By Kezia Kamenetz|Updated on November 25, 2022(Originally published November 24, 2022)
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Kezia Kamenetz
Author
Kezia Kamenetz is a native to southern Louisiana and lives in the Marigny neighborhood of New Orleans currently. When not writing about all the amazing things to be found in her state, her central passion is dreams and the wisdom they can offer, which you can learn more about by visiting KeziaVida.com
Louisiana ranks as one of the most fun and exciting places to visit and live in the United States, however, at the same time the state has been ranked again and again as one of the most dangerous places in all of America. The most dangerous cities in Louisiana are all in the most dangerous state in America, making you take a second glance at some of these places.
Crime is a serious problem in many jurisdictions, and surprisingly, New Orleans is not the most dangerous place to live in the state. These crime rates were taken from FBI statistics that Roadsnacks calculated for the year 2021. The updated 2022 list of the most dangerous cities in Louisiana is available at Roadsnacks, where you will find slight differences between the two lists. We have updated each city in this list that is no longer considered a top ten.
Crime rates listed here were determined by adding up all crimes reported in a particular jurisdiction, dividing by the population of that place, and multiplying by 1000. Towns with a population under 2500 were taken out of this calculation. Of course, even places with crime issues have beautiful aspects, so we added a reminder of some of the more pleasant features of each place here.
10) Gonzales - Crime rate: 8,528 per 100,000 property theft
Gonzales is the least dangerous place on our list, and it’s home to an impressive amount of outlet stores. In fact, the only reason why Gonzales rates on the top 10 is become of property theft, primarily related to these very outlet malls. So this isn’t a place I’d worry too much about living in!
9) New Orleans- Crime Rate: 1,144 out of 100,000 violent crimes
Not surprisingly, New Orleans does make the cut on the top 10 most dangerous places in Louisiana. What may be more surprising is that it’s only number 9; and some years it doesn’t make the list at all! But violent crimes like rape and murder are on the rise, so stay sharp during your Fat Tuesday celebrations.
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8) West Monroe -
Crime Rate: 1 in 13 chance of property theft
One of the "Twin Cities" of northeast Louisiana, this 13,000 person town is home to favorite places like Antique Alley and Kiroli park. West Monroe is actually safer than many of the surrounding areas, but property crime puts it onto this list.
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7) Natchitoches -Crime Rate: 997 violent crimes per 100,000
The oldest permanent settlement within the borders of the 1803 Louisiana Purchase, this city of over 18,000 is home to some of the best meat pies in the state. It also has one third of its citizens living below the poverty line, so is it any surprise that the third highest burglary rate in all of Louisiana is in the town of Natchitoches?
More dangerous than the surrounding big cities, Ponchatoula is a small town that doesn’t seem to have a lot to do. That may explain the high property crime rate, if people are getting bored and need an outlet. It is home to the lovely Ponchatoula Strawberry Festival, that you must check out if you’re in the area. Just keep your wallet secure. Update: However, Ponchatoula is no longer a top ten most dangerous place in Louisiana in the 2022 updated list.
With close to 50,000 people, this other half of the "Twin Cities", the settlement was first known as Fort Miro, and changed the name to Monroe in recognition of the steam-powered ship the James Monroe which visited the town in the early 19th century. Monroe is also the third highest city to be a victim of violent crime in.
4) Bastrop - Crime Rate: 1 in 12 chance of property crime
Around 11,000 people call this small rural city in Morehouse Parish home. Bastrop has been hard hit by the 2008 closings of the IPC paper mill and Pilgrim’s Pride poultry plant. Recently, it’s had a drop in violent and property crime numbers, so this small town is headed in the right direction. Update: The updated 2022 list does not include Bastrop as one of the top ten dangerous places in Louisiana.
Marksville is a tiny town with a big problem: it’s the second most dangerous place in Louisiana for violent crime. And the population is only just over 5,000 people! There’s a casino in town, which may account for the higher than average rates of crime.
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2) Alexandria -Crime Rate: 1 in 11 chance of property crime
With a population close to 48,000, Alexandria sits on the Red River in almost the exact geographic center of Louisiana. It's the center of the Alexandria metropolitan area, which is home to over 153,000 people. It’s also number two on our list, with the number one spot in all of Louisiana for property crime. Their crime rate is also quadruple the crime rate of our national average! Get away from people, and check out the Alexandria Zoological Park instead.
1) Opelousas - Crime Rate: 1 in 40 chance of violent crime
The center of Zydeco music and the 3rd oldest city in Louisiana, over 16,000 people call this city home. Opelousas calls itself the spice capital of the world, home to Tony Chachere’s, Targil Seasonings, and Savoie’s products. And we call it number one on our list of most dangerous places to live in Louisiana. This area has only more recently made the top of the most dangerous list, so hopefully Opelousas can turn it around in the near future.
Well, folks, the numbers don’t lie. To find out how we determined these rankings, visit this website from Roadsnacks.net.
Were you surprised by any of these rankings of the most dangerous cities in Louisiana? What did you think of the list? Do you live in one of these towns? Let us know in the comments below!
If you’re looking for something a bit more lighthearted, check out these 9 special small towns in Louisiana.
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Most Dangerous Towns In Louisiana
Megan McDonald|April 22, 2021
Is Louisiana a good place to live?
Yes! Even though Louisiana is known for being the most dangerous state in the country, there are so many wonderful things about this state. The people are friendly and welcoming, the food is amazing, and the weather is hot and beautiful.
Is it expensive to live in Louisiana?
Not at all! Louisiana’s cost of living ranks lower than the national average, at only 86.9 out of 100. The cost of living is much more affordable here than in other states in America.
