small town to move to? (Baton Rouge, Shreveport: apartment, rent, crime rate)

[baby_firefly]

hey
i'm looking for a small town in louisiana that hasnt seen to many people relocating
thats non metropolitan and more laidback thats open to an outsider thats not looking to change anything
i would need an apartment or any housing that has rent for no more than $500 a month
that would be hiring in bars/diners
is in driving distance to a city/bigger town
that has stuff to do for children my daughter will be 2 when we move and for me i'll be 23 soon and i'm a single mom
maybe has a public pool,lake for swimmingalso looking for a place thats big on church
and has good daycare and babysitting
and thats safe for children and doesnt get hit to hard by hurricanes if thats possible

thanks in advance for any help

[pandora1971]

I grew up in the small town of Columbia that's located in North Louisiana. It's located about 30 miles south of Monroe on Hwy 165. It's a great place to live and is everything you are looking for. The schools are really good. No public pool but lots of lakes to swim in. They have several daycares. They are 4 laning the highway right now so there's lots of road construction but you don't see many people relocating there. There are several churches to choose from esp. the Methodist church downtown which is very welcoming and laidback. Rent isn't too high and you're only 30 miles from Monroe which is a fairly large city.

[la24]

The Felicianas are the two parishes that are north of East Baton Rouge parish, which is the parish baton rouge is in. The Felicianas, unlike the rest of the area, are not growing at all and still maintain the small town feel and country atmosphere. The town I would suggest is St. Francisville, which has decent public schooling and is in West Feliciana, but the houses are more expensive and it is known as being more "wealthy". Another small town is Clinton, in East Feliciana, directly north of BR, the public schools are not good, but there is a private school and the tuition isn't outrageous, in Clinton you will be able to find an affordable home. Public pools are not common, so don't expect it, but the people are amazingly nice and church is a huge thing.

Hurricanes only do slight wind damage, maybe a couple of down trees and power outages, nothing to lose sleep over. The drive to Baton Rouge is about 40 minutes, and BR has everything you need. Zachary is about 20 minutes away and has the nearest Wal-mart, Office Depot, Home Depot, and places like that, it is the closest major suburb of the Capitol city.

[Phil75230]

Because you said you were from New York City, I'll assume you want at least the bare basics of amenities I presume you are accustomed to.

If you are looking to avoid hurricanes, I'd say the small towns around Shreveport are your best bet. Lots of bars there thanks to the numerous casinos in the area. If you don't mind commuting, you might even want to try a few towns in the extremest eastern part of Texas (S'port is only 20 miles form the state line). TX schools are somewhat better than La ones, plus there's no state income tax there).

If you are worried about access to moderately progressive political views, the Shreveport's Highland Area (near Centenary College, between I-49 and Youree Drive) is likely your best bet. You'll have to do a bit of research to find some progressive groups, but they are there - just not obviously present at first glance. On the other hand, downtown Shreveport is only 3 hours east of Dallas, so you'd still be reasonably close enough to there to make at least monthly trips to expose your kids to a wider world (which, to be perfectly honest, you'd likely need to do if you are gonna live in the area)

If you prefer South La, then the small towns surrounding Lafayette and Baton Rouge are your best bets. Both cities are far enough inland so that they don't ge the storm surges - only strong winds at worst. Beyond that, I'll say it's a trade-off between BR and Lafayette.

On one hand, Baton Rouge does have LSU and generally more culture than LFY, being a state capital and college town. On the other hand, LFY's growing faster and has a somewhat more laid back culture - plus you're only 3 hours from Houston if you really start to crave the big city.

All in all, Louisiana itself is a trade-off, between escape from hurricanes and access to cultural amenities.

[Rmaf623]

Marksville is a city in Central Louisiana, about 30 miles SE of Alexandria. It's located far enough inland to minimize most of the destruction caused by hurricanes. There is plenty to do in this small town. The population is about 5,500 and is growing slowly but steadily. Paragon Casino contains plenty of restaurants, an arcade for kids, a large indoor playground, and a hall for concerts. A movie theater is under construction. The town itself is laid back and rich in history. It is notable for its Creole French and Native American cultures and is predominately Catholic. The weak point of this town is probably the schools. Any amenities not present in Marksville can probably be found in Alexandria, only about half an hour away.

[L C Lopez]

I am considering moving to Louisiana. My boys want to work with a relative in Denham Springs. I want a little piece of land for my animals in the country, but not too far from town. What is Marksville like and what area other areas of Louisiana would you recommend?

[WendyW.]

The Southwest corner of Louisiana is great for that sort of thing. You can live far enough inland that you won't be flooded by hurricanes.

[marmac]

Swartz LA would be my reponse to the OP.

[marmac]

Rmaf623-----------Marksville has a crime rate 2 1/2 times higher than the US average.

[Neuling]

Originally Posted by marmac

Swartz LA would be my reponse to the OP.

I wonder if she is already or still in Louisiana, almost two years later...