Natchitoches grades C− overall, 115th of 161 graded towns in Louisiana, with clear strengths and some subjects that lag. Natural-hazard risk is low. On the other side, the median household income is $37K, and 36% of residents live below the poverty line. History is its standout character grade: an A, better than 92% of U.S. towns, with 10 places on the National Register. 36% of residents live below the poverty line in Natchitoches, above both Louisiana’s towns (20%) and U.S. towns (9.6%). On history, just 2 of Louisiana’s 254 towns do better. Natchitoches is home to Northwestern State University of Louisiana.

StrongestAHistory A⁻Hazard riskWeakestDJobs & income DHealth

What makes Natchitoches stand out

Where Natchitoches beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.

Natchitoches Historic District

HistoryA

Settled in 1714

A history going back 312 years.

Natural hazardsA⁻

Lower risk than 86% of U.S. communities

Very low risk of storm and flood damage

FEMA National Risk Index.

Natchitoches Historic District · National Register of Historic Places

Natchitoches’s story

312 years in pictures

Natchitoches Historic District is one of 2 National Historic Landmarks here, the National Register’s top tier. Its founding year, 1714, comes before those of 99% of the Louisiana towns we grade with a known year.

Census counts: 986 in 1820, a low of 986 in 1820, 18,039 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1864 and 5 maps from 1937 on.

10 places on the National Register of Historic Places.

1714Natchitoches is settled

Explore the history →

How Natchitoches grades

Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Louisiana), ordered by how far Natchitoches is from typical.

How grading works

Jobs & income9,205 jobs based hereDOpen →HealthNatchitoches Regional Medical Center 1.8 miles awayDOpen →Hazard riskinland flooding tops the listA⁻Open →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.3 of 20; 14.3% of households have no car; 5.3% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB⁺Open →SchoolsB⁺Open →Cost of livingCOpen →

Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.

Outdoors8 miles of trails; 1% conserved landCOpen →History26 notable people born hereAOpen →Civic life5.5 community nonprofits per 1,000 residentsC⁺Open →

Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.

ClimateMild winters, 94° summer afternoons–Open →Housing market12 days on market–Open →Who lives here30% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →

How TownRatings grades towns →

Getting set up

Moving to Natchitoches: who provides what

Who provides power, water and the rest in Natchitoches, and how to reach them.

The full setup list →

PowerCity of Natchitoches10.6¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA

WaterCity of Natchitoches Water SystemNo health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA

Internet5 providers92% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC

Trash & dumpBy addressTown’s hauler · day by addressTown site

SchoolsNatchitoches Parish School DistrictWhich school depends on your addressNCES

Register to voteOnlineIn Louisiana you can register online until 20 days before Election Day, in person until 30 days before Election Day, or by mail (postmarked 30 days before).vote.gov

Who runs elections hereNatchitoches Parish Registrar of VotersNatchitoches Parish; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Aug 2015

ZIP codes71457, 7149771457 92% · 71497 8%Census 2020

EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.

The data

Ordered by what stands out in Natchitoches.

Natchitoches carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Louisiana (mostly inland flooding), is shaped by its college students and is healthier than towns with similar incomes.

HealthD

Residents of Natchitoches are less healthy than 94% of U.S. towns

Against the 1,662 U.S. towns with household incomes like Natchitoches’s, it is less healthy than 59%, so its D isn’t only a matter of income. Within Louisiana it is less healthy than 54% of the 161 graded towns: much of Louisiana scores lower on these measures.

Natchitoches beats the Louisiana average on 1 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 9. 33% of adults worry about having enough food in Natchitoches.

6%healthier than U.S. townsDHealth Grade

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Food insecurity (CDC PLACES)	33%	26%	14%
Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES)	23%	20%	17%
Feel lonely (CDC PLACES)	39%	37%	33%
Fair or poor health (CDC PLACES)	29%	27%	19%

32 measures vs. Louisiana

1 better22 too close to call9 worse

What stands out	Natchitoches	LA
Fewer adults who have had cancer	5.8%	7.5%
More adults facing a utility shut-off	19.6%	12.4%

Natchitoches Regional Medical Center

1.8 mi away · emergency room

3 of 3

care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health

45th

percentile among LA towns

Full pageNatchitoches’ health reportOpen the page

Everyday habitsMore adults who get no exercise Hospitals & doctors nearby1.8 miles to an ER · Natchitoches Regional Medical Center How adults are doingMore adults in fair or poor health Every CDC estimateBetter than LA on 1 of 32

CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA

SchoolsB⁺

Natchitoches’ public schools outperform 73% of Louisiana districts

Its public schools are run by the Natchitoches Parish school district. Three of its 11 schools are below, each with why it’s listed.

