Welcome to Louisiana

Your life in the Pelican State begins

|

Welcome to Louisiana

Louisiana, also known as The Pelican State, is the 25th most populous state in the US with a population of more than 4.6 million people. Located in the southeastern part of the country, Louisiana is essentially a blend of different cultures like African, French, French-Canadian, and modern American. The state is famous for the Mardi Gras festival, the Creole and Cajun culture, jazz music, and the unique and delectable food.

Louisiana's major industries include natural gas, agriculture, oil, commercial fishing, and chemicals. The state is the country's biggest producer of salt and it's the nation's second-largest seafood supplier of crawfish, oysters, fish, crabs, and shrimp.

Louisiana is filled with state parks and wartime exhibits, but some of the top attractions in The Pelican State include the French Quarter, the Louisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo, the National WWII Museum, Bourbon Street, Jackson Square, Oak Alley Plantation, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas, Mardi Gras World, and City Park.

Louisiana Self-Storage Facts

The Louisiana self-storage industry is letting the good times roll as more investment pours into the sector than ever before. A nationwide trend of self-storage development as been ongoing for the last several years, which has led storage operators and developers to build new facilities throughout the state wherever they can find a suitable site. This includes the conversion of vacant retail strip center stores and other derelict properties into storage facilities.

Below are some statistics that provide an overview of the self-storage industry in Louisiana:

947

Louisiana is home to more than 947 self-storage facilities

30,507,046

Louisiana facilities offer more than 30,507,046 million square feet of storage space combined.

6.58

Louisiana has 6.58 square feet of storage space for every man, woman, and child. That's more than the national average of 5.4 square feet per person.

Reasons to Move to Louisiana

Thinking about moving to the Pelican State, but aren't sure if it would be a good fit for you? Check out our top 10 reasons to move to Louisiana to help you make the right decision.

1

The Big Easy. New Orleans provides a number of entertainment options, including the famous French Quarter and Bourbon Street, award-winning restaurants, swamp and ghost tours, museums, zoos, dinner cruises, and more. There's no shortage of fun and entertaining things to do in New Orleans.

2

Mardi Gras. If you're thinking of moving to Louisiana, you'll be able to enjoy the Mardi Gras festival right in your own backyard every February. Enjoy the great food and live music and other related festivities when you go.

3

Festivals for everything. In New Orleans, you'll find a festival to celebrate almost everything. You can look forward to festivals like the Louisiana Shrimp & Petroleum Festival in Morgan City, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Shreveport's Red River Revel, and the Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, among others.

4

The people. Let's face it. People in New Orleans know how to celebrate and who doesn't want to be close to all of that excitement all year round? Living in Louisiana means being invited to your new friend's crawfish boil or a weekend festival that's everything you thought it would be and more.

5

Foodie friendly. The Pelican State is a melting pot of culinary cuisine. Expect the very best when you move to Louisiana, with dishes like gumbo, crawfish, red beans and rice, jambalaya, and shrimp étouffée being served all over town. You'll get a ton of Creole and Cajun offerings, including some of the most delectable pastries like beignets, King Cakes, and pralines.

6

Great for football fans. While New Orleans is home to the NBA Pelicans, it's probably already been agreed upon by everyone you'll ever know from Louisiana (or any southern state for that matter) that football is king. New Orleans residents are devout Saints fans and you'll likely become one too if you move here.

7

Great live music. Louisiana's rich musical heritage encompasses a variety of different sounds, including Cajun, blues, jazz, rock 'n' roll, and Zydeco. The New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival attracts the biggest names in all genres of music during April and early May.

8

Riverboat gambling. Ever been gambling on a riverboat? Our guess is you probably haven't, but moving to Louisiana means you'll definitely get the chance. Casinos and riverboat gambling are pretty prominent throughout the city of Shreveport.

9

Great for bike riding. Looking to get your daily exercise in? Bike riding is a great way to do it, especially through the gorgeous national parks, like Lincoln Parish Park, Kisatchie National Forest, or Hodges Gardens State Park.

