Looking 4 that SMALL TOWN

[Soup Sandwich]

If you don't mind being right on the edge of Carencro and just basically down the street from Breaux Bridge, you should check out French Colony apartments. When I first moved there in 2010, my two bedroom was 655. They have 1beds, and I'm assuming they'll be cheaper, but you'd have to check with the office. Upon a Google search, it looks like the 1beds are 570. I'd still call though.

The place isn't bad at all. Definitely not ghetto. The grounds are well-maintained. Interiors are reasonably updated. Walls are a bit thin, and whatever you do, don't get an upstairs apartment (You'll be sweating in the summer, and the guy below you will below you will be appreciative of you being insulation for him)

There's two pools and a hot tub, grilling area, gym, on-premises laundromat. It's the cheapest I could find that wasn't trashy. (Google street view is way outdated, btw)
My rent went up only once since I've been there, and it was a market price jump, but it was only 15 dollars.

Location-wise, it's right off of 90 at East Gloria Switch, 315 Amesbury Dr. Can't miss it. I think technically it's in Carencro, but it's a Lafayette address.
If you keep traveling East on Gloria Switch, bang a right on Sawmill then a left on Hebert to Main, you'll be in Breaux Bridge.
Downtown Laffy and all the other approachable areas are 15 minutes south, or thereabouts, depending on your route and traffic.

There are pictures on Apartments.com, which are, for the most part, accurate. They're the same pics from 2010 and things have been updated since then, but the grounds really do look that nice. As for the units, I've only ever been in mine (2bed), but it has darker cabinets than the unit in the pictures and brown carpet. I heard they have been putting in laminate wood flooring lately, though. They do this as people move out of their units.

For me, the place has been great. Mostly because it's cheap and not ghetto. I researched for months and it was my only choice for the price. Splitting it with a roommate, with internet (only Cox there) and electric, (water is paid) our total shared bills usually come out to 800 a month total on average, and I only pay half. I would suggest a 2bed for the square footage (and working fireplace), but the 1bed is in your price range with wiggle room for future rent increases.

As far as the people, I've never had any issues at all. In the 3 years I've lived there, not even a stolen laundry basket. Neighbors are nice and considerate. Parking is not assigned, but there are usually plenty spaces.

Maintenance guys are nice. They come when called, however if you have AC issues in the summer, expect them to just go outside and pour water on your compressor. Try to get a downstairs unit and you shouldn't have to worry.

No bugs. Pest control is apparently very good. I had maybe 3 dying cockroaches in my unit since I've been there. I don't think I've been bitten by a single mosquito outside either.

Biggest gripe is the thin walls (you can hear people arguing or laughing loudly) and the inefficient AC in the upstairs units during the hottest parts of the summer. Other than that, it's a good place for the cheapness. I'd recommend it.

[Metairie]

The greater New Orleans area is going to be expensive. We are land locked here. The area is surrounded by the Mississippi river, a giant Lake Pontchartrain which is about 630 square miles, the gulf of Mexico, and lots of swamp. Like all cities New Orleans has its good and bad areas. In most cases the land is valued much higher than the hose that sits on it. If you are looking for cheaper rent may I suggest pushing further away from New Orleans? Try Houma, the North Shore like Covington or Slidell, Kenner, St rose, Destrehan, Avondale, Gonzales, Baton Rouge.

[CaptCameltoe]

My wife and I moved here from Naples Fl (we were there for 5-6 years and moved there from the md-wv-va area) to a very rural and remote area of Iberia Parish and what everyone tip toes around to be PC is all the small towns have been over run with low income blacks and do have crime problems. No way to sugar coat it, most of the "small towns" that used to be so quaint and nice are now mostly black and no one wants to be around them after dark. I'm not sayin it's like big city crime but there is drugs, thefts, drunks wanderin around, fights and sqaubbles between many people at once etc. Yes Morgan city has plenty of bad areas also, a lot of drugs all around this area, but I think thats sadly a problem everywhere in our nation. I think when someone says none of the small towns are "rough" that is a subjective statment. I have lived in Balt, Brookyln Ny and Detroit and can handle my own fine, but I still wouldn't have to subject myself to the added stress and BS that goes on in most of these smaller town areas. My wife and I are probably gonna sell our place and move back up closer to e Ky,S Wv,ne Tn, Appalachia etc area.
Its hotter and more humid here then S Fl by a longshot IMO too. I do like it here but the culture isn't what I call Southern or country from what we're used to. Plenty of down to earth good, decent friendly people, so don't let me paint a 100% negative image of S la at all, just myself personally wouldn't want to live in any of the towns for the above mentioned reasons. When you get 30 miles or so above I-10 you start to get into a much different culture but from what I have seen many of the small towns in that area up into the far N La have the same small town problems that they have down here. This is a new comers opinion of the place and I have lived in about 7 or so states and moved many times in my life. La has beautiful scenary, great food, good people, strong economy compared to most of the USA, but at 41 years old I don't want to stay here to put down roots forever, plenty of places that have all that and none of the bs a lot of the small towns have here. Try it, if you don't like it you can always pick up and go elsewhere, good luck to you.

[annie_himself]

What small towns have crime problems? Morgan City has crime problems? It's like 20 blocks and everyone is too busy fishing.

[CaptCameltoe]

Originally Posted by annie_himself

What small towns have crime problems? Morgan City has crime problems? It's like 20 blocks and everyone is too busy fishing.

I wouldn't call Morgan city a small town either just to be technical and yes they have a serious drug problem as most of this area does. Towns like Jeanerette, charrendon, baldwin, franklin just to name a few right off the tip of my toungue. Used to be nice quiet mild mannered towns are now a haven to the ghetto fabulous and proud types. To try and ignore the crime for whatever reason does nothin, its there for sure, just look at the arrests reports they have daily on the radio. drugs, murders, robberies, rapes its all goin on in these small towns that sound idealic on paper to a out of towner but in reality are pretty much **** holes. Just my opinion as a still new resident who will probably be a ex resident in the near future.

[annie_himself]

Originally Posted by CaptCameltoe

I wouldn't call Morgan city a small town either just to be technical and yes they have a serious drug problem as most of this area does. Towns like Jeanerette, charrendon, baldwin, franklin just to name a few right off the tip of my toungue. Used to be nice quiet mild mannered towns are now a haven to the ghetto fabulous and proud types. To try and ignore the crime for whatever reason does nothin, its there for sure, just look at the arrests reports they have daily on the radio. drugs, murders, robberies, rapes its all goin on in these small towns that sound idealic on paper to a out of towner but in reality are pretty much **** holes. Just my opinion as a still new resident who will probably be a ex resident in the near future.

Morgan City is like a neighborhood, it's an extremely small town. I know about Jeanarette, but you can quit the slight racial tone, the Creole and Cajun people have been there for centuries.
Plenty of small towns that have low crime.

[Vergofa]

Welsh, Lake Charles, Jennings, Oberlin, Oakdale, Deridder?