A mushroom family, 2012
River Ridge’s story
River Ridge in pictures
Census counts: 17,146 in 1980, 13,591 in 2020. The archive holds 3 old photos and papers going back to 2004 and 7 maps from 1891 on.
Explore the history →
River RidgeLA
A town of 13,312.
4 bordering townsMap →
Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans · CC BY-SA 3.0
Population
13,312
Census survey, 2020–24
Typical home
$345K
+5.2% in a year
Household income
$84K
median
Median age
45.0
years
Jobs based here
1,588
A commuter town
TownGrade
C+
#50 of 161 in LA
Is River Ridge a good place to live?
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk higher than 95% of U.S. communities, with hurricanes at the top. Overall it grades C+, 50th of 161 graded towns in Louisiana. The median household earns $84K. Its weakest subject is cost of living: the typical home is worth about $345K, 5.5 years of the New Orleans metro’s $63K median household income. Only 8 of Louisiana’s 254 towns score higher on health.
A commuter town
96% of working residents leave River Ridge for work
Where River Ridge’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
1,588jobs based in River Ridge
4%of working residents work in town
6 mimedian commute distance
Census LEHD 2023
How River Ridge grades
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Louisiana), ordered by how far River Ridge is from typical.
Hazard riskhurricanes tops the listD−Open →Cost of livingC−Open →Jobs & incomeA−Open →HealthHealthier than 63% of U.S. towns; Ochsner Medical Center Acute 4.6 miles awayBOpen →SchoolsBOpen →WalkabilityEPA walkability 7.9 of 20; 6.4% of households have no car; 1% of workers walk, bike or ride transitB−Open →
Character Graded, but not part of the overall grade.
Described, not graded Taste, not quality: snow or an older crowd is neither good nor bad.
Climate–Open →Housing market109 days on market–Open →Who lives hereMedian age 45.0; 39% of adults have a four-year degree–Open →
How TownRatings grades towns →
Nearby attractions
All 44 attractions →Caesars Superdome and 39 more within 40 miles
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around River Ridge. Close and well known come first.
Big draw9 mi Stadium & arenaCaesars Superdome
Big draw18 mi LakeLake Pontchartrain
9 mi MuseumNational World War II Museum707K visitors a year
8 mi City parkCity Park
26 mi MuseumWhitney Plantation Historic District
6 mi Zoo & aquariumAudubon ZooSources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · photos via Wikimedia Commons
Photo credits
Caesars Superdome: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Lake Pontchartrain: Mersh13, CC BY-SA 3.0 · National World War II Museum: Nolabob, CC BY-SA 3.0 · City Park: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY 2.5 · Whitney Plantation Historic District: Bill Leiser, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Audubon Zoo: MeRyan, CC BY 2.0
Getting set up
Moving to River Ridge: who provides what
River Ridge is unincorporated, so Jefferson Parish and regional agencies provide most services.
PowerEntergy Louisiana11.9¢/kWh · EIA 2025HIFLD · EIA
WaterE Jefferson Ww District 1No health-based violations in 5 years · EPAEPA
Internet4 providers100% of addresses get 100/20 MbpsFCC
Trash & county servicesJefferson ParishJefferson Parish provides services here
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.govWho runs elections hereJefferson Parish Registrar of VotersJefferson Parish; contacts on the Handbook page.FVAP, Feb 2022
ZIP code7012370123 99%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 River Ridge.
River Ridge has milder winter nights than nearly all U.S. towns, looks healthier within Louisiana than nationally and has home values still below their peak.
HousingCost of living grade C−
For cost of living, River Ridge earns a C−
The typical value, about $345K, is 9% below its July 2022 peak. The median property tax bill is $2,043, against $1,180 across Louisiana, another input to its cost-of-living grade.
The typical home value in River Ridge is about $345,000, up 5.2% in a year, 61% above the Louisiana typical home. On the market in the town: a median 109 days to sell. In River Ridge, the typical sale closed at 95.5% of the list price.
$345KZillow home value
| River Ridge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Median rent | $1,127 a month | $989 a month | $1,185 a month |
| Households that own their home | 71% | 68% | 73% |
Typical home value
River Ridge$345K
Louisiana$214K
Market temperature
109
days on market
95.5%
sale-to-list price
+5.2%
value change, 1 year
10
homes sold in May
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
SchoolsB
On state tests, River Ridge’s schools beat 57% of Louisiana districts
Its one school is below. Public schools: the Jefferson Parish school district. Enrollment at River Ridge’s public school: 384 students.
57%of LA districts it outscoresBSchool Grade
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazel Park/Hilda Knoff SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–8 | Grades PK–8 | 384 | B− |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduation
Natural hazardsHazard risk grade D−
Top of a very high hazard risk in River Ridge: hurricanes
FEMA puts 77% of River Ridge’s expected hazard losses down to hurricanes, and 14% to inland flooding. 3,571 flood insurance claims have been paid in the town since 1978. Households locally have drawn federal disaster aid in 10 declared disasters, most recently in 2024.
