The 10 Worst Small Towns In Louisiana For 2024

Most Americans have never been to small town Louisiana. However, as the Louisianian who live there know, small town Louisiana is an awesome place to call home.

But is it all roses? Definitely not. Just like any other state, Louisiana has its trouble spots. This article aims to determine, using Saturday Night Science, the absolute worst small towns to live in the Pelican State. Don’t freak out, we will use data to show which places have high crime, poverty, and unemployment.

After analyzing more than 164 of Louisiana’s smallest cities, we came up with this list as the 10 worst small towns in Louisiana where you’d never want to live:

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Table Of Contents: Top Ten | Methodology | Summary | Table

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These are the worst small towns in Louisiana for 2024:

1. Oil City
2. Banks Springs
3. Natalbany
4. Mansura
5. Ringgold
6. Port Sulphur
7. Richwood
8. Greensburg
9. Haynesville
10. White Castle

So what is the worst small town to call home in Louisiana for 2024? According to the most recent census data, Oil City is the worst small town to live in Louisiana.

While many of these small towns have seen better days, they have wonderful communities and people. This report in no way means to knock the folks that call towns like Oil City home. Everyone

Read on below to see how we crunched the numbers, or scroll to the bottom to see how your town ranked.

And if you already know about the small towns, check out the best places to live in Louisiana or the worst places to live in Louisiana.

If you’re looking for something more national, check out the worst cities in America or the worst states in America.

The 10 Worst Small Towns In Louisiana For 2024

1. Oil City

Source: Public Domain

Overall SnackAbility

/10

Population: 1,093
Median Home Value: $91,473
Median Income: $18,790
Unemployment Rate: 12.9%

2. Banks Springs

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,485
Median Home Value: $53,170
Median Income: $24,656
Unemployment Rate: 19.1%

3. Natalbany

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 3,074
Median Home Value: $134,784
Median Income: $29,047
Unemployment Rate: 12.9%

4. Mansura

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 1,376
Median Home Value: $133,242
Median Income: $21,173
Unemployment Rate: 23.2%

5. Ringgold

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 1,686
Median Home Value: $61,564
Median Income: $21,761
Unemployment Rate: 14.1%

6. Port Sulphur

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,593
Median Home Value: $134,743
Median Income: $31,325
Unemployment Rate: 20.3%

7. Richwood

Overall SnackAbility

4
/10

Population: 3,847
Median Home Value: $68,648
Median Income: $28,594
Unemployment Rate: 12.0%

8. Greensburg

Overall SnackAbility

2
/10

Population: 1,096
Median Home Value: $163,329
Median Income: $42,957
Unemployment Rate: 21.5%

9. Haynesville

Source: Wikipedia User Billy Hathorn | CC BY-SA 3.0

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,287
Median Home Value: $89,253
Median Income: $26,867
Unemployment Rate: 15.7%

10. White Castle

Overall SnackAbility

3
/10

Population: 2,394
Median Home Value: $120,486
Median Income: $22,574
Unemployment Rate: 18.7%

Next 10 Towns

Methodology: How do you decide if a small place in Louisiana is lousy or not?

To rank the worst small towns to live in Louisiana, we had to determine what criteria people like or dislike about a place. Assuming that people like low crime, solid education, things to do, and a stable economy isn’t a stretch.

We then analyzed the criteria using Saturday Night Science, the thinking you’d use at a bar. It seems like even your crazy Uncle would agree that a town with high crime is worse than a town with low crime; all else the same.

Using FBI crime data and the Census’s 2018-2022 American Community Survey, this is the criteria we used:

• Population Density (The lower, the worse)
• Highest Unemployment Rates
• Low housing costs (meaning there’s no demand)
• Adjusted Median Income (Median income adjusted for the cost of living)
• Education (Number of high school dropouts)
• High Crime

We looked at cities with populations between 1,000 and 5,000 people, of which there were many – 164 to be exact.

