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Baton Rouge, LA

Donaldsonville is part of the Baton Rouge area. This page covers the whole metro.

Everyday life
Shops, cafes, and daily routines
Hobbies & activities
Trails, parks, and pastimes
Nearby scenery
Lakes, overlooks, and drives

Photos and reviews come from Google Maps and show single places, not the whole area. Reviews are the most relevant ones Google returns for each place. We show the longest highly rated review under 400 characters and, when there is one, the longest low-rated review. Google doesn't verify reviews but removes fake ones when it finds them.

Around Baton Rouge

Aerial of Baton Rouge, LA from
Aerial of Baton Rouge, LA from · Photo: NASA Astronaut, Public domain
Arnett W. Ace Mumford Fieldhouse A. W. Mumford Stadium end zone seating
Arnett W. Ace Mumford Fieldhouse A. W. Mumford Stadium end zone seating · Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0
Baton Rouge, Louisiana
Baton Rouge, Louisiana · Photo: davidpinter, CC BY 3.0
Baton Rouge Airport March
Baton Rouge Airport March · Photo: GRALISTAIR, CC BY-SA 4.0
Baton Rouge Flood August OC
Baton Rouge Flood August OC · Photo: U.S. Department of Agriculture, CC BY 2.0
Baton Rouge High
Baton Rouge High · Photo: Tjean314, CC BY-SA 3.0
Baton Rouge from I Nov C Street
Baton Rouge from I Nov C Street · Photo: Infrogmation of New Orleans, CC BY-SA 3.0
Downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana from Tiger Stadium
Downtown Baton Rouge, Louisiana from Tiger Stadium · Photo: Spatms, CC BY-SA 4.0
Horace Wilkinson Bridge , Baton Rouge, Louisiana at sunset, January
Horace Wilkinson Bridge , Baton Rouge, Louisiana at sunset, January · Photo: WClarke, CC BY-SA 4.0
Horace Wilkinson Bridge in Baton Rouge
Horace Wilkinson Bridge in Baton Rouge · Photo: Sewtex, CC BY-SA 3.0
Huey P. Long Bridge at night recolorized
Huey P. Long Bridge at night recolorized · Photo: TheLionHasSeen, CC BY-SA 4.0
Krewe of Southdowns, BR LA Flambeaux Group
Krewe of Southdowns, BR LA Flambeaux Group · Photo: Frederic Guillory, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Where it is
Baton Rouge
Baton Rouge in Louisiana
Louisiana in the U.S.
State outlines: U.S. Census Bureau.

What's nearby

Within 5 miles of the center of the Baton Rouge area.

30
grocery stores
148
restaurants
34
coffee shops
100
parks
41
playgrounds
10
libraries
3
movie theaters
6
live theaters
17
museums
14
bookstores
13
gyms
30
bars
16
pharmacies
11
hospitals

Counts from OpenStreetMap, a volunteer map, so small or new places can be missing. Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors.

Biking and trails

Within 5 miles of the center of the Baton Rouge area.

Bike lanes and bike paths
57 miles
more than almost all U.S. towns
Walking and hiking trails
52 miles
more than most U.S. towns

Map data © OpenStreetMap contributors. Counts depend on how well local volunteers have mapped the area, so treat them as a rough guide.

What rent costs

Of about 91,674 rented homes in the Baton Rouge area, 94% rent for under $2,000 a month and 99% for under $3,000.

Under $1,000: 40%
$1,000 to $1,499: 39%
$1,500 to $1,999: 16%
$2,000 to $2,499: 4%
$2,500 to $2,999: 1%
$3,000 or more: 1%

Census American Community Survey 2019 to 2023 (table B25063). Gross rent includes utilities the renter pays. Today's asking rents for open apartments usually run higher.

What moving costs

Hiring movers

Average cost: $1,946

From a 2025 survey of 1,000 people who hired movers. This Old House. Your quote depends on your stuff, stairs and the time of year.

Moving in as a renter

The middle rented home in the Baton Rouge area rents for $1,000 to $1,499 a month. First month plus a one-month deposit comes to about $2,000 to $2,998 before you get the keys.

Estimate from Census rent data (2019 to 2023, rent plus tenant-paid utilities). Deposits and fees vary by landlord and state law.

Your first weeks in Louisiana

  • Forward your mail: USPS change of address. It costs about $1 online to confirm who you are.
  • Switch your driver's license and car registration. Each state sets its own deadline, often somewhere between 10 days and a few months after you move. Find the Louisiana DMV.
  • Register to vote at your new address: Louisiana voter registration.
  • Set up power, gas, water and trash. Some cities bill water and trash together, and some ask new customers for a deposit.
  • Update your address with your bank, employer, insurance and the IRS (Form 8822 if you're not filing soon).
  • Find a doctor and dentist early. New-patient waits can be weeks, even in big cities.

Public schools

6 public school districts in this county, with about 56,564 students in all. Which one serves a home depends on its address.