95risk score of 100
FEMA risk score
HurricanesInland flooding
3,571
paid flood claims since 1978
10
federal disasters paid out here
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA disaster declarations and aid · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
Work & commuteJobs & income grade A−
Most working residents commute out of River Ridge
River Ridge has 1,588 jobs for its 5,886 working residents: even if every job went to a resident, most would still commute out. Jobs based here grew from 1,137 in 2013 to 1,588.
Employers in River Ridge added 451 jobs between 2013 and 2023, to 1,588. Commuting out is the norm in the town: 4% of working residents work locally. In River Ridge, one in ten residents live below the poverty line, below Louisiana’s towns (20%) and close to U.S. towns (9.6%). For workers in the town, the share who work remotely from home is 14%.
4%work in town
| River Ridge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Work from home | 14% | 5.6% | 11% |
| Below the poverty line | 9.7% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Median household income | $84,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
| Working residents who work in town | 3.9% | 9.8% | 8% |
Where working residents work
In River Ridge4%
New Orleans24%
Metairie18%
Elmwood10%
Kenner7%
6 mi
median commute distance
1,588
jobs based in River Ridge
A commuter town
jobs vs. working residents
B−
Walkability grade: more walkable than 49% of U.S. towns
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Climate
Mild winters and hot summers in River Ridge
January nights average 44°, milder than in 96% of U.S. towns; July afternoons average 91.5°.
River Ridge’s January low is 44°F, where Louisiana’s towns sit at 42°F and U.S. towns at 22°F. Its July high comes in at 92°F. Snow almost never falls.
92°summer high
| River Ridge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| January low | 44°F | 42°F | 22°F |
| July high | 92°F | 92°F | 85°F |
Typical low → high °F
Winter46–65°
Spring60–79°
Summer74–91°
Fall61–80°
+0.9°
vs. the 20th-century average
92°
typical summer high
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
HealthB
River Ridge stands out in Louisiana and nationally, with fewer of its adults who report frequent mental distress
Within Louisiana it is healthier than 95% of the 161 graded towns: much of Louisiana scores lower on these measures. Its widest gap with Louisiana is tooth loss: 9.2% of those 65+ have lost all their teeth, against 18.1% statewide.
Only 9 of the 161 Louisiana towns we compare have a lower share of adults who report frequent physical distress than River Ridge. River Ridge: 18% of adults say their health is fair or poor. On the CDC’s 32 measures, River Ridge is ahead of Louisiana on 18 and behind on 1.
63%healthier than U.S. townsBHealth Grade
| River Ridge | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Smoke cigarettes (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 19% | 14% |
| Frequent mental distress (CDC PLACES) | 16% | 20% | 17% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 12% | 26% | 14% |
| Frequent physical distress (CDC PLACES) | 13% | 16% | 14% |
32 measures vs. Louisiana
18 better13 too close to call1 worse
| What stands out | River Ridge | LA |
|---|---|---|
| Fewer older adults who have lost all their teeth | 9.2% | 18.1% |
| Fewer adults facing food insecurity | 11.8% | 22.5% |
| More adults who have had cancer | 9.8% | 7.5% |
Ochsner Medical Center Acute
4.6 mi away · emergency room
3 of 3
care shortages: primary care, dental, mental health
95th
percentile among LA towns
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Keep exploring
Everything we know about River Ridge
17pages on River Ridge
The big questions
Out and about
After high school
Colleges nearby
13 within 15 miles of the center of River Ridge
Chamberlain University-LouisianaUniversity or college · Private for-profit · Jefferson4.2 mi$19,975 tuitionDelgado Community CollegeCommunity college · Public · New Orleans7.3 mi$4,279 in-state tuitionLouisiana State University Health Sciences Center-New OrleansUniversity or college · Public · New Orleans8.3 mi
About 5 of every 100 River Ridge residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Louisiana.
About River Ridge
Census-designated place in Louisiana, United States
River Ridge is an unincorporated community and census-designated place (CDP) in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, United States. It is a suburb of New Orleans. The population was 13,591 in 2020.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
- Area
- 3.5 sq mi
River Ridge’s neighbors
4 towns share a border with River Ridge.
HarahanWaggamanMetairieKennerRiver Ridge
How the neighbors grade
| Town | LA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| River Ridge | #50 | C+ | C− | — | B | B |
| Harahan | #17 | B | C | B+ | B | B |
| Waggaman | #144 | D | C+ | — | B | D− |
| Metairie | #67 | C | C− | — | B | B− |
| Kenner | #128 | D | C | C− | B | C |
River Ridge, Waggaman and Metairie report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare River Ridge with a neighbor →
Questions about River Ridge
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
Is River Ridge, LA a good place to live?
River Ridge grades C+ overall, better than 37% of U.S. towns and #50 of 161 in Louisiana. It grades B for health and B for schools. Hazard risk is its weak spot, with a D−.
Is River Ridge, LA expensive?
Yes. Cost of living, which also weighs rents, property taxes and how many households pay 30% or more of their income for housing, grades C−.