Each edition grades its towns against each other only.
A town of 12,478, settled in 1885. A regional job hub with 12,009 jobs.
West Monroe grades D overall, 127th among Louisiana's 161 graded towns, mostly because of safety and health. Its police reported 131 violent crimes reported to the FBI in 2025, a higher rate per resident than 99% of U.S. towns. CDC estimates put its residents' health behind 92% of the country. One bright spot: its public schools beat 80% of Louisiana towns on state tests and graduation. West Monroe’s violent crime rate is 10.6 per 1,000 residents, above both Louisiana’s towns (4.3) and U.S. towns (1.6). On hazard risk, just 13 of Louisiana’s 255 towns do better. West Monroe has 5 places on the National Register of Historic Places, among them First United Methodist Church and Ouachita Parish High School.
Where West Monroe beats most towns, and one thing worth knowing.
5.7% of the town is conserved land, across 7 parks and preserves.
Each subject compared with towns across the country (schools within Louisiana), ordered by how far West Monroe is from typical.
How TownRatings grades towns →
Census counts: 447 in 1890, 13,103 in 2020. The archive holds 12 old photos and papers going back to 1880 and 5 maps from 1935 on.
5 places on the National Register of Historic Places.
Who provides power, water and the rest in West Monroe, and how to reach them.
EPA SDWIS (Oct 9, 2026) · HIFLD + EIA-861 2025 · Census 2020 ZCTAs · NCES 2024–25 · registration: vote.gov, updated Aug 3, 2026.
Ordered by what stands out in West Monroe.
West Monroe carries less natural-hazard risk than nearly all of Louisiana (mostly inland flooding) and draws workers from Monroe and beyond, but it reports violent crime at about twice the Louisiana rate.
Violent crime runs at 10.6 per 1,000 residents, about twice the Louisiana rate; the Safety Grade counts each violent crime four times, so this weighs most on its D−. Property crime runs at 53.4 per 1,000 residents, 3 times the Louisiana rate, most of it theft.
West Monroe reports more crime per resident than most U.S. towns we grade: about 99% report less. West Monroe’s property crime rate is 53.4 per 1,000 residents.
FBI crime data, 2025 · crimes reported to police
Its public schools are run by the Ouachita Parish school district. Three of its 8 schools are below, each with why it’s listed. The largest public high school is West Monroe High School, with 2,041 students.
| School | Level | Students | Letter |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kiroli Elementary SchoolLargest public elementary schoolGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 450 | A |
| West Monroe High SchoolLargest public high schoolGrades 8–12 | Grades 8–12 | 2,041 | B+ |
| Highland Elementary SchoolTop results in townGrades PK–5 | Grades PK–5 | 263 | A |
NCES · EDFacts · graded within LA on state tests and graduation
12,009 jobs are based in West Monroe, 2.6 for every working resident, so most of the people who work here commute in.
About one in 5 of West Monroe’s working residents works in town. 26% of residents live below the poverty line in West Monroe. The top destinations are Monroe (37%), Brownsville (3%) and Claiborne (2%).
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Below the poverty line | 26% | 20% | 9.6% |
| Working residents who work in town | 21% | 9.8% | 8% |
| Average trip to work | 20 minutes | 25 minutes | 25 minutes |
| Median household income | $49,000 | $56,000 | $80,000 |
Census LEHD 2023 · ACS
Within Louisiana it is less healthy than 51% of the 161 graded towns: much of Louisiana scores lower on these measures.
45% of West Monroe adults have high blood pressure. West Monroe beats the Louisiana average on 0 of 32 CDC measures and trails it on 4. 35% of West Monroe adults get no exercise outside work.
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| High blood pressure (CDC PLACES) | 45% | 44% | 35% |
| Get no exercise (CDC PLACES) | 35% | 34% | 25% |
| Feel lonely (CDC PLACES) | 38% | 37% | 33% |
| Food insecurity (CDC PLACES) | 26% | 26% | 14% |
| What stands out | West Monroe | LA |
|---|---|---|
| More adults facing a utility shut-off | 14.5% | 12.4% |
| More adults facing food insecurity | 25.9% | 22.5% |
| More adults facing housing insecurity | 19.2% | 16.8% |
CDC PLACES 2025 · modeled estimates for adults · CMS · HRSA
Its B+ for the outdoors ranks #4 of 162 in Louisiana.
2.6 miles of trail in 7 parks and preserves. Among 123 Louisiana towns, just 10 have a higher share of conserved land than West Monroe.
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Conserved land | 5.7% | 1.2% | 4.3% |
| Miles of trail per square mile | 0.3 miles per square mile | 0.2 | 0.4 |
| Biggest places to walk | Trails | Acres |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Lazarre Park | 1.2 mi | 82 |
| 2. Restoration Park | 0.7 mi | 51 |
| 3. Kiroli Park | 0.6 mi | 124 |
Trails & parks © OpenStreetMap contributors · Conserved land: USGS PAD-US
FEMA rates its natural-hazard risk lower than 93% of Louisiana towns, with expected losses of about $314 per resident a year; that rating is what its A− for hazard risk is built on. 649 flood insurance claims have been filed here, and 110 properties have flooded more than once.
