Moving to Lafayette, please HELP! :) (Baton Rouge, Shreveport: to rent, condo, crime rates)

[mlkallison]

My husband has gotten a job that will move our family from Lincoln, Nebraska to Lafayette, Louisiana.

Can anyone tell me a good neighborhood to look into? We know we want to rent a house (we have two big dogs that need a backyard) and we have no idea where to go!

Also, can anyone give me an insiders' view of the city? What's the crime like? Is it going to be a safe place for my 9 month old?

Thanks, any info can help!!!!

[BRMan]

Originally Posted by mlkallison

My husband has gotten a job that will move our family from Lincoln, Nebraska to Lafayette, Louisiana.

Can anyone tell me a good neighborhood to look into? We know we want to rent a house (we have two big dogs that need a backyard) and we have no idea where to go!

Also, can anyone give me an insiders' view of the city? What's the crime like? Is it going to be a safe place for my 9 month old?

Thanks, any info can help!!!!

Lafayette is unique in that the settlement patterns are away from the Interstate. In fact, the interstate passes just north of Lafayette proper.

As to good neighborhoods, you want to look in the SW part of town - in the area around Ambassador Cafferty, Johnston st. (going out of town) and Kaliste Saloom. The northeast part of town (near I-10 and I-49) is the slummy area.

[Rmaf623]

Much of Lafayette is relatively new compared to other Louisiana cities. In 1960 it had a population of around 40,000 (significantly smaller than both Monroe and Lake Charles and nearly equal to Alexandria). It has nearly tripled since then with a population of about 110,000 at the 2000 census. It is even greater now because of Katrina. Still, Lafayette has a few drawbacks. The huge population increase has made traffic a major problem. Crime is for the most part low, although it is a problem in some parts of the city, such as the north side. Anything south or southwest of downtown would likely be a good place to live.

[rhodesbri]

Originally Posted by mlkallison

My husband has gotten a job that will move our family from Lincoln, Nebraska to Lafayette, Louisiana.

Can anyone tell me a good neighborhood to look into? We know we want to rent a house (we have two big dogs that need a backyard) and we have no idea where to go!

Also, can anyone give me an insiders' view of the city? What's the crime like? Is it going to be a safe place for my 9 month old?

Thanks, any info can help!!!!

Hello, My husband and i just moved to Lafayette from Dallas in January. It took some getting used to moving from a "big" city and all, but I have come to really appreciate the culture, arts, and festivities that Lafayette and Louisiana have to offer. More shopping would be nice,though ;-)
All of the red lights are a little annoying- I am used to jumping on a major highway or interstate from any point in the city. But the traffic really isn't anything to complain about (but I'm from Dallas and find the "traffic" here is a godsend)- I complain more about the rude and impatient drivers more than anything. Traffic typically only lasts about an hour to an hour and a half and is over by 6.
Do try and find a place in south Lafayette. It's much nicer. Lafayette isn't very big so you can typically make it from one end of the city to the other in about 20 minutes.

[Parrish213]

Welcome to Lafayette.

Our number one issue is traffic. We have it and we hate it. Everyone travels to the same places at the same time. Its just the way of life.

With housing, most people are moving to the Broussard/Youngsville area. Though the homes are nice, too many people live in that area which makes the traffic that much worse.

I would look towards the Scott area. You're close to the interstate and back roads make it easy to get to the Mall area. You'll also get a little bit better deal on a home.

The schools for that area are good. Heck, I am a graduate of one.

It is no surprise that Louisiana ranks bad in education. Its just a fact. I feel, as with any child's education, if a parent takes an active part in their child's education, a child can learn anything.

We have a lot of festivals in the area and are a very progressive city in thinking. Just have fun and don't get lost on our streets!

[LouisianaBoy]

First and foremost, let me welcome you to our great city!

Lafayette is, as i said, an amazing city. We have many things to offer here. As a previous member posted, Lafayette is a progressive thinking city. We are very much involved in the advancement of our area and our people.

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is an enourmous establishment where you can earn degrees ranging from an Associate to a Ph.D. We also have South Louisiana Community College offering Associate Degrees and Louisiana Technical College also offering Associate Degrees. There are also numerous other education institutions all over the city. I'll sum it up by saying our city is very education oriented.

