Best parishes to live in Louisiana
What makes a particular parish the best? Oftentimes, it's a good mix of opportunities for fun outdoor activities and cultural attractions. Throw in some historical sites, good schools, job opportunities, and affordable housing, and the county will most likely have happy residents.
Stacker compiled a list of the best parishes to live in Louisiana using rankings from Niche. Niche ranks parishes by a variety of factors including: public schools, educational attainment, cost of living, and housing.
Many parishes on the list are experiencing growth due to their job opportunities, education, or home values. Others are adored for their historic or well-designed value, or devotion to cultural opportunities. Keep reading to see if your parish made the list.
#25. LaSalle Parish
- Population: 14,936
- Median home value: $93,000 (77% own)
- Median rent: $656 (23% rent)
- Median household income: $42,104
- Top public schools: LaSalle Junior High School (A), Goodpine Middle School (B+), Jena Junior High School (B+)
- Top private schools: Temple Christian Academy (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Jena (B+), Midway (D+), Urania (A)
#24. Sabine Parish
- Population: 23,991
- Median home value: $94,300 (68% own)
- Median rent: $583 (32% rent)
- Median household income: $40,336
- Top public schools: Many High School (A), Negreet High School (A), Zwolle High School (B+)
- Top private schools: Belmont Union Christian Academy (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Many (B), Converse (B), Fisher (B)
#23. Terrebonne Parish
- Population: 112,054
- Median home value: $152,500 (72% own)
- Median rent: $853 (28% rent)
- Median household income: $48,747
- Top public schools: Dularge Elementary School (A), Mulberry Elementary School (A), Montegut Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: Vandebilt Catholic High School (B+), Houma Christian School (B), Covenant Christian Academy (B)
- Top places to live: Bayou Cane (B), Gray (B), Schriever (B)
#22. Livingston Parish
- Population: 138,928
- Median home value: $167,100 (82% own)
- Median rent: $934 (18% rent)
- Median household income: $63,389
- Top public schools: Eastside Elementary School (A), Denham Springs Elementary School (A), Live Oak High School (A)
- Top private schools: Southland Christian Academy (C+)
- Top places to live: Albany (B+), Walker (B+), Denham Springs (B+)
#21. Jefferson Parish
- Population: 434,850
- Median home value: $188,200 (61% own)
- Median rent: $972 (39% rent)
- Median household income: $54,032
- Top public schools: Haynes Academy School for Advanced Studies (A+), Patrick F. Taylor Science & Technology Academy (A+), Belle Chasse Academy (A)
- Top private schools: Metairie Park Country Day School (A+), St. Martin's Episcopal School (A), Ridgewood Preparatory School (A)
- Top places to live: Elmwood (A), Metairie (A), River Ridge (A)
#20. Jefferson Davis Parish
- Population: 31,441
- Median home value: $114,000 (73% own)
- Median rent: $635 (27% rent)
- Median household income: $42,105
- Top public schools: Elton Elementary School (B+), Lake Arthur Elementary School (B+), Welsh High School (B+)
- Top private schools: Bethel Christian School (B)
- Top places to live: Lake Arthur (B), Jennings (B), Welsh (B)
#19. St. Martin Parish
- Population: 53,732
- Median home value: $124,900 (79% own)
- Median rent: $658 (21% rent)
- Median household income: $48,656
- Top public schools: Parks Primary School (B+), Stephensville Elementary School (B), Parks Middle School (B)
- Top private schools: Episcopal School of Acadiana (A+), St. Bernard School (unavailable), Louisiana Christian School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Cade (B), Breaux Bridge (B), Henderson (B)
#18. Iberia Parish
- Population: 71,887
- Median home value: $115,600 (68% own)
- Median rent: $768 (32% rent)
- Median household income: $46,861
- Top public schools: Delcambre Elementary School (A), Coteau Elementary School (A), Dodson Street Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Catholic High School (B+), Highland Baptist Christian School (B+), St. Edward School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: New Iberia (B), Jeanerette (C+), Loreauville (B)
#17. St. James Parish
- Population: 21,308
- Median home value: $158,500 (79% own)
- Median rent: $644 (21% rent)
- Median household income: $51,603
- Top public schools: Sixth Ward Elementary School (B+), Vacherie Elementary School (B+), Gramercy Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: St. Peter Chanel Interparochial School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: South Vacherie (B+), North Vacherie (B+), Paulina (B+)