The FEMA risk score in West Monroe is 20 of 100. Since 1978, 649 flood insurance claims have been paid out in West Monroe.
FEMA flood insurance claims · FEMA National Risk Index · OpenFEMA
January nights average 35.6°: milder than most of the country, but colder than 90% of Louisiana places with climate records; July afternoons average 93.1°.
West Monroe has mild winters and hot summers, with plenty of rain. Snow is almost unheard of.
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| July high | 93°F | 92°F | 85°F |
| January low | 36°F | 42°F | 22°F |
NOAA U.S. Climate Normals, 1991–2020
Only 44.7% of households own their home, against 67.4% across Louisiana.
No broad age group is more than 4 points off the Louisiana average. West Monroe has lost 4.7% of its people since 2020, down to 12,478 in the Census Bureau’s 2025 estimate. 22% of adults 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree or more, vs 27% across Louisiana.
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 18 | 26% | 24% | 22% |
| Median age | 35.4 years | 37.9 years | 40.5 years |
| Bachelor’s degree or more, 25+ | 22% | 20% | 29% |
52% women, 48% men
That’s an even split within the survey’s margin of ±2.7 points. Across Louisiana, 51.1% of residents are women.
| West Monroe | LA | U.S. | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Under 10 | 15.1% | 12.6% | 11.6% |
| 10 to 17 | 11.3% | 10.9% | 10.3% |
| 18 to 24 | 9.3% | 9.1% | 9.1% |
| 25 to 34 | 13.6% | 13.3% | 13.7% |
| 35 to 44 | 13.9% | 13.3% | 13.2% |
| 45 to 54 | 10.2% | 11.5% | 12.2% |
| 55 to 64 | 9.6% | 12.6% | 12.7% |
| 65 to 74 | 6.2% | 10.2% | 10.2% |
| 75 and older | 10.8% | 6.5% | 7% |
| No diploma | 14.9% | 12.7% | 10.4% |
| High school | 32.4% | 32.5% | 26% |
| Some college | 26.3% | 20.4% | 19.1% |
| Associate’s | 4.3% | 7.3% | 8.8% |
| Bachelor’s | 12.3% | 17% | 21.6% |
| Graduate | 9.7% | 10.1% | 14.1% |
Census population estimates, 2025 · U.S. Census Bureau · ACS 2020-2024 5-year estimates
The typical West Monroe home is worth about $202,000, up 2.9% in a year, 6% below the Louisiana typical home.
| West Monroe | Louisiana towns | U.S. towns | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Households that own their home | 45% | 68% | 73% |
| Median rent | $826 a month | $992 a month | $1,185 a month |
Zillow Home Value Index · Redfin Data Center
Museums, parks, gardens and other places to visit around West Monroe. Close and well known come first.
10 mi Ancient siteWatson Brake
6 mi MuseumChennault Aviation and Military Museum
in town GardenBiedenharn Museum and Gardens5 mi Zoo & aquariumLouisiana Purchase Gardens and Zoo
28 mi TheatreDixie Center for the Arts
29 mi GardenLouisiana Tech University ArboretumWatson Brake: Herb Roe, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Chennault Aviation and Military Museum: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Biedenharn Museum and Gardens: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Dixie Center for the Arts: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Louisiana Tech University Arboretum: Billy Hathorn, CC BY-SA 3.0
2 within 15 miles of the center of West Monroe
About 5 of every 100 West Monroe residents are enrolled in college, about the same as Louisiana.
Where West Monroe’s working residents go each day. Line width shows the share.
Census LEHD 2023
5 places in West Monroe on the National Register of Historic Places.
26 notable people were born in West Monroe.
City in Louisiana, United States
West Monroe is the second largest city in Ouachita Parish, Louisiana, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, its population was 13,103. It is situated on the Ouachita River, across from the neighboring city of Monroe. The two cities are often referred to as the Twin Cities of northeast Louisiana.
From Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0 · facts via Wikidata (CC0)
3 towns share a border with West Monroe.
| Town | LA rank | Overall | Cost | Safety | Schools | Health |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Monroe | #127 | D | C+ | D− | A− | D |
| Claiborne | #35 | B− | C | — | A− | B− |
| Brownsville | #61 | C | B | — | A− | D− |
| Monroe | #149 | D− | C | D− | B | D− |
Claiborne and Brownsville report no FBI crime data of their own. Compare West Monroe with a neighbor →
Short answers, built from the data on this page.
West Monroe grades D overall, better than 12% of U.S. towns and #127 of 161 in Louisiana. It grades D for health, D− for safety and A− for schools. Safety is its weak spot, with a D−.
That is 3.9 years of the area's median household income ($51,660 across the Monroe, LA metro 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+.
26 notable people were born here, including James D. Halsell and Webb Pierce.
