#1New Orleans
Orleans Parish · 362,154 peopleHistory grade, among the top in the U.S.·Overall D− · #159 of 161 in LA
New Orleans, #1 on this list · Photo: George Bannister · CC BY 2.0Louisiana rankings · History
Most historic towns in Louisiana
New Orleans ranks first on history among Louisiana’s 161 towns of 2,500+; 20 of the 161 grade A− or better on history nationally.
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. How grades work
#1A+
#2Plaquemine
Iberville Parish · 5,891 peopleHistory grade, better than 94% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #71 of 161 in LA
#3Natchitoches
Natchitoches Parish · 17,146 peopleHistory grade, better than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 161 in LA
All 161 towns
History grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 34 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
161 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
3NatchitochesNatchitoches Parish · 17,146 peopleAbetter than 92% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 161
5Baton RougeEast Baton Rouge Parish · 222,795 peopleAbetter than 87% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #105 of 161
6St. MartinvilleSt. Martin Parish · 5,229 peopleA−better than 85% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #59 of 161
7DonaldsonvilleAscension Parish · 7,094 peopleA−better than 84% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #64 of 161
11Breaux BridgeSt. Martin Parish · 7,652 peopleA−better than 82% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #88 of 161
13CovingtonSt. Tammany Parish · 11,721 peopleA−better than 81% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #52 of 161
23FranklintonWashington Parish · 3,576 peopleB+better than 74% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #150 of 161
24Lake ProvidenceEast Carroll Parish · 3,147 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #160 of 161
T26PonchatoulaTangipahoa Parish · 7,755 peopleB+better than 72% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #121 of 161
29LafayetteLafayette Parish · 123,311 peopleB+better than 71% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 161
30Ville PlatteEvangeline Parish · 6,172 peopleB+better than 70% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #91 of 161
32Arabiunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 4,625 peopleB+better than 68% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #86 of 161
35Port AllenWest Baton Rouge Parish · 5,015 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #80 of 161
36Chalmetteunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 22,616 peopleBbetter than 63% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #98 of 161
T37Abita SpringsSt. Tammany Parish · 2,753 peopleBbetter than 62% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #11 of 161
49Denham SpringsLivingston Parish · 9,378 peopleB−better than 54% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #4 of 161
T51Lake CharlesCalcasieu Parish · 82,676 peopleB−better than 53% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #122 of 161
54JenningsJefferson Davis Parish · 9,235 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #94 of 161
56Lake ArthurJefferson Davis Parish · 2,569 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #5 of 161
57New RoadsPointe Coupee Parish · 4,216 peopleB−better than 50% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #75 of 161
60South Vacherieunincorporated, St. James Parish · 2,954 peopleB−better than 46% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #14 of 161
67Jeffersonunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 9,703 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #70 of 161
70Lafourche Crossingunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 2,790 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #53 of 161
74Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish · 2,715 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #106 of 161
75Schrieverunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 6,690 peopleC+better than 37% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #51 of 161
81Harveyunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 20,915 peopleCbetter than 33% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 161
82ZacharyEast Baton Rouge Parish · 20,621 peopleCbetter than 32% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #60 of 161
85Hahnvilleunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 3,520 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #13 of 161
87Miltonunincorporated, Lafayette Parish · 2,793 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #15 of 161
T88Laplaceunincorporated, St. John the Baptist Parish · 28,343 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #143 of 161
90BakerEast Baton Rouge Parish · 12,136 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #156 of 161
92Racelandunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 9,585 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #33 of 161
93Bridge Cityunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 7,297 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #108 of 161
95Prairievilleunincorporated, Ascension Parish · 35,238 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 161
99St. Roseunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 7,644 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #30 of 161
103Chauvinunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 2,502 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #73 of 161
105Reserveunincorporated, St. John the Baptist Parish · 7,791 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #148 of 161
106Laroseunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,515 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #41 of 161
107Lacombeunincorporated, St. Tammany Parish · 6,310 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #38 of 161
109Destrehanunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 11,619 peopleC−better than 20% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #66 of 161
T111Cut Offunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,398 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 161
T111Grayunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 5,154 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #68 of 161
T111Prienunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 7,119 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #10 of 161
114Gallianounincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,906 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 161
115Lulingunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 13,960 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #47 of 161
116Woodmereunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 11,879 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 161
117Norcounincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 2,781 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 161
T118Swartzunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 4,110 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #57 of 161
121Metairieunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 139,729 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #67 of 161
124Bayou Blueunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 12,218 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #96 of 161
126Violetunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 4,122 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #97 of 161
T128Waggamanunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 11,330 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #144 of 161
T130Eastwoodunincorporated, Bossier Parish · 4,440 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #76 of 161
133Brownfieldsunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 4,261 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #154 of 161
134River Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 13,312 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #50 of 161
T135Red Chuteunincorporated, Bossier Parish · 6,526 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #23 of 161
137Lakeshoreunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 3,437 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #112 of 161
138Marrerounincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 32,540 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #123 of 161
139Carlyssunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 4,412 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #29 of 161
140Terrytownunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 24,726 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 161
T141Chackbayunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,436 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #27 of 161
143Gardereunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 12,223 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #95 of 161
144Claiborneunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 13,308 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 161
T146Avondaleunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 4,608 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 161
T146Bayou Vistaunincorporated, St. Mary Parish · 3,842 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #104 of 161
T146Brownsvilleunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 4,357 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #61 of 161
T146Elmwoodunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 6,077 peopleDbetter than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #6 of 161
150Merrydaleunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 9,490 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #158 of 161
151Estelleunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 16,341 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 161
152Moss Bluffunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 12,482 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #24 of 161
153Belle Chasseunincorporated, Plaquemines Parish · 10,934 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #18 of 161
T154Bawcomvilleunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 2,804 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #81 of 161
T154Bayou Caneunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 21,253 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #45 of 161
T154CentralEast Baton Rouge Parish · 30,313 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #9 of 161
T154Eden Isleunincorporated, St. Tammany Parish · 7,683 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #62 of 161
T154Merauxunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 7,918 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 161
T154Monticellounincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 3,999 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 161
T154Timberlaneunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 10,886 peopleD−better than 2% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 161
Not ranked
1 town without a history grade
Towns of 2,500+ that don’t have the figures this grade needs. Each town’s page says which ones are missing.
- St. George · 78,536 people
Quick answers
Questions people ask
What is the most historic town in Louisiana?
New Orleans (Orleans Parish) ranks first on history among 161 towns, with an A+; Plaquemine and Natchitoches follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The History grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the town’s founding era, homes built before 1940 (Census ACS) and its National Register places. Towns are sorted on the grade’s score; the letter and rank are the same as on each town’s page. How grades work.
Why isn’t my town on this list?
The list covers towns of 2,500+ residents with a history grade (161 in Louisiana). 1 town of 2,500+ lack the figures and is listed above. Smaller towns have the grade on their page but no rank. Every town is on the Louisiana page.
Go deeper
All Louisiana rankings →More Louisiana lists
Every list ranks the same 2,500+ towns, so a town’s rank means the same thing on each.
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