Population wise, Lafayette is always growing. We are currently the 4th largest city in Louisiana behind Shreveport (which is losing population and plaged by crime, though it is getting better) and also the fastest growing area in Louisiana.

Crime is not a real concern for most of the city. The North side extending on to Carencro however gets pretty bad at times and I would not recommend anyone live there. The South side of the city is mostly new and residential. Crime is not a concern on the south end.

Youngsville/Broussard are definitely your best bets for finding a home in a great neighborhood. The prices in Youngsville are definitely higher than that of Broussard but it is a nicer area. You can get better prices in places like Scott however it is a little slummy in areas and traffic is a real concern on that end of the city.

Traffic is basicaly going to be a concern anywhere in our city during "peak" times, 6-9, 11-2, and 4-6 however it is not "dead locked" and you are still able to get around during those times.

The road condition for the most part is excellent because our city is progressive and is making progress on that front. However some roads like Verot School Road (connects Youngsville and Milton to Lafayette and Broussard) is traffic ridden and is not in the best shape, especially when it rains. Ambassador Caffery is in great condition however traffic can be a concern at times given the fact that there are tons of businesses located on it. Johnston Street is beautiful in regards to it's physical condition however traffic can be utterly terrible at rush hour times.

We are also a growing "tech" community. The city is spending millions investing in Technology! Interesting tidbit, Louisiana ranks number 1 in the nation for Internet connection speeds...more than likely thanks to Lafayette.
In a few years every citizen and business will have access to a high speed fiber optic network offering Television, Telephone, and Internet on one cable and as one service! This is being provided by Lafayette Utilities System (LUS) which is run by the City. LUS offeres electric, water, and sewage services currently...and they are amazing!

You can find almost anything that you are interested in..in Lafayette. We have the Mall of Acadiana (definitely not the Mall of Louisiana in Baton Rouge, but still a mall), 2 Grand Theatre's (awesome movie viewing experience), a huge nightlife and growing music scene (loads of local bands), and thousands of places to work.

All in all I love Lafayette and I am sure that you will too!

If you ever have any questions about the city or anything else really, please feel free to email me at any time. Marc.Spears@gmail.com

[SBCmetroguy]

"Population wise, Lafayette is always growing. We are currently the 4th largest city in Louisiana behind Shreveport (which is losing population and plaged by crime, though it is getting better) and also the fastest growing area in Louisiana."

Thanks for the negative remark. Shreveport isn't any more plagued with crime than any other southern city with 200,000+ people. As a matter of fact, of the three largest cities in Louisiana, Shreveport's overall and per-capita crime rates are the lowest.

And according to the latest Census estimates, for the past 6 years Bossier City has been the fastest-growing city in the state.

Also LSU Baton Rouge is to thank for the internet connection speeds, not Lafayette.

Nothing at all against Lafayette... it's really a nice place... but please don't give erroneous information to outsiders.

[mdmagana]

I've gotten some great information about Lake Charles on this forum and could use some additional info on Lafayette. I am trying to decide between the two. Right now home prices have me thinking Lake Charles - but I do plan to attend school in Lafayette.

Can anyone give me the name of a good realtor? I would also appriciate it if someone could give the names of some new and affordable condo / townhome developments?

[Diggit]

Originally Posted by SBCmetroguy

"Population wise, Lafayette is always growing. We are currently the 4th largest city in Louisiana behind Shreveport (which is losing population and plaged by crime, though it is getting better) and also the fastest growing area in Louisiana."

Thanks for the negative remark. Shreveport isn't any more plagued with crime than any other southern city with 200,000+ people. As a matter of fact, of the three largest cities in Louisiana, Shreveport's overall and per-capita crime rates are the lowest.

And according to the latest Census estimates, for the past 6 years Bossier City has been the fastest-growing city in the state.

Also LSU Baton Rouge is to thank for the internet connection speeds, not Lafayette.

Nothing at all against Lafayette... it's really a nice place... but please don't give erroneous information to outsiders.

Uh, yeah.. lsubr singlehandedly set LA up with high speed internet.

[larice]

SBCmetroguy....you have to admit that there has been a "white flight" from Shreveport to BC, a lot due to the crime issues. BUT, before you freak out, Shreveport is safe, as is Lafayette. I think both are nice places to live. I have lived in one and my in-laws have lived in the other for 39 years.