Check Out Which Louisiana Cities Get Good Scores on the AARP Community Livability Ranking

Most of the folks who have lived in Louisiana for many decades can tell you why they love living here. But a new study shows some towns in the Bayou State are near the bottom of a list of livable cities.

The AARP Livability Index used many factors to ranks towns all across the nation for quality of life and this report shows many major urban centers and small rural towns face steep hurdles when it comes to supporting residents across all stages of life.

How Were the Scores in the Livability Index Determined

The index evaluated communities on a scale of zero to 100 based on several characteristics including housing, neighborhood infrastructure, transportation, health, environment, and civic engagement. The report shows most towns perform about average. But there are some underperforming towns in Louisiana.

How Do Northwest Louisiana Towns Perform on Livability Index

KEEL News checked out the numbers for towns all around Shreveport-Bossier and found Bossier City leads the local pack with an overall livability score of 46, closely followed by neighboring Benton at 47. But Shreveport was one of the lower performing cities with an overall score of 42.

Shreveport scored pretty good on civic engagement at 62, followed by a moderate 56 in housing. But Shreveport gets low marks for neighborhood quality at 41 and a very low 31 in both environment and opportunity. And Shreveport scores a dismal 28 in health.

How Do Other Cities Near Shreveport Score on the Report

We also checked out some towns very near the Shreveport metro. Stonewall, Eastwood, and Red Chute each posted scores of 43, while Haughton sits at 42. Moving further outward or into smaller rural pockets, numbers dip further: Blanchard and Oil City registered at 41, Mooringsport at 40, and Greenwood at 39. Doyline dropped to 36, while the small community of Belcher recorded the lowest local mark on the chart at 33. Waskom, Texas, sitting just across the state line within the regional orbit, matched Shreveport at 42.

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How Do the Largest Cities in Louisiana Perform

A new analysis of the AARP Livability Index data across Louisiana’s major urban centers reveals a striking picture of urban strengths and systemic challenges. Among the state’s largest cities, New Orleans claims the highest overall score at 51. The Crescent City gets high scores for cultural vibrancy and neighborhood options. Close behind is Lafayette at 50, while Baton Rouge and Alexandria both log scores of 47, and Monroe follows at 45.

Shreveport is the worst performing large city in Louisiana with a livability score of 42.

Ultimately, the data shows that while cultural capitals like New Orleans edge out the competition, Louisiana's major metropolitan areas face shared hurdles in bridging critical gaps in healthcare, infrastructure, and environmental resilience to build truly thriving communities for all residents.

Check Out the Towns in Louisiana That Are on the Bottom of This List