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Best Cities for Families in Louisiana

Strong schools, low crime, affordable homes and family-friendly commutes.

Retirees Remote Workers Families Young Professionals Affordability All Rankings →
All United States  ·  Louisiana

How We Score

Each metric is normalized 0-100 across U.S. cities, then weighted and summed. Cities missing any metric are excluded.

Schools · 25% Safety · 20% Home Affordability · 15% Low Poverty · 10% Jobs · 10% Short Commute · 10% Education · 10%

Top 12 Families Cities in Louisiana

Ranked by composite score across 7 weighted metrics.

#1
Score 85.3
Elmwood, LA
6,022 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 161/100K
Home Affordability $188,300
#2
Score 80.8
Empire, LA
1,218 residents
Schools 5.9
Safety 236/100K
Home Affordability $84,700
#3
Score 80
Bayou Gauche, LA
1,463 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 161/100K
Home Affordability $295,900
#4
Score 79
Westwego, LA
8,382 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 238/100K
Home Affordability $168,600
#5
Score 78.9
Port Sulphur, LA
1,529 residents
Schools 5.9
Safety 236/100K
Home Affordability $87,300
#6
Score 78.6
Hahnville, LA
3,826 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 236/100K
Home Affordability $226,300
#7
Score 78.4
Harahan, LA
8,939 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 129/100K
Home Affordability $309,400
#8
Score 77.8
New Sarpy, LA
1,200 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 236/100K
Home Affordability $121,700
#9
Score 77.7
Carlyss, LA
5,184 residents
Schools 4.9
Safety 63/100K
Home Affordability $152,400
#10
Score 77.6
Slidell, LA
28,664 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 270/100K
Home Affordability $207,800
#11
Score 77.6
Metairie, LA
138,995 residents
Schools 5.7
Safety 161/100K
Home Affordability $308,900
#12
Score 77.5
Rosedale, LA
1,099 residents
Schools 4.6
Safety 116/100K
Home Affordability $117,800

Full Ranking, Louisiana

Top 50 cities. Click any city to see its full profile.

1 Elmwood LA 85.3
2 Empire LA 80.8
3 Bayou Gauche LA 80
4 Westwego LA 79
5 Port Sulphur LA 78.9
6 Hahnville LA 78.6
7 Harahan LA 78.4
8 New Sarpy LA 77.8
9 Carlyss LA 77.7
10 Slidell LA 77.6
11 Metairie LA 77.6
12 Rosedale LA 77.5
13 Oberlin LA 77.3
14 Elton LA 77.3
15 Bayou Country Club LA 77.1
16 St. Rose LA 76.9
17 Erath LA 76.8
18 Luling LA 76.8
19 South Vacherie LA 76.4
20 Westlake LA 76.3
21 Benton LA 76.3
22 Norco LA 76.1
23 Ama LA 76.1
24 River Ridge LA 76.1
25 Terrytown LA 75.6
26 Thibodaux LA 75.3
27 Jena LA 75.3
28 Lacombe LA 75.3
29 Scott LA 75.2
30 Avondale LA 75.2
31 Olla LA 75.2
32 Brownsville LA 75.2
33 Charenton LA 75.1
34 Woodmere LA 74.9
35 Walker LA 74.9
36 New Llano LA 74.9
37 Sorrento LA 74.9
38 Bridge City LA 74.8
39 Ball LA 74.6
40 Waggaman LA 74.6
41 Chackbay LA 74.6
42 Richwood LA 74.4
43 Des Allemands LA 74.4
44 Haughton LA 74.4
45 Ruston LA 74.4
46 Gonzales LA 74.3
47 Golden Meadow LA 74.3
48 Prairieville LA 74.2
49 Destrehan LA 74.1
50 Timberlane LA 74.1

Elmwood, LA tops the list with a composite score of 85.3 out of 100, followed by Empire and Bayou Gauche. LA dominates the top 12 with 12 cities, reflecting strong performance across the weighted metrics for families.

Rankings combine 7 independent metrics: Schools, Safety, Home Affordability, Low Poverty, Jobs, Short Commute, Education. Cities are weighted to reflect what matters most to families, and any city missing one or more metrics is excluded to avoid artificially inflated rankings.

Explore Other Best Cities Rankings

Best Cities for Retirees
Low crime, warm climate, affordable cost of living and strong healthcare access.
Best Cities for Remote Workers
Strong broadband, affordable rent, low traffic and existing remote-work culture.
Best Cities for Young Professionals
High incomes, educated peers, transit access and an under-35 demographic.
Most Affordable Cities
The lowest cost of living across home prices, rent, services and rent burden.

Related Single-Metric Rankings

Safest Cities → Most Affordable → Most Educated →