Baton Rouge, LA, known as 'The Red Stick,' offers a unique blend of historic charm and modern urban amenities. Located in southeastern Louisiana, Baton Rouge is a large city that serves as the state capital and a major cultural and economic hub. Major nearby cities like New Orleans and Lafayette enhance its status as a central point in the region. Baton Rouge's blend of historic landmarks, cultural festivals, and urban amenities creates a distinctive living experience.
Baton Rouge is home to several iconic landmarks, including the Louisiana State Capitol, the historic Old State Capitol, and the scenic LSU Rural Life Museum. The city offers a variety of attractions, from the beautiful Bluebonnet Swamp Nature Center to the bustling Mall of Louisiana, known for its shopping and dining. Baton Rouge's dining scene is diverse, offering everything from Cajun cuisine to international dishes.
Annual events such as the Baton Rouge Blues Festival and the Bayou Country Superfest highlight the city's vibrant cultural scene and provide unique entertainment opportunities for residents and visitors. These events celebrate Baton Rouge's rich cultural heritage and community spirit. Prestigious institutions like Louisiana State University contribute to the city's academic and cultural vibrancy, fostering a thriving intellectual community.
The arts and culture scene in Baton Rouge is dynamic and diverse, with numerous theaters, music venues, and art galleries. The Shaw Center for the Arts and the Baton Rouge Gallery are just a few of the cultural landmarks that showcase the city's commitment to the arts. Living in Baton Rouge provides ample opportunities to engage with art, music, and history, making it an exciting place to call home.
Baton Rouge’s community is welcoming and diverse, creating a friendly environment for newcomers. The city is home to professional sports teams like the LSU Tigers (NCAA) and the Baton Rouge Rougarou (Baseball), providing plenty of excitement for sports fans. Major industries in Baton Rouge include healthcare, education, and petrochemicals, with significant employers such as Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center and ExxonMobil driving economic growth. The city has extensive public transit options, including buses and the Capital Area Transit System (CATS), making commuting convenient and accessible.
Commute
High commute scores indicates that public transit should be easily accessible in this area and the average commute time to work is less than average.
Cost Of Living
The overall cost of living in this area is much lower than average. This includes everyday goods and services, as well as housing, utilities and health care.
Housing
This area has received high scores in the housing category. This could be due to a positive home affordability ratio, high appreciation rates or elevated home values.
Health & Safety
A high score in the health and safety category is a result of good air quality and the accessibility to health facilities such as hospitals, clinics, doctors, pharmacies and fire stations.
Crime
This area is reporting high crime rates per 100,000 people and could signify that it is a dangerous place to live. Crime rates include both violent and property crimes.
Employment
A low score in the employment category could indicate that this area struggles with high unemployment rates and low household income and income per capita levels.
Baton Rouge, Louisiana is a large city with a population of 222,191 people. Baton Rouge is mostly populated by White (38%) and Black or African American (53%) ethnic groups. Baton Rouge tends to attract a younger crowd, as the median age of 32 is far below the national average. In Baton Rouge, only 39% of people over the age of fifteen are married. This city could be a good option for singles ready to mingle. If you're not a fan of traffic congestion and long commute times to work, Baton Rouge is the place to be. Commutes to work here are shorter, with an average one-way commute time taking only 21 minutes, significantly lower than the national average of 26 minutes.
If you’re considering moving to any new city, it could be a very intimidating task. However, it could also be a great experience if you are willing to get to know the area before actually living in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. When searching for a new neighborhood, several key items should be considered. Safety is of utmost importance, ensuring a secure environment with low crime. Proximity to your workplace or school helps reduce commuting time and offers convenience. Access to amenities such as parks, grocery stores, and healthcare facilities enhances your daily life. Public transportation options contribute to easy mobility. A sense of community fosters a supportive and engaging environment. Lastly, the overall atmosphere should align with your desired lifestyle, ensuring a fulfilling living experience. Considering these items will guide you towards finding the perfect neighborhood that fits all your needs. The best areas in Baton Rouge and in surrounding cities are easier to find when you are able to make informed decisions. Using data from amenities, commute, health & safety, education, employment, you will see a detailed breakdown of the most important information as well as comparisons to the Louisiana and national averages.
With a livability score of 68 out of 100, Baton Rouge is ranked #7,499 in the United States and #54 in Louisiana. For each of the livability categories, we see that Baton Rouge ranks very well for cost of living (A) and housing (B). There are some categories that Baton Rouge does not rank well for, including: amenities (D), crime (F) and employment (D-). It might be worth taking a closer look to find out why.
For home buyers, real estate will be the largest purchase they will ever make and it will also be their most valuable asset. For renters, the monthly rent paid on their Baton Rouge apartments will most likely be their largest expense. Based on tangible metrics like home and rental affordability and appreciation rates, housing in this area has received a score that is well above the average of every other US city. A thriving real estate market can also generate strong local economic activity and job creation.
Being close to public transit, grocery stores, parks and other conveniences are all important when weighing your options for a new home in Baton Rouge. Before you determine if any of these amenities are available in the area, you will also want to know if the real estate prices in Baton Rouge are affordable. The median home price for Baton Rouge homes is $185,000, which is 24.7% higher than the Louisiana average. If we take a closer look at the affordability of homes in Baton Rouge, we’ll see that the home price to income ratio is 4.2, which is 27.3% higher than the Louisiana average.
| Statistic | Baton Rouge | Louisiana | National |
| Average one way commute | 21min | 25min | 26min |
| Workers who drive to work | 79.1% | 82.6% | 76.4% |
| Workers who carpool | 10.0% | 9.6% | 9.3% |
| Workers who take public transit | 2.0% | 1.3% | 5.1% |
| Workers who bicycle | 0.7% | 0.5% | 0.6% |
| Workers who walk | 3.4% | 1.8% | 2.8% |
| Working from home | 3.7% | 2.6% | 4.6% |
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