Best Place to live in North Louisiana? (Shreveport, Bossier City: low income, for sale)

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by TN-rox

Yes, but we live in a small town of about 10,000 just north of Memphis. Its getting more and more crowded and along with all these people (Most from the ghettos in Memphis) come more and more crime. Trying to escape this...
We are now thinking of relocating to either North LA, southern AR or MS. Is there anything in north LA thats better than south AR or MS- does anyone have any experience with both N LA and S AR or MS and could compare? Thank yall for your your time and help!

Personally the only area of southern Arkansas I really like is Texarkana, though El Dorado isn't bad. Mississippi... well I've never had a reason to spend any time there. I've driven through it and flown over it, but know absolutely nothing about it.

Bossier Parish (Bossier City, Benton, Haughton) is where Shreveport residents flee to in order to get away from crime and blight. There hasn't been any major increases in crime in either of those places, despite steady growth in all those areas for at least a decade. Bossier has steadily been gaining population for the past 100 years and it's actually a safer, more respectable place than it was 50 years ago... back then it had a very rough reputation.

[irish1livininla]

look at north of shreveport/bossier. Blanchard & Benton are great places out of the metro . Highly advised. Lots of jobs in city but you don't want to live in it.

[SBCmetroguy]

Originally Posted by irish1livininla

look at north of shreveport/bossier. Blanchard & Benton are great places out of the metro . Highly advised. Lots of jobs in city but you don't want to live in it.

Benton and Blanchard aren't out of the metro, they're part of it. They're outside the city limits of Bossier and Shreveport but very much part of the metropolitan area.

[LOUISIANA'SLEGEND]

I think Arkansas is the most lamest state in the south, but maybe you are going for that, Eldorado is cool, Monticello is also nice. Arkansas is so bland, ugh!!! (LSU WHAT HAPPENED, U LET THEM WIN UGH!!!!) I seriously would not direct u towards Missippi if u hate ghettos, they're everywhere in Mississippi. You will be fine in Louisiana in north Louisiana, we are the more conservative bunch of the state. Sterlington, Farmerville, even Columbia and Haughton. Those are your towns, just do some strong research and you will be fine

[Sam I Am]

My, my, my, Louisiana's Legend...how wide is that brush you're painting Arkansas and Mississippi with? Having lived in both states and in your fair state...its all in what you're looking for. All three states are lovely in their own distinct ways - all have some areas that are more beautiful than others. Mississippi is not a giant ghetto and El Dorado is a world away from northwest Arkansas. Nice but completely different.

To the OP - if you can be more specific in what it is you are looking for with regard to housing, entertainment, jobs, etc., I'm quite sure the folks of LA will be happy to help you narrow your choices.

[laorbust61]

Originally Posted by LOUISIANA'SLEGEND

I love Natchitoches, its a very easy city I promise and the people and environment is fantastic.

That's why I'm moving back....so sick of the big cities and their problems...the municipal government representatives in these places make tear jerking speeches and try to get handfuls of the taxpayers' money to throw at the problems, but rarely is any real progress made. I'd like to raise my daughters in a place where there are still gentlemen who are not ashamed or afraid to be gentlemen, people believe in God and family, and when you meet them, they look you in the eye and give you a sincere smile. And I believe Natchitoches will fit the bill for us.

[luvarkansas]

Originally Posted by TN-rox

Yes, but we live in a small town of about 10,000 just north of Memphis. Its getting more and more crowded and along with all these people (Most from the ghettos in Memphis) come more and more crime. Trying to escape this...
We are now thinking of relocating to either North LA, southern AR or MS. Is there anything in north LA thats better than south AR or MS- does anyone have any experience with both N LA and S AR or MS and could compare? Thank yall for your your time and help!

In general, N. La. is better than S. Arkansas, which is generally very poor and run-down. Don't know about MS. There are some really pretty places in N. LA with rolling hills, ranches, lakes.

