20 | Jefferson Parish | 432,484 | $65,246 | $243,500 |
| 21 | East Baton Rouge Parish | 452,821 | $63,075 | $241,800 |
| 22 | Lasalle Parish | 14,804 | $67,077 | $137,200 |
| 23 | St. Martin Parish | 51,559 | $53,394 | $151,000 |
| 24 | Beauregard Parish | 36,646 | $64,995 | $164,500 |
| 25 | West Carroll Parish | 9,622 | $48,514 | $97,600 |
| 26 | Vermilion Parish | 57,031 | $57,537 | $159,700 |
| 27 | Rapides Parish | 128,470 | $55,946 | $179,100 |
| 28 | Orleans Parish | 376,035 | $55,339 | $296,400 |
| 29 | Vernon Parish | 47,764 | $58,281 | $143,500 |
| 30 | De Soto Parish | 26,897 | $46,077 | $150,700 |
| 31 | Iberville Parish | 29,950 | $57,459 | $177,100 |
| 32 | Iberia Parish | 69,194 | $57,811 | $156,000 |
| 33 | Natchitoches Parish | 37,047 | $46,798 | $163,000 |
| 34 | Grant Parish | 22,123 | $61,112 | $135,900 |
| 35 | Ouachita Parish | 158,916 | $51,241 | $183,000 |
| 36 | Pointe Coupee Parish | 20,438 | $59,351 | $174,500 |
| 37 | Caddo Parish | 232,973 | $50,067 | $175,900 |
| 38 | St. Mary Parish | 48,455 | $51,768 | $128,000 |
| 39 | Assumption Parish | 20,720 | $52,546 | $141,200 |
| 40 | St. Bernard Parish | 44,172 | $57,638 | $192,100 |
| 41 | Winn Parish | 13,506 | $46,368 | $102,600 |
| 42 | Webster Parish | 36,189 | $37,396 | $105,600 |
| 43 | St. Landry Parish | 82,128 | $45,637 | $142,900 |
| 44 | Sabine Parish | 22,085 | $52,047 | $129,400 |
| 45 | Acadia Parish | 57,218 | $45,266 | $146,900 |
| 46 | Union Parish | 20,914 | $45,743 | $115,400 |
| 47 | Caldwell Parish | 9,563 | $44,957 | $106,000 |
| 48 | Jackson Parish | 14,939 | $43,345 | $107,400 |
| 49 | Claiborne Parish | 14,019 | $31,784 | $82,400 |
| 50 | Red River Parish | 7,529 | $44,539 | $103,200 |
| 51 | Washington Parish | 45,238 | $42,776 | $139,400 |
| 52 | Richland Parish | 19,908 | $52,960 | $124,500 |
| 53 | Morehouse Parish | 24,967 | $36,981 | $108,700 |
| 54 | Franklin Parish | 19,590 | $44,103 | $117,200 |
| 55 | Allen Parish | 22,552 | $51,138 | $110,800 |
| 56 | Avoyelles Parish | 39,176 | $39,439 | $120,200 |
| 57 | Catahoula Parish | 8,738 | $47,753 | $88,000 |
| 58 | Bienville Parish | 12,769 | $34,992 | $93,600 |
| 59 | Evangeline Parish | 32,162 | $42,273 | $118,500 |
| 60 | Tensas Parish | 3,992 | $36,074 | $80,300 |
| 61 | St. Helena Parish | 10,849 | $50,193 | $106,400 |
| 62 | Madison Parish | 9,757 | $37,267 | $90,600 |
| 63 | East Carroll Parish | 7,195 | $28,321 | $87,400 |
| 64 | Concordia Parish | 18,325 | $37,349 | $102,400 |