10

Great educational institutions. If you're thinking of going back to school or have children entering college sometime soon, Louisiana is a great place to get an education. It has a large selection of top-rated colleges and universities to choose from sprinkled all throughout the state, including Louisiana State University (Baton Rouge), Tulane and University of New Orleans.

Moving to Louisiana

Louisiana has a population of more than 4.6 million people and ranks as the 25th largest state in the country by population. Between 2018 and 2019, Louisiana's population decreased by 0.16 percent. According to Business Report, Louisiana's population shrunk at the 7th fastest rate in the country. The main reason people seem to be leaving is a lack of jobs since Hurricane Katrina. Despite the booming US economy, Louisiana hasn't seen nearly as much growth as the country as a whole. However, that means that there's plenty of room for Louisiana to bounce back and for new residents to benefit as a result.

Louisiana Economic Outlook

In 2018, Louisiana had a GDP of $255.5 billion. The state's unemployment rate is 4.3 percent as of September 2019.

Below is a breakdown of the top five sectors in Louisiana by real value added GDP:

$47.71 billion
Manufacturing
$31.37 billion
Finance, insurance, real estate, rental, and leasing
$24.29 billion
Government and government enterprises
$20.23 billion
Professional and business services
$19.89 billion
Educational services, health care, and social assistance

Louisiana is expected to add 53,800 jobs through 2020 and 2021 (mostly in New Orleans and Lafayette) and the tariff issue with China is expected to be resolved before the 2020 national elections, which will give the national economy a boost. Also, an end to the lull in industrial construction will bring new jobs to the New Orleans metro area. A few construction projects starting up soon could help improve things even more for the state. Federal regulators have okayed construction on the Calcasieu Pass LNG export facility and TransCameron Pipeline, which will create about 1,500 temp jobs during the season and 130 permanent jobs.

Louisiana has a cost of living score of 95.5, meaning it's cheaper to live in the state than it is to live in the US as a whole. Also, the cost of groceries, health, and housing are also below the national average.

Who are Louisiana's Largest Employers?

EMPLOYER
NUMBER OF EMPLOYEES
CenturyLink
39,800
Ochsner Health System
19,000
Odyssea Marine
17,000
Amedisys
16,000
Entergy
13,513

Places to live in Louisiana

Louisiana is roughly 52,271 square miles and is home to more than 4.6 million people. The largest three cities include New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport.

New Orleans

New Orleans, also known as "The Big Easy," is the largest city in Louisiana with a population of 396,766 people. New Orleans has a lot to offer, including the French Quarter, Bourbon Street, the National WWII Museum, Garden District, Jackson Square, New Orleans City Park, the Audubon Zoo. Theremare plenty of activities as well, including nightlife, cruises, tours, museums, parks, and sightseeing.

Cost of living
2 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$178,600
Average rent
$1,170 per month
Average apartment size
897 square feet

Baton Rouge

Baton Rouge, the state capital, is the second-largest city in Louisiana with a population of 225,900. Located on the Mississippi, the city is brimming with culture and history with its Cajun and Creole roots. There's a ton to do in the "Red Stick City," including going to parks, museums, sports games, nightlife, shopping, restaurants, tours, casinos, concerts and shows, and various sights and landmarks.

Cost of living
4 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$163,000
Average rent
$1,018 per month
Average apartment size
940 square feet

Shreveport

Shreveport is the third-largest city in Louisiana with a population of 188,206 people. The city is a blend of Cajun and Creole traditions with traditional Southern culture thrown into the mix. Located on the banks of the Red River, Shreveport has plenty to do to keep yourself entertained, including parks, museums, zoos, nightlife, shopping, outdoor activities, tours, and concerts and shows.

Cost of living
9 percent lower than the national average
Median home price
$160,000
Average rent
$972 per month

Moving to Louisiana Resources