I say Ruston, Sterlington (which I would say is just a "bedroom community" for Monroe, but it does have its own schools...and it's very flat land), Minden (although friends who live there recently had an "incident" in school with a boy threatening their son with a knife), Farmerville (Lake Darbonne is there, very pretty lake...for Louisiana).

Monroe is now about 70% not white. If that matters to you. West Monroe is nicer, still close to anything you need to go to Monroe for (mall (pretty nice), Home Depot, Lowe's). Most people who want less crime and better schools in the area live in W. Monroe or small towns a little west of there on I-20.

[luvarkansas]

And someone mentioned Natchitoches, but that wouldn't be north of I-20....I would call it Central LA.


Have you considered NW Arkansas? Great place, and much more scenic that anything in LA or MS. I've heard that the major cities (Fayetteville, Rogers, Bentonville....not sure about their population, but you can check on here....I would call them large towns or small cities) are growing, and there are PLENTY of smaller towns to live in on the outskirts of these towns....and beautiful scenery, mountains, rivers, and lakes to boot.

[Bayoukid]

I would agree that North Louisiana is, in a lot of ways, better than South Arkansas. Well, actually, it all looks about the same, especially in the rural areas. We are the "foothills" of the Ouachita's". But, as far as North - North West Arkansas (Ozarks), Louisiana has nothing on that. That is, if you are into the outdoors since we are the "Sportsman's Paridise". But then again, I am a "river rat" and I love what the Ozarks offer via streams and rivers as far as canoeing and kayacking.


Back on topic, North Louisiana has something for everyone. From big cities to small towns, we have our share. I would say that out of all the towns/cities mentioned, Minden would be the best "small town" environment with big city values. Shopping, places to eat all day and half the night, well above average schools with a great athletics program, nice neighborhoods, low crime and it doesn't take long to get to S'port/Bossier or Ruston. I was raised in Minden, lived there for about 25 years all together. The high school is in the middle of a major expansion. And in my experience, Minden is a much cleaner and advanced "small town" than any other in North LA.

I prefer more of a small home town environment than the rat race of the bigger cities like S'port or Monroe. I like a place where everybody you pass on the road waves instead of throwing the finger.

[luvarkansas]

Originally Posted by Bayoukid

I would agree that North Louisiana is, in a lot of ways, better than South Arkansas. Well, actually, it all looks about the same, especially in the rural areas. We are the "foothills" of the Ouachita's". But, as far as North - North West Arkansas (Ozarks), Louisiana has nothing on that. That is, if you are into the outdoors since we are the "Sportsman's Paridise". But then again, I am a "river rat" and I love what the Ozarks offer via streams and rivers as far as canoeing and kayacking.


Back on topic, North Louisiana has something for everyone. From big cities to small towns, we have our share. I would say that out of all the towns/cities mentioned, Minden would be the best "small town" environment with big city values. Shopping, places to eat all day and half the night, well above average schools with a great athletics program, nice neighborhoods, low crime and it doesn't take long to get to S'port/Bossier or Ruston. I was raised in Minden, lived there for about 25 years all together. The high school is in the middle of a major expansion. And in my experience, Minden is a much cleaner and advanced "small town" than any other in North LA.

I prefer more of a small home town environment than the rat race of the bigger cities like S'port or Monroe. I like a place where everybody you pass on the road waves instead of throwing the finger.

I agree, I think Minden is a nice town. I have friends who live there...their house is just 5 minutes or so from town, but seems miles away from any town. The land around Minden is rolling hills and farms, just beautiful. It has a nice downtown and lots of neat old houses. Nice Christmas lights. Super Wal-Mart (that's important!).

The only reservation I have about Minden is that story I already told about my friends' son being threatened in school by a guy with a knife a few months ago. He wanted my friends' son to give him some kind of little computer he had and "Joe" wouldn't do it. They ended up in a fight and the guy was arrested. This is the first time anything like that has happened to "Joe", but they are understandably upset, especially since the other boy's case was handled by juvenile court and they can't find out anything about the case or when or if he's coming back to school. I'm not sure how often these kinds of things happen, but not often, I think.