The territory of Louisiana was passed between different cultures and peoples over time, making it an old part of the United States. It's also in a part of the nation where the land meets the water, and the city meets the wild. With such a diverse landscape and culture, it's no surprise the boot state makes for some fun facts.
In every state, including Louisiana, there are both good and bad places to live. The factors determining whether an area is considered desirable or undesirable include crime rates, education, economic issues, and a lack of things for people to do in their area. Most people will choose to live in the best places and avoid the worst places. Following are a few pros and cons of living in Louisiana to assist you in deciding whether to move here or not.
Let us start with the following pros of living in Louisiana:
1. You can drink almost anywhere in Louisiana at almost any time.
Louisiana is a great place to enjoy a good adult beverage. Bars tend to stay open much later here (like Las Vegas) due to the legality of drinking alcohol in public spaces. However, there are a few that don't even come close. So you and your friends can go out anywhere, at any time, and know that you'll have fun. This does not mean everyone is always drunk. There are plenty of boozy streets where you can stop for a drink before continuing on your next adventure, but most people prefer to stop for a drink before moving on.
2. Many of the events in the city provide a family-friendly atmosphere.
Louisiana has a lot of festivals and celebrations that don't occur on a single night. Several of them last for several weeks at a time. A great example of this is Mardi Gras. The event might be centered around excessive drinking and debauchery, but it also has a family-friendly component. During the parade, you will see kids buckle ladders so that they can catch beads from strangers. There are football games on the streets, music can be heard all night, and even the schools sometimes close during the local celebrations.
The French Quarter is a great place to visit even during the day without worrying about your kids. There are many candy makers that you can find on Decatur Street that will love to host your family. But, of course, you also have the Riverwalk to enjoy.
Now let us move on to the cons of living in Louisiana:
1. There are limited real estate options to consider in Louisiana.
Louisiana is confined to a particular geographical location due to specific geographical boundaries. Your cost of living expenses will be significantly higher if you buy a home within city limits. Due to the state’s history of flooding, rental fees are competitive away from the city center, but insurance rates are higher in this area than in others. To protect your investment, you must purchase separate flood insurance.
2. You will discover some socioeconomic problems in the city.
There are a lot of human issues that you can find when living in Louisiana. The levels of poverty here are pretty high. You can notice almost immediately that there is a stark difference in inequality when looking at wealth and income. That means you can find yourself paying for private school costs while paying property taxes for public schooling.
These elements add to the overall cost of living that you will experience when you start living in Louisiana. That's why you find more families looking at the suburbs instead of trying to find something suitable within the city limits.
Bonus: Discover these fun facts about Louisiana:
- Since 1835 the New Orleans & Carrollton Line is the oldest street railway line still in operation.
- Saint Martin Parish is home to the world's largest freshwater river basin, the Atchafalaya Basin; the bay provides nearly every type of outdoor recreational activity imaginable.
- Breaux Bridge is known as the "Crawfish Capital of the World."
- The first American army to have African American officers was the confederate Louisiana Native Guards. The Corps d'Afrique at Port Hudson was sworn into service on September 27, 1862.
- In Louisiana, biting someone with your natural teeth is considered a simple assault, but biting someone with your false teeth is an aggravated assault.
- The Saint Charles streetcar line in New Orleans and the San Francisco, California cable cars are the nation's only mobile national monuments.
- Jennings is called the "Garden Spot of Louisiana" for its rich and productive farmland. Jennings sobriquet {nickname} became a "Northern Town on Southern Soil."
- Baton Rouge's flag is a field of crimson representing the great Indian nations that once inhabited the area.
- Money Magazine has rated Terrebonne Parish, in the heart of Cajun Country, the best place to live in Louisiana for three years in a row.
- In 1718 The French found New Orleans and marked "Cannes Brulee" on maps upriver in the area known today as the City of Kenner. French for "Burnt Canes," Cannes Brulee was a name given by explorers who observed natives burning cane to drive out wild game.
What are your thoughts about these pros and cons of living in Louisiana? Please share them with us in the comment section below!
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana
https://www.nytimes.com/1996/03/23/us/louisiana-stands-alone-on-drinking-at-18.html
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mardi_Gras
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louisiana_floods
https://www.50states.com/facts/louisiana.htm