East Baton Rouge Parish · Baton Rouge
43,253 students · 18 students per teacher · 83 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Recovery School District-Lde · Baton Rouge
1,007 students · 15.5 students per teacher · 1 school · grades Pre-K to 8
Rsd-Capitol Education Foundation · Baton Rouge
375 students · 14.4 students per teacher · 1 school · grades 9 to 12
Zachary Community School District · Zachary
5,853 students · 18.9 students per teacher · 7 schools · grades Pre-K to 12
Central Community School District · Central
4,967 students · 17.1 students per teacher · 5 schools · grades Pre-K to 12

NCES Common Core of Data 2022-23, National Center for Education Statistics. Varro doesn't rate or rank schools. For test results and programs, see each district's site and your state's school report card.

Childcare and colleges

Daycare and preschool

Louisiana keeps an official list of licensed childcare, with inspection reports and openings in many states. In a lot of towns, infant spots fill up months ahead, so it helps to get on waitlists before you move.

Typical full-time prices in this county (2022)
AgeDaycare centerHome daycare
Infant (under 2)$143/week
about $7,400 a year
$133/week
about $6,900 a year
Toddler (2)$140/week
about $7,300 a year
Preschool (3 to 4)$137/week
about $7,100 a year
$133/week
about $6,900 a year
School-age$126/week
about $6,600 a year

For an infant at a center: $143/week here, $150 across LA, $259 across the U.S.. Full-time infant care at a center here costs about 9% of a typical family's income. These are 2022 prices, the newest the government has published by county, and prices have gone up since.

U.S. Department of Labor, National Database of Childcare Prices, 2022. Middle (median) price for full-time care. State and U.S. figures average the county prices, weighted by population (Census 2024).
Search licensed childcare in Louisiana →
Link via childcare.gov (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services).

7 colleges in the county and the wider metro around Baton Rouge. Prices are yearly tuition and fees for full-time undergrads, before financial aid.

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College · Baton Rouge
Public, 4-year · 39,418 students · $11,954 in-state, $28,631 out-of-state
Baton Rouge Community College · Baton Rouge
Public, 2-year (community college) · 10,859 students · $4,221 a year
Southern University and A & M College · Baton Rouge
Public, 4-year · 7,341 students · $9,842 in-state, $17,192 out-of-state
Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady University · Baton Rouge
Private nonprofit, 4-year · 1,204 students · $16,036 a year
Southern University Law Center · Baton Rouge
Public, 4-year · 908 students

Moving for school? Public colleges charge state residents much less, and community colleges often charge even less to people who live in their district. Most states want you to have lived there about 12 months, for reasons other than school, before you count as a resident for tuition. The rules differ by state, so check with the college's registrar.

IPEDS 2023-24, National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS). Degree-granting public and nonprofit schools with 100+ students. Varro doesn't rank colleges.

The facts behind it
Typical home value
$248,895
What a typical home sells for across the Baton Rouge area.
Source: Zillow Home Value Index, August 2026
Average commute
27 minutes one way
How long residents' trips to work take on average, counting every job and way of getting there. U.S. average: about 27 minutes.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Homeowners insurance
About $5,986 a year
The statewide average for a typical policy in LA. Your own quote will depend on the home.
Source: Statewide estimate, 2026
Natural disaster risk
Relatively High
FEMA's overall rating for the county, covering floods, storms, wildfire, earthquakes and more.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hail risk
Relatively High
Hail is a real cost here: roof claims are common and some insurers charge a separate, higher deductible for wind and hail. Covered parking helps protect a car.
Source: FEMA National Risk Index, December 2025
Hospitals nearby
11 within 5 miles
Hospitals mapped within 5 miles of the center. Emergency and specialty care vary, so check which ones fit your needs.
Source: OpenStreetMap (ODbL)
Drug overdose deaths (county)
26.3 per 100,000 people a year
119 deaths in the 12 months ending March 2026. LA average: 25.9 per 100,000. U.S.: 19.9. Counts are by where people lived, and recent months may still be updated.
Source: CDC National Center for Health Statistics, provisional counts through March 2026; Census population estimates 2024
People without housing (local count)
About 5.2 per 10,000 residents
HUD's one-night count in January 2025 found 751 people without housing in the Louisiana Balance of State area (22 counties): 391 in shelters and 360 outside, down from 783 in 2024. LA: 8 per 10,000. U.S.: 21.9. One-night counts miss people, and how areas count differs.
Source: HUD Point-in-Time Count, January 2025 (HUD, 2025 report to Congress); Census population estimates 2024
Median household income
$63,075
Half of households in the county earn more than this, half earn less.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
Property tax
0.64% of home value a year
About $640 a year for every $100,000 of home value.
Source: U.S. Census (American Community Survey), 2023
State income tax
Flat 3%
LA's state income tax. Some cities and counties add their own.
Source: 2026

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