#1St. Martinville
St. Martin Parish · 5,229 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #59 of 161 in LA
St. Martinville, #1 on this list · Photo: Ken Lund from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA · CC BY-SA 2.0Louisiana rankings · Outdoors
Best towns for the outdoors in Louisiana
St. Martinville ranks first on outdoors among Louisiana’s 162 towns of 2,500+; 2 of the 162 grade A− or better on outdoors nationally.
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. How grades work
#1A−
#2New Orleans
Orleans Parish · 362,154 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 80% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #159 of 161 in LA
#3Port Allen
West Baton Rouge Parish · 5,015 peopleOutdoors grade, better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #80 of 161 in LA
All 162 towns
Outdoors grade, best first (the letter is national). Towns with the same score share a rank (T = tied; 2 towns here); the overall grade and state rank are beside each.
162 towns ranked. Not here? See why a town may be missing.
#TownGradeOverall
1St. MartinvilleSt. Martin Parish · 5,229 peopleA−better than 83% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #59 of 161
3Port AllenWest Baton Rouge Parish · 5,015 peopleB+better than 73% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #80 of 161
6Lulingunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 13,960 peopleB+better than 65% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #47 of 161
7Norcounincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 2,781 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #43 of 161
8Gardereunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 12,223 peopleBbetter than 64% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #95 of 161
13Avondaleunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 4,608 peopleBbetter than 55% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #140 of 161
14Baton RougeEast Baton Rouge Parish · 222,795 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #105 of 161
15Bayou Vistaunincorporated, St. Mary Parish · 3,842 peopleB−better than 52% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #104 of 161
18LafayetteLafayette Parish · 123,311 peopleB−better than 51% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #114 of 161
25New RoadsPointe Coupee Parish · 4,216 peopleB−better than 49% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #75 of 161
28JenningsJefferson Davis Parish · 9,235 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #94 of 161
29Brownfieldsunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 4,261 peopleB−better than 48% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #154 of 161
32Chalmetteunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 22,616 peopleB−better than 45% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #98 of 161
33BruslyWest Baton Rouge Parish · 2,614 peopleC+better than 44% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #12 of 161
34Lake CharlesCalcasieu Parish · 82,676 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #122 of 161
35Abita SpringsSt. Tammany Parish · 2,753 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #11 of 161
37Metairieunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 139,729 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #67 of 161
38Lacombeunincorporated, St. Tammany Parish · 6,310 peopleC+better than 42% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #38 of 161
41CentralEast Baton Rouge Parish · 30,313 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #9 of 161
42Cut Offunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,398 peopleC+better than 41% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #39 of 161
48BakerEast Baton Rouge Parish · 12,136 peopleC+better than 38% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #156 of 161
54Belle Chasseunincorporated, Plaquemines Parish · 10,934 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #18 of 161
55Timberlaneunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 10,886 peopleC+better than 36% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #138 of 161
68Marrerounincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 32,540 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #123 of 161
69DonaldsonvilleAscension Parish · 7,094 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #64 of 161
71Bridge Cityunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 7,297 peopleCbetter than 31% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #108 of 161
75Merrydaleunincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 9,490 peopleCbetter than 30% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #158 of 161
77Ville PlatteEvangeline Parish · 6,172 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #91 of 161
78NatchitochesNatchitoches Parish · 17,146 peopleCbetter than 29% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #115 of 161
79Hahnvilleunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 3,520 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #13 of 161
81South Vacherieunincorporated, St. James Parish · 2,954 peopleCbetter than 28% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #14 of 161
83Laroseunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,515 peopleCbetter than 26% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #41 of 161
85ZacharyEast Baton Rouge Parish · 20,621 peopleCbetter than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #60 of 161
86Destrehanunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 11,619 peopleC−better than 25% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #66 of 161
87Waggamanunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 11,330 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #144 of 161
88River Ridgeunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 13,312 peopleC−better than 24% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #50 of 161
89Monticellounincorporated, East Baton Rouge Parish · 3,999 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #111 of 161
90Jeffersonunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 9,703 peopleC−better than 23% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #70 of 161
91Harveyunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 20,915 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #129 of 161
92MandevilleSt. Tammany Parish · 12,918 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #19 of 161
93Woodmereunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 11,879 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #130 of 161
95Claiborneunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 13,308 peopleC−better than 22% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #35 of 161
96Denham SpringsLivingston Parish · 9,378 peopleC−better than 21% of U.S. towns·Overall A− · #4 of 161
99Terrytownunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 24,726 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #133 of 161
101OpelousasSt. Landry Parish · 15,098 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #146 of 161
102Miltonunincorporated, Lafayette Parish · 2,793 peopleC−better than 19% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #15 of 161
103Laplaceunincorporated, St. John the Baptist Parish · 28,343 peopleC−better than 18% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #143 of 161
108PonchatoulaTangipahoa Parish · 7,755 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #121 of 161
109St. Roseunincorporated, St. Charles Parish · 7,644 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #30 of 161
110Elmwoodunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 6,077 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #6 of 161
111Reserveunincorporated, St. John the Baptist Parish · 7,791 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #148 of 161
112Pearl RiverSt. Tammany Parish · 2,715 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #106 of 161
113Bayou Caneunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 21,253 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #45 of 161
114Lake ProvidenceEast Carroll Parish · 3,147 peopleC−better than 17% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #160 of 161
115Carlyssunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 4,412 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #29 of 161
117Lafourche Crossingunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 2,790 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #53 of 161
118FranklintonWashington Parish · 3,576 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall D− · #150 of 161
120Lake ArthurJefferson Davis Parish · 2,569 peopleC−better than 16% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #5 of 161
123Breaux BridgeSt. Martin Parish · 7,652 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #88 of 161
124Moss Bluffunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 12,482 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #24 of 161
126Violetunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 4,122 peopleDbetter than 14% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #97 of 161
127Estelleunincorporated, Jefferson Parish · 16,341 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall D · #126 of 161
130Racelandunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 9,585 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #33 of 161
131Bawcomvilleunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 2,804 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #81 of 161
132Eden Isleunincorporated, St. Tammany Parish · 7,683 peopleDbetter than 13% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #62 of 161
134Swartzunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 4,110 peopleDbetter than 12% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #57 of 161
135Merauxunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 7,918 peopleDbetter than 11% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #37 of 161
138Bayou Blueunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 12,218 peopleDbetter than 10% of U.S. towns·Overall C− · #96 of 161
139Red Chuteunincorporated, Bossier Parish · 6,526 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall B · #23 of 161
140Chauvinunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 2,502 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #73 of 161
141Eastwoodunincorporated, Bossier Parish · 4,440 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #76 of 161
142Gallianounincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,906 peopleDbetter than 9% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #44 of 161
145Grayunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 5,154 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #68 of 161
146Arabiunincorporated, St. Bernard Parish · 4,625 peopleDbetter than 8% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #86 of 161
147Prairievilleunincorporated, Ascension Parish · 35,238 peopleDbetter than 7% of U.S. towns·Overall A · #2 of 161
154Schrieverunincorporated, Terrebonne Parish · 6,690 peopleD−better than 5% of U.S. towns·Overall C+ · #51 of 161
155Brownsvilleunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 4,357 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall C · #61 of 161
156Prienunincorporated, Calcasieu Parish · 7,119 peopleD−better than 4% of U.S. towns·Overall B+ · #10 of 161
159Chackbayunincorporated, Lafourche Parish · 5,436 peopleD−better than 3% of U.S. towns·Overall B− · #27 of 161
T161Lakeshoreunincorporated, Ouachita Parish · 3,437 peopleD−among the lowest in the U.S.·Overall C− · #112 of 161
Quick answers
Questions people ask
Which Louisiana town is best for the outdoors?
St. Martinville (St. Martin Parish) ranks first on outdoors among 162 towns, with an A−; New Orleans and Port Allen follow.
How are these towns ranked?
The Outdoors grade, a character grade (not part of the overall): the share of land conserved and the trail miles per square mile. 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 outdoors grade (162 in Louisiana). 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.
Best places to live161 towns · #1 JenaBest small towns107 towns · #1 JenaMost affordable towns161 towns · #1 WelshSafest towns46 towns · #1 Lake ArthurTowns with the best schools162 towns · #1 ZacharyHealthiest towns161 towns · #1 ElmwoodBest towns for jobs & income161 towns · #1 AddisMost walkable towns161 towns · #1 New OrleansTowns with the lowest natural-hazard risk162 towns · #1 PinevilleMost historic towns161 towns · #1 New OrleansTowns with the most civic life105 towns · #1 VintonTowns with the mildest winters159 towns · #1 GallianoDescribed, no lettersTowns with the hottest summers159 towns · #1 Benton and 4 moreDescribed, no lettersTowns with the coolest summers159 towns · #1 Franklin and VioletDescribed, no lettersTowns with the highest incomes160 towns · #1 BroussardDescribed, no lettersTowns with the lowest property taxes157 towns · #1 Abbeville and 23 moreDescribed, no lettersFastest-growing towns104 towns · #1 CarencroDescribed, no letters
Other states