73%of LA districts it outscoresB⁺School Grade

School	Level	Students	Letter
L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–2	Grades PK–2	687	–
Natchitoches Central High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 9–12	Grades 9–12	1,188	B⁺
Louisiana School for Math Science & the ArtsTop results in townGrades 10–12	Grades 10–12	272	A⁺

Full pageNatchitoches’ schools pageOpen the page

The districtsNatchitoches Parish Every school11 schools · L.P. Vaughn Elementary & Middle School Questions“Are Natchitoches’s schools good?”

NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduation

Natural hazardsHazard risk grade A⁻

Natchitoches stands out in Louisiana and nationally: the FEMA risk score there is lower

FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 98% of Louisiana towns, with expected losses of about $201 per resident a year; that rating is what its A− for hazard risk is built on.

Natchitoches’ FEMA risk score is 14 of 100. Since 1979, 44 flood insurance claims have been paid out in Natchitoches.

14risk score of 100

FEMA risk score

Inland floodingTornadoesHeat waves

paid flood claims since 1979

federal disasters paid out here

Full pageNatchitoches’ hazards pageOpen the page

What it facesVery low risk Flood claims44 paid flood claims · Since 1979 Past disasters8 federal disasters · Paid out in Natchitoches Get ready1.4 events a year, on average · Ready for inland flooding

FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA

Who lives here

The median age in Natchitoches is lower than in most of Louisiana or the rest of the country

22.1% of residents are enrolled in college, against 5.8% statewide, which pulls the median age down. Only 41.6% of households own their home, against 67.4% across Louisiana.

The median age in Natchitoches is 26.5 years. Natchitoches has lost 5.6% of its people since 2020, down to 17,146 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 14% of Natchitoches residents are 65 or older.

26.5median age · LA 38

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Median age	26.5 years	37.9 years	40.5 years
Aged 65 or older	14%	17%	18%
Under 18	21%	24%	22%
Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+	30%	20%	29%

NatchitochesLouisianaUnited States

LAU.S.

Ages · share of residents

27%

Education · adults 25 and older

No diploma11%

High school32%

Some college20%

Associate’s7%

Bachelor’s16%

Graduate14%

Women and men · all residents

54% women, 46% men

About 84 men for every 100 women (the survey’s margin: ±1.6 points). Across Louisiana, 51.1% of residents are women. Among residents 18 to 24, 60% are women (LA 50%). Median age: women 25.6, men 28.1.

Ages and education in Natchitoches
	Natchitoches	LA	U.S.
Under 10	11.3%	12.6%	11.6%
10 to 17	9.6%	10.9%	10.3%
18 to 24	26.8%	9.1%	9.1%
25 to 34	11.8%	13.3%	13.7%
35 to 44	10.7%	13.3%	13.2%
45 to 54	8.2%	11.5%	12.2%
55 to 64	7.9%	12.6%	12.7%
65 to 74	7.5%	10.2%	10.2%
75 and older	6.2%	6.5%	7%
No diploma	11.2%	12.7%	10.4%
High school	31.6%	32.5%	26%
Some college	19.6%	20.4%	19.1%
Associate’s	7.4%	7.3%	8.8%
Bachelor’s	15.8%	17%	21.6%
Graduate	14.4%	10.1%	14.1%

Full pageNatchitoches by the numbersOpen the page

Ages26.5 median age · 14% are 65 or older Schooling30% have a four-year degree Homes42% own their home · Homeowners Income$37K a year · Median household income

Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates

OutdoorsC

Natchitoches has set aside 0.8% of its land for conservation

8.4 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves.

