7 Best Small Towns In Louisiana For Retirees
The small towns in Louisiana are some of the most affordable places to live as a retiree in the United States. The geography is mostly flat, which is safer for those who are aged. These smaller towns prioritize community events and involvement, keeping seniors active and engaged, and also offer affordable living and dining options. The small towns listed below allow seniors to enjoy their golden years in places that are both rich in cultural history and prioritize new experiences for art and music lovers.
Natchitoches, Louisiana
Natchitoches' claim to fame is none other than that it is where the film Steel Magnolias was filmed in 1989. However, this town has so much more to offer than a classic Southern film studio tour. Natchitoches is the original French colony and the oldest settlement in the Louisiana Purchase, which lends to why both the Northwest Louisiana History Museum and Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame are located in this small town.
Seniors can stay active with a variety of accessible sports, including kayaking and paddle boarding at Cane River Paddle & Pedal Sports, playing golf at the "Demon Hills" course at Northwestern Hills Golf Course facility, or playing a seasonal sport at the NSU recreation complex for a low monthly fee. Retirees will find great value on a fixed income as there are many affordable places to eat, flat walking paths, a choice of nursing facilities, and plenty of community events year-round.
Ruston, Louisiana
For a town of around 20,000 citizens, this town attracts enthusiasts of nature, art, and sports. Seniors will love the James Lake Birding Trail, where they can view and photograph birds on a viewing platform, on a bridge, or along a wooded trail hugging a lake. Another local draw is Elmore D. Mayfield Park—Ruston's largest city park with 66 acres of walking trails, family areas, lakes, and other athletic facilities.
History lovers will adore The North Louisiana Military Museum as it showcases artifacts from World War I up until the Gulf Wars, and will love even more that the admission is free. Art-loving seniors will love Downtown Ruston for its variety of galleries and public art installations. No matter their interests, retirees will love the variety of low-impact options that will keep them both physically and mentally stimulated in Ruston.
Thiboudaux, Louisiana
Thiboudaux encapsulates the best of both worlds. It's a small town of under 16,000 citizens that has a rich Cajun culture of its own, and is also only one hour away from both Baton Rouge and New Orleans. Its history is traced back to French-Canadian immigrants (Cajuns) who settled in the mid-1700s. Today, citizens can enjoy a rich Cajun culture still showcased in the local cuisine— such as at Spahr's Downtown and The Jambalaya Shoppe—and in the architecture in historical buildings like the Dansereau House built in 1847. Thiboudaux has plenty of affordable supermarkets, a municipal swimming pool, and dozens of walkable streets and town parks. Seniors with younger family members will love entertaining them at the Bayou Country Children's Museum, the yearly Louisiana Gumbo Festival of Chackbay, or by experiencing a swamp tour.
Abbeville, Louisiana
Originally settled in 1843, Abbeville was first utilized as a popular trade center for rice, cotton, sugar, and seafood. Today, locals can enjoy a variety of cuisines, including Cajun, Mexican, and Chinese. Not only does Abbeville have one of the lowest median home values in the state, allowing seniors to get a bigger bang for their buck, but there are dozens of free activities around the city. Birders will enjoy the Vermilion Parish, one of America's Wetland Birding Trails. The Vermilion Birding Loop is among the most popular for its access to snowy egrets, herons, pelicans, pipers, and roseate spoonbills. Seniors can also enjoy free admission to the yearly Veteran Heritage Festival and the Louisiana Military Museum. Finally, art lovers can enjoy a year's worth of local play productions for a donation of only $20!
Minden, Louisiana
Minden is a great choice for seniors who love the great outdoors. Minden is near Lake Bistineau, Dorcheat Bayou, and the Caney Lakes Recreation Area—all of which are big draws for accessible hikes, campsites, and family vacations. Even with a population of only 11,000 people, Minden throws multiple festivals every year. In October, the Webster Parish Fair offers rides, a parade, and games for the whole family; in the spring, the Moess Art Center and City Farm delight citizens with local artwork and agricultural events. Historical buffs will also love the Germantown Colony and Museum for a look into the lives of 19th-century settlers, as well as the overall architecture downtown, where they can still admire Antebellum and Victorian-style homes in the historic districts.
Bogalusa, Louisiana
Bogalusa was founded in the early 1900s as a company town for the Great Southern Lumber Company; it grew so fast that it was nicknamed the "Magic City." Today, citizens celebrate a wide variety of festivals around its origins, its famous citizens (New Orleans blues icon Professor Longhair and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet Yusef Komunyakaa), its participation in the early years of the civil rights movement, and Mardi Gras. Seniors will have no trouble staying active in the community with these above events: the Bogalusa Nature Trail, golf at the local country club, and public library access.
Hammond, Louisiana
Similar to Thibodaux, Hammond is an hour away from both Baton Rouge and New Orleans, allowing citizens to enjoy small town charm and big city access. Seniors who are animal lovers or who love to entertain animal lovers in their family will be thrilled about experiencing nearby gator tours, the Louisiana Children's Discovery Center, and the Global Wildlife Center—with free-roaming wildlife viewers can admire from a safari cart.
Nature lovers will thrive along the walking trails in the Joyce Wildlife Management Area, where they can view waterfowl, gators, and frogs on their expansive 42,000-plus acres. The biggest draw to Hammond is the access to the Southern Swamp Byway, where seniors can take tours, learn about the local fauna and flora, and explore the bayou in their own backyard like an early explorer.
With plenty of nursing homes, community events, outdoor spaces for exercise, and festivals to nurture their love of art and music, these small towns in Louisiana are ideal for retirees. All of the above towns will be accessible to those of various physical abilities, can entertain their families of all ages, and can offer affordable housing on any income level. These small towns in Louisiana will give retirees the opportunity to live out their senior years with balance, energy, and community involvement.