#16. Ouachita Parish
- Population: 155,494
- Median home value: $146,700 (58% own)
- Median rent: $768 (42% rent)
- Median household income: $41,121
- Top public schools: Claiborne School (A), Sterlington Elementary School (A), West Ridge Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: River Oaks School (A), St. Frederick High School (A), Ouachita Christian School (B+)
- Top places to live: Claiborne (B+), Swartz (B), West Monroe (B)
#15. Lafourche Parish
- Population: 98,108
- Median home value: $158,000 (76% own)
- Median rent: $793 (24% rent)
- Median household income: $55,506
- Top public schools: Bayou Community Academy Charter School (A), St. Charles Elementary School (A), Sixth Ward Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: E.D. White Catholic High School (A), St. Joseph Elementary School (unavailable), St. Genevieve School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Golden Meadow (B+), Bayou Country Club (B+), Galliano (B)
#14. Allen Parish
- Population: 25,618
- Median home value: $97,500 (75% own)
- Median rent: $601 (25% rent)
- Median household income: $46,446
- Top public schools: Kinder Middle School (A), Kinder Elementary School (A), Oberlin Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools: Indian Bible Academy (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Oakdale (B), Oberlin (B), Kinder (B)
#13. Rapides Parish
- Population: 130,970
- Median home value: $143,100 (62% own)
- Median rent: $821 (38% rent)
- Median household income: $47,269
- Top public schools: Phoenix Magnet Elementary School (A), Phoenix Magnet Elementary School (A), Caroline Dormon Junior High School (A)
- Top private schools: Holy Savior Menard Central High School (A), Grace Christian School (B+), University Academy of Central Lousiana (B+)
- Top places to live: Pineville (B+), Woodworth (B), Ball (B)
#12. Beauregard Parish
- Population: 37,043
- Median home value: $127,500 (77% own)
- Median rent: $741 (23% rent)
- Median household income: $53,209
- Top public schools: Pine Wood Elementary School (B+), South Beauregard Elementary School (B), South Beauregard Upper Elementary School (B)
- Top private schools:
- Top places to live: DeRidder (B+), Merryville (B), Oretta (C+)
#11. West Baton Rouge Parish
- Population: 26,101
- Median home value: $200,000 (73% own)
- Median rent: $884 (27% rent)
- Median household income: $65,385
- Top public schools: Brusly High School (B+), Lukeville Upper Elementary School (B), Brusly Middle School (B)
- Top private schools: Holy Family School (unavailable), Faith Academy of Christian Education (unavailable), Sharon Baptist Academy (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Brusly (A), Addis (A), Port Allen (B+)
#10. Vermilion Parish
- Population: 59,865
- Median home value: $122,200 (77% own)
- Median rent: $685 (23% rent)
- Median household income: $51,945
- Top public schools: Erath Middle School (A), North Vermilion High School (A), Seventh Ward Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Vermilion Catholic High School (B+), Harvest Time Christian Academy (B), Mount Carmel Elementary School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Erath (B+), Delcambre (B+), Abbeville (B+)
#9. Lincoln Parish
- Population: 47,246
- Median home value: $154,500 (51% own)
- Median rent: $729 (49% rent)
- Median household income: $35,467
- Top public schools: A.E. Phillips Laboratory School (A+), Hillcrest Elementary School (A), Ruston High School (A)
- Top private schools: Cedar Creek School (A), Bethel Christian School (B), New Living Word School (B)
- Top places to live: Ruston (B), Grambling (B), Choudrant (A)
#8. Bossier Parish
- Population: 126,499
- Median home value: $172,400 (63% own)
- Median rent: $992 (37% rent)
- Median household income: $54,268
- Top public schools: Stockwell Place Elementary School (A), W.T. Lewis Elementary School (A), Kingston Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: Providence Classical Academy (B+)
- Top places to live: Benton (B+), Bossier City (B+), Haughton (B)
#7. West Feliciana Parish
- Population: 15,428
- Median home value: $229,500 (73% own)
- Median rent: $785 (27% rent)
- Median household income: $59,637
- Top public schools: West Feliciana Middle School (A), West Feliciana High School (B+), Bains Elementary School (B+)
- Top private schools:
- Top places to live: St. Francisville (B)

#6. Calcasieu Parish
- Population: 201,619
- Median home value: $156,800 (67% own)
- Median rent: $832 (33% rent)
- Median household income: $51,148
- Top public schools: Prien Lake Elementary School (A), T.S. Cooley Elementary Magnet School (A), Vincent Settlement Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: St. Louis Catholic High School (A), Hamilton Christian School (B+), Our Lady Queen of Heaven School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Prien (A), Westlake (A), DeQuincy (B+)
#5. East Baton Rouge Parish
- Population: 443,763
- Median home value: $194,000 (60% own)
- Median rent: $933 (40% rent)
- Median household income: $54,948
- Top public schools: Baton Rouge Magnet High School (A+), Northwestern Middle School (A), University Laboratory School (A)
- Top private schools: Episcopal School of Baton Rouge (A+), The Dunham School (A+), St. Joseph's Academy (A)
- Top places to live: Shenandoah (A), Village St. George (A), Westminster (A)
#4. St. Charles Parish
- Population: 52,773
- Median home value: $201,700 (81% own)
- Median rent: $978 (19% rent)
- Median household income: $69,019
- Top public schools: J.B. Martin Middle School (A), Albert Cammon Middle School (A), R.J. Vial Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: St. Charles Borromeo School (unavailable)
- Top places to live: Destrehan (A), Luling (A), St. Rose (A)
#3. St. Tammany Parish
- Population: 255,155
- Median home value: $218,500 (78% own)
- Median rent: $1,086 (22% rent)
- Median household income: $68,905
- Top public schools: Mandeville High School (A), E.E. Lyon Elementary School (A), Woodlake Elementary School (A)
- Top private schools: St. Paul's School (A+), Christ Episcopal School (A), Archbishop Hannan High School (A)
- Top places to live: Mandeville (A), Covington (A), Abita Springs (B+)
#2. Ascension Parish
- Population: 123,114
- Median home value: $207,400 (82% own)
- Median rent: $982 (18% rent)
- Median household income: $80,527
- Top public schools: Dutchtown Middle School (A), Dutchtown High School (A), Prairieville Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: Ascension Christian Schools (A), Ascension Catholic Diocesan Regional School (B+), Faith Academy (A)
- Top places to live: Prairieville (A), Sorrento (A), Gonzales (B+)

#1. Lafayette Parish
- Population: 241,973
- Median home value: $185,300 (65% own)
- Median rent: $874 (35% rent)
- Median household income: $56,999
- Top public schools: Early College Academy (A), Acadiana Renaissance Charter Academy (A), L.J. Alleman Middle School (A)
- Top private schools: Ascension Episcopal School (A), St. Thomas More Catholic High School (A), John Paul the Great Academy (A)
- Top places to live: Youngsville (A), Lafayette (A), Broussard (A)