#41for trails in LA

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Conserved land	0.8%	1.2%	4.3%
Miles of trail per square mile	0.3 miles per square mile	0.2	0.4

0.8%

conserved · 132 of 17,069 acres

8.4 mi

of trails · 0.3 per sq mi

Biggest places to walk	Trails	Acres
1. Fort Saint Jean Baptiste State Historic Site	0.3 mi	6
2. Highland Park	—	8
3. Lee Street Park	—	7

Full pageNatchitoches’ outdoors pageOpen the page

Trail map8.4 miles of trail, mapped Pick a walk0.3 miles of trail · Fort Saint Jean Baptiste State Historic Site Conserved land0.8% conserved · 132 acres protected Questions“Where can I hike in Natchitoches?”

Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US

Climate

Natchitoches has mild winters and hot summers

Natchitoches has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Only 6 of the 162 Louisiana towns we compare have a higher July high than Natchitoches.

94°summer high

Typical low → high °F

Winter39–61°

Spring55–78°

Summer71–93°

Fall55–79°

Nov 17

typical first frost

Mar 5

typical last frost

+0.6°

vs. the 20th-century average

94°

typical summer high

Full pageNatchitoches’ climate pageOpen the page

A year of weatherJuly highs 93°, January lows 38°Rain & snow57″ of rain a year · Snow is almost unheard of Heating & coolingBoth heating and cooling Then and now+0.6° vs. the 20th century · Warmer than the 20th-century average

NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020

Work & commuteJobs & income grade D

With 1.4 jobs for every working resident, Natchitoches draws in 6,270 commuters

The average commute for its 6,417 working residents takes 16.2 minutes, against 25.7 across Louisiana.

46% of Natchitoches’s working residents work right in town. Among 161 Louisiana towns, just 7 have a lower average trip to work than Natchitoches. The top destinations are Shreveport (6%), Alexandria (3%) and Bossier City (2%).

46%work in town

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Working residents who work in town	46%	9.8%	8%
Average trip to work	16 minutes	25 minutes	25 minutes
Median household income	$37,000	$56,000	$80,000
Work from home	2.9%	5.6%	11%

Where working residents work

In Natchitoches46%

Shreveport6%

Alexandria3%

Bossier City2%

Monroe2%

4 mi

median commute distance

9,205

jobs based in Natchitoches

Balanced

jobs vs. working residents

B+

Walkability grade: more walkable than 73% of U.S. towns

Full pageNatchitoches’ work & commute pageOpen the page

The jobs here9,205 jobs based here · Balanced Where people work46% work in Natchitoches Commute times16 minutes · The average commute How far they goHalf commute less than 4 miles

Census LEHD 2023 · ACS

Safety

Crime reported in Natchitoches

Natchitoches's reported crime rate is well above Louisiana's. Most reported incidents are property crimes, mainly thefts. 146 violent crimes were reported in 2025.

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Violent crimes per 1,000 (2025)	8.6 per 1,000 residents	4.3	1.6
Property crimes per 1,000 (2025)	41.3 per 1,000 residents	23.7	9.9

Violent crime per 1,000 residents

Natchitoches8.6

Louisiana4.7

U.S.3.3

Property crime per 1,000 residents

Natchitoches41.3

Louisiana18.6

U.S.15.5

146

violent crimes reported in 2025

700

property crimes reported in 2025

Full pageNatchitoches’ safety reportOpen the page

Violent crime by type8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 Crime over the yearsReported crime since 2023 Questions“Is Natchitoches, LA safe?”

FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police

HousingCost of living grade C

A typical Natchitoches home is worth about $193K

The typical value, about $193K, is 9% below its August 2022 peak.

The typical Natchitoches home is worth about $193,000, up 1.7% in a year, 10% below the Louisiana typical home. Among 161 Louisiana towns, just 10 have a lower share of households owning their home than Natchitoches.

$193KZillow home value

	Natchitoches	Louisiana towns	U.S. towns
Households that own their home	42%	68%	73%
Median rent	$802 a month	$992 a month	$1,185 a month
Renters paying 30%+ of income on rent	60%	58%	48%

Typical home value

Natchitoches$193K

Louisiana$214K

Market temperature

days on market

99.4%

sale-to-list price

+1.7%

value change, 1 year

homes sold in May

Full pageNatchitoches’ housing & cost-of-living pageOpen the page

Prices over the yearsUp 1.7% in a year Years of income to buyA typical home costs 5.2 years of income Rents$802 a month · Median rent

Census ACS, 2020–24 · Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center

Nearby attractions

Los Adaes and 5 more within 40 miles

Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around Natchitoches. Close and well known come first.

All 11 attractions →

12 mi Ancient siteLos Adaes

7 mi National Historical ParkCane River Creole National Historical Park11K visitors a year

36 mi National forestKisatchie National Forest

in town Zoo & aquariumNatchitoches National Fish Hatchery 38 mi MuseumMansfield State Historic Site

in town MuseumOld Courthouse Museum

Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons

Photo credits

Los Adaes: JERRYE & ROY KLOTZ MD, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Cane River Creole National Historical Park: James W. Rosenthal, Public domain · Kisatchie National Forest: US Forest Service, Public domain · Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery: Wikilester1999, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Old Courthouse Museum: Wikilester1999, CC BY-SA 4.0

Keep exploring

Everything we know about Natchitoches

20pages on Natchitoches

The big questions

SchoolsB⁺Beat 73% of LA districts · 11 schools Safety8.6 violent crimes per 1,000 residents (2025)HealthDBetter than LA on 1 of 32 CDC measures Cost of livingC$193K typical home · up 1.7% in a year Work & commuteD$37K median household income · 9,205 jobs here Natural hazardsA⁻FEMA risk higher than 14% of U.S. communities · inland flooding

Out and about

OutdoorsC8 mi of trails · 1% conserved land PlacesAttractions11 nearby · Natchitoches National Fish Hatchery under 1 mi LibraryC⁺Natchitoches Parish Library CollegesNorthwestern State University of Louisiana, in town

The story

HistoryASettled 1714 · 10 on the National Register Famous people26 born in Natchitoches Town Hall & politicsOne full-time town employee per 52 residents Climate94° summer highs · 1″ of snow

Day to day

News12 recent stories about Natchitoches WeatherHandbookZIP code 71457, 71458, 71497 Town SquareNeighbors

After high school

Colleges nearby

1 within 15 miles of the center of Natchitoches

Northwestern State University of LouisianaUniversity or college · Public · NatchitochesIn town$8,864 in-state tuition

College town 22 of every 100 Natchitoches residents are enrolled in college, against 6 across Louisiana.

Prices by family income, graduation and earnings →

College town

22% of Natchitoches is in college

Northwestern State University of Louisiana3,792 students on campus

Admission: 93%
Net price: $13,606
Graduate: 43%

College Scorecard · IPEDS

Landmarks

10 places in Natchitoches on the National Register of Historic Places.

All landmarks →

Natchitoches Historic DistrictNational Historic Landmark

Natchitoches Historic District (Boundary Increase)National Historic Landmark

Normal Hill Historic District

Women's Gymnasium, Northwestern State University

Famous people from Natchitoches

26 notable people were born in Natchitoches.

See all 26 →

Marques JohnsonAmerican basketball player · born 1956

Henry Hopkins SibleyConfederate Army general · 1816–1886

James R. BathAmerican businessman · born 1936

Robert HilburnAmerican music critic · born 1939

Pat ListachAmerican baseball player · born 1967

Oscar WoodsAmerican Texas blues guitarist, singer and songwriter · 1895–1955

About Natchitoches

City in Louisiana, United States

Official town website ↗

Natchitoches ( , NAK-ə-tish; French: Les Natchitoches, [le nakitɔʃ]) is a city in and the parish seat of Natchitoches Parish, Louisiana, United States. The population was 18,039 at the 2020 census. Established in 1714 by Louis Juchereau de St. Denis as part of French Louisiana, the community was named after the indigenous Natchitoches people. The city was incorporated on February 5, 1819, and is the oldest permanent settlement in the land acquired by the Louisiana Purchase. Natchitoches is home to Northwestern State University of Louisiana. Its sister city is Nacogdoches, Texas.

From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)

Established: 1714
Area: 26 sq mi
Elevation: 118 ft
ZIP code: 71457, 71458, 71497
Area code: 318

Questions about Natchitoches

Short answers, built from the data on this page.

Is Natchitoches, LA a good place to live?

Natchitoches grades C− overall, better than 16% of U.S. towns and #115 of 161 in Louisiana. It grades D for health and B+ for schools. Jobs & income is its weak spot, with a D.

Is Natchitoches, LA expensive?

That is 4.2 years of the area's median household income ($46,292 across the Natchitoches, LA area). Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C.

What is Natchitoches, LA known for?

26 notable people were born here, including Marques Johnson and Henry Hopkins Sibley.

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