We get the crime numbers from the FBI, which gets them from the cities. Dropout numbers are based on the adult population, not just the current graduation rates of teenagers.

We base all our research on facts, which is meant as infotainment. We updated this article for 2024, which is our tenth time ranking the worst small places to live in Louisiana.

There You Have It – The Worst Small Towns In Louisiana

If you’re analyzing teeny places in the Pelican State with the worst economic situations, where there’s high crime and there’s not a lot to do, this is an accurate list.

The worst small towns in Louisiana are Oil City, Banks Springs, Natalbany, Mansura, Ringgold, Port Sulphur, Richwood, Greensburg, Haynesville, and White Castle.

If you’re curious enough, here are the best small towns to live in Louisiana, according to science:

1. Montz (Pop. 2,074)
2. Paulina (Pop. 2,051)
3. Bayou Country Club (Pop. 1,271)

For more Louisiana reading, check out:

Worst Small Towns In Louisiana

Rank	Town	Population	Unemployment Rate	Home Value	Median Income
1	Oil City	1,093	12.9%	$91,473	$18,790
2	Banks Springs	1,485	19.1%	$53,170	$24,656
3	Natalbany	3,074	12.9%	$134,784	$29,047
4	Mansura	1,376	23.2%	$133,242	$21,173
5	Ringgold	1,686	14.1%	$61,564	$21,761
6	Port Sulphur	1,593	20.3%	$134,743	$31,325
7	Richwood	3,847	12.0%	$68,648	$28,594
8	Greensburg	1,096	21.5%	$163,329	$42,957
9	Haynesville	2,287	15.7%	$89,253	$26,867
10	White Castle	2,394	18.7%	$120,486	$22,574
11	Montegut	1,347	0.9%	$99,444	$32,989
12	Vivian	3,086	10.2%	$64,933	$23,875
13	Bunkie	3,362	11.2%	$96,310	$21,888
14	Mansfield	4,675	15.8%	$64,152	$33,072
15	Bayou L’ourse	2,039	11.8%	$79,202	$45,777
16	Kentwood	1,932	15.8%	$147,556	$29,856
17	Minorca	1,398	8.9%	$82,418	$43,438
18	Bawcomville	2,654	5.6%	$62,819	$30,636
19	Simmesport	1,308	7.3%	$67,844	$19,592
20	Ferriday	3,192	23.2%	$76,890	$26,513
21	Amelia	2,000	8.5%	$0	$45,333
22	Chauvin	2,511	10.5%	$85,204	$49,280
23	Erwinville	2,759	26.4%	$171,571	$71,250
24	Zwolle	1,860	9.7%	$166,304	$29,464
25	Homer	2,739	5.2%	$72,184	$20,723
26	Arnaudville	1,522	7.0%	$128,634	$24,219
27	Pine Prairie	1,414	14.9%	$156,092	$32,244
28	Coushatta	2,053	0.9%	$77,594	$27,841
29	Springhill	4,740	10.7%	$81,728	$27,868
30	Logansport	1,972	7.9%	$113,576	$37,550
31	Lake Providence	3,542	13.6%	$51,789	$25,614
32	Jackson	4,600	13.7%	$186,804	$40,642
33	Basile	2,353	25.8%	$122,377	$38,500
34	Henderson	1,677	6.9%	$101,280	$39,635
35	Colfax	1,632	7.1%	$110,402	$27,847
36	Rayville	3,343	12.5%	$153,043	$23,292
37	Olla	1,329	7.1%	$112,521	$34,333
38	Many	2,566	8.3%	$99,806	$22,260
39	North Vacherie	1,740	6.8%	$123,527	$35,000
40	Bernice	1,206	3.5%	$90,954	$24,375
41	Gueydan	1,220	19.8%	$124,115	$24,375
42	Brownsville	4,198	10.6%	$71,764	$33,819
43	Kraemer	1,128	13.4%	$143,428	$63,403
44	Independence	2,258	16.5%	$172,154	$41,071
45	Duson	1,441	6.4%	$196,884	$30,302
46	Kinder	1,934	10.1%	$140,366	$39,097
47	Jonesville	1,252	7.9%	$104,188	$40,875
48	Cottonport	1,734	3.3%	$115,077	$31,676
49	Glenmora	1,574	6.8%	$126,988	$34,865
50	Avondale	4,870	10.5%	$124,130	$53,144
51	Jean Lafitte	2,517	17.9%	$148,923	$59,225
52	Winnsboro	4,823	11.9%	$122,785	$31,821
53	Jonesboro	4,135	1.5%	$88,750	$28,963
54	Fifth Ward	1,147	5.3%	$138,704	$49,207
55	Delhi	2,630	10.0%	$129,117	$43,348
56	Winnfield	4,124	8.1%	$100,889	$37,477
57	Mamou	2,918	16.2%	$97,071	$23,310
58	Deville	1,083	10.5%	$195,307	$1,000
59	Church Point	4,182	7.2%	$144,515	$44,185
60	Dubach	1,026	2.9%	$108,032	$31,953
61	Farmerville	3,371	8.8%	$166,656	$24,337
62	Roseland	1,237	8.0%	$117,994	$43,693
63	Lake Arthur	2,617	9.4%	$103,359	$43,625
64	Labadieville	1,546	12.7%	$148,958	$55,250
65	Vinton	3,314	1.4%	$123,901	$40,859
66	Franklinton	3,638	4.2%	$177,569	$31,645
67	Elton	1,284	0.8%	$94,892	$35,828
68	Baldwin	2,065	0.8%	$107,646	$29,473
69	Sibley	1,323	2.4%	$95,786	$31,359
70	Ossun	2,545	6.4%	$95,484	$39,559
71	Urania	1,219	7.2%	$84,529	$54,375
72	Fort Polk North	2,075	12.0%	$0	$39,771
73	Oberlin	1,676	1.7%	$109,186	$35,673
74	Iota	1,518	5.6%	$176,663	$37,778
75	Berwick	4,717	10.3%	$156,834	$52,458
76	Poydras	2,513	0.0%	$116,692	$50,403
77	Kaplan	4,335	9.0%	$137,912	$38,505
78	Vienna Bend	1,666	12.6%	$110,561	$42,754
79	Golden Meadow	2,053	3.7%	$73,629	$55,917
80	Port Barre	2,181	7.1%	$127,671	$37,000
81	Charenton	1,051	4.1%	$133,880	$50,282
82	Livonia	1,290	1.5%	$191,573	$48,523
83	Oak Grove	1,531	1.1%	$69,620	$31,875
84	Morse	1,111	1.4%	$82,318	$53,393
85	Jeanerette	4,807	4.8%	$104,294	$50,987
86	Arcadia	2,725	2.7%	$92,874	$37,610
87	Amite City	4,033	3.6%	$131,065	$42,415
88	Belle Rose	2,030	6.8%	$211,976	$1,000
89	Clinton	1,550	16.0%	$209,844	$54,141
90	Vidalia	3,994	11.5%	$121,702	$43,684
91	Anacoco	1,066	3.3%	$162,612	$70,147
92	Garyville	2,108	3.7%	$138,101	$64,261
93	Fordoche	1,060	7.0%	$177,903	$57,663
94	Arabi	4,296	10.0%	$224,706	$49,071
95	Boutte	2,274	12.4%	$173,826	$74,886
96	Rosepine	1,740	6.6%	$182,956	$57,333
97	New Llano	2,290	15.6%	$116,223	$50,758
98	New Roads	4,508	8.0%	$155,810	$47,792
99	Delcambre	2,422	5.7%	$116,105	$45,943
100	Leonville	1,442	0.0%	$164,435	$1,000