Places › Louisiana › Alexandria

Living in Alexandria, LA

Small city in Louisiana

Alexandria is a small city in Louisiana, home to about 45,000 people, with 88,000 living within 31 mi. Day to day, there is some transit, though many people drive. Life moves at a relaxed pace, and homes are mostly houses.

Is Alexandria a good place to live? Pros and cons

👍 Pros

  • Affordable housing: a typical 3-bedroom home is about $164k and rents for $1,340 a month
  • Low taxes: about $1,029 state income tax per resident, 0.5% property tax
  • Low natural disaster risk: 15 federally declared disasters since 2000

👎 Cons

  • Smaller job market: about 88,000 people live within 31 mi
  • Fewer family amenities than most places
  • Fewer outdoor escapes: no big hills or water close by
  • Higher crime: violent crime is 4.1× the US rate (FBI 2019)

Whether it's a good place for you depends on what you value. Take the quiz to see how Alexandria ranks against your own priorities.

Key facts

Population
45,000
88,000 within 31 mi
Winter / summer highs
61°F / 91°F
Average daily highs
3-bedroom home
$164k
Typical value (Zillow)
3-bedroom rent
$1,340/mo
Incl. utilities (HUD)
Cost of living
86
US average = 100 (BEA)
Taxes
$1,029
State income tax per resident · 0.5% property tax
Safety
4.1× US
Violent crime vs US (FBI 2019)
Natural disasters
15 since 2000
Declared in the county · mainly flooding, hurricanes
Top-rated hospitals
0
4–5★ within 31 mi (CMS)
Adults with a degree
24%
No research university within 31 mi
Nearest major airport
MSY
159 mi away

Living in Alexandria: common questions

What is the cost of living in Alexandria?

A typical 3-bedroom home is worth about $164k, and a 3-bedroom rents for about $1,340 a month including utilities. Overall living costs are below the US average (index 86, where the US is 100).

What are taxes like in Alexandria?

Louisiana collects about $1,029 in state income tax per resident, and homeowners here pay about 0.5% of their home's value in property tax each year.

Is Alexandria safe?

Violent crime is well above the national rate (4.1× in FBI 2019 data).

What is the weather like in Alexandria?

Alexandria has mild winters: winter days average around 61°F and summer days around 91°F.

Does Alexandria get natural disasters?

Natural disaster risk is moderate, mainly from flooding, hurricanes and cold waves: 15 federally declared disasters have hit the county since 2000, and FEMA expects about 0.73 deaths or injuries per 100,000 residents a year.

What is the nearest major airport to Alexandria?

The nearest major airport is MSY, about 159 mi away.

How Alexandria scores

Each bar compares Alexandria with the other 1143 places in Best Life Fit Me. A dot shows where it sits between two ends, such as major metro and small town; neither end is better. Coloured bars run from poor (red) to excellent (green).

🏙️City size Small town Major metroSmall town
🏘️Urban or quiet Quiet / rural Dense & urbanQuiet / rural
🚶Getting around Some transit Walk & transitCar essential
🌲Culture or nature Culture & nature Culture & nightlifeNature on the doorstep
🌡️Climate Mild winters Warm all yearLong, snowy winters
💰Cost of living Very affordable Very expensiveVery affordable
⏱️Pace Relaxed Very fast-pacedSlow & calm
🤝Community Some community feel AnonymousTight-knit community
🏡Housing Mostly houses ApartmentsHouses with yards
🏷️Affordable housing Excellent
💸Low taxes Excellent
💼Job market Poor
🏥Healthcare Below average