There are no other cities quite like New Orleans, Louisiana. New Orleans is home to a “melting pot” cultural blend of African, French, and Latin American roots. New Orleans is famous for its reputation as an interesting and fun city, but you may still be wondering if New Orleans, LA is a good place to live. To help, we put together the following information about what it’s like to live in NOLA. And if you’re moving soon and want to know what to expect when you live here, read on.
New Orleans is affectionately known as The Big Easy. The city offers world-class entertainment, nightlife, food, and music. New Orleans is famous for the city’s extravagant Mardi Gras parades and celebrations. Mardi Gras is a carnival celebration full of incredible costumes and a wildly fun atmosphere.
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However, if you’re moving to New Orleans, you’re likely interested in more than partying and carnivals. You may be wondering what the public schools are like in NOLA or if the city is safe. Does New Orleans have decent roads and public transportation? Is it a good city to raise a family, find a job or even retire? These are all excellent questions that we need to answer before you move. So let’s get into it: is New Orleans, LA a good place to live?
What’s the Weather Like in New Orleans, LA?
The weather in New Orleans is unpredictable. The winters are remarkable for their mild temperatures and lack of snow. But the warm weather bites back in summer with scorching temperatures and humidity. For example, Best Places gives New Orleans a comfort index of 8.2/10 in winter. However, during June, July, and August, the weather here is the worst. The summer comfort index is only 2/10! It is sweltering hot with incredibly high humidity. As a result, you won’t want to venture far from your air conditioning. The NOLA weather is standard if you’re from the south, but it can bring a pretty hot shock for northerners.
Winter, thankfully, is much more pleasant in New Orleans, but still quite wet. New Orleans sits right where the Mississippi River flows into the Gulf of Mexico. Unfortunately, this coastal location brings with it a whopping 64 inches of rain per year! Wow! That’s almost twice the national average.
Is New Orleans, LA an Affordable Place to Live?
New Orleans gets a C- from Niche for its cost of living, yikes! But don’t freak out yet, the cost of housing here is quite reasonable. Housing in NOLA is low compared to many cities of the same size. Other costs, however, including transportation, aren’t nearly as reasonable. Below are the major cost indices for New Orleans so that you can make your own judgment. Keep in mind that they’re based on the national average of 100.
- Overall: 96/100
- Groceries: 99/100
- Health Care: 85/100
- Housing: 77/100
- Median home cost: $254,600
- Utilities: 87/100
- Transportation: 132/100
- Miscellaneous: 98/100
Are the Public Schools in New Orleans, LA Good?
Over 90 Public Schools serve New Orleans, and several of them have excellent ratings. However, the city schools have a C- grade overall. If you have kids, it’s essential you choose a community in New Orleans close to a good school.
Luckily, 14 New Orleans public schools have an A rating or higher. The #1 Best Public High School in Louisiana is in New Orleans: Benjamin Franklin High School. Likewise, the Haynes Academy School is the #2 Best Public High School in Louisiana and it is also in NOLA. As a result, it is important for families to consider the nearby schools in New Orleans.
Is New Orleans, LA a Safe Place to Live?
Above all else, safety is a priority when choosing where to make your new home. Unfortunately, New Orleans has more crime than most other cities in the US. For example, both property and violent crime in NOLA are nearly double the national average. While New Orleans isn’t one of the most dangerous cities in the country, the high crime rate is still a factor to consider.
Does New Orleans, LA Have Good Nightlife?
If there’s one area where New Orleans excels above all other cities, it’s entertainment and nightlife. NOLA is, after all, the home of the Super Bowl-winning Saints and Mardi Gras! There are fantastic clubs throughout the city, including many LGBTQ+ bars.
Restaurants and bars stay open all night, too, and there’s live music everywhere you turn. In addition, sports bars dot the city, and there are fantastic night tours to enjoy NOLA after dark. To take a deep dive into the city’s nightlife, click here. New Orleans is one of the only places in the US where you can truly party all night until the sun comes up.
Is New Orleans a Diverse City?
New Orleans gets a score of 86/100 for diversity, putting it ahead of many other American cities. Niche gives NOLA an A for diversity. But all you really need to do is look at the local restaurants. New Orleans has diverse and distinctive restaurants. The strong creole and southern influences bring the NOLA cuisine to life. You are sure to eat well in New Orleans.
Is New Orleans a Good City for Outdoors Activties?
There are many outdoor activities to enjoy in New Orleans, including swamp tours, freshwater fishing, and all the golf you can handle. There are festivals throughout the year and pedal pub tours that can take you around the city by bicycle. Carriage rides are also popular. And New Orleans’ City Park is even bigger than New York City’s famed Central Park! (Ours is 1300 acres compared to New York’s 840 acres. Take that, Big Apple!) The only drawback is that NOLA has no beaches, at least none that are close.
New Orleans, LA is a Good Place to Live, Work and Play
Yes, New Orleans has a few drawbacks and problems we need to address. But we think you’ll agree that it’s a beautiful place to live, work and raise a family.
At Southern Self Storage, we love the lifestyle and culture in New Orleans! We have 5 self-storage locations in New Orleans, LA. And we have another 8 locations within shouting distance. They all feature an on-site manager, easy-access front gates, and 24/7 video monitoring.
If you have questions about renting a storage unit in New Orleans, please feel free to chat with us online. You can also visit the Southern Self Storage location in New Orleans, closest to your home to meet the on-site manager. They can answer any questions and help you rent a NOLA storage unit for your stuff! Until then, if you’ve just moved here, welcome to New Orleans, LA!
In my opinion New Orleans is a horrible place to live economy is high crime is way to high housing is ridiculous if I could afford to move I would pack up tomorrow I struggle every day to live here.
New Orleans is number one with the bullet murder capital of the United States
Nola sucks been here my whole life and if I could id be gone as fast as it takes outsides to come in id be out.if you coming for a vacation its probably not a bad place to VISIT but slip once and your vacation could turn into probation.or worse.but then again you may have a good time….whom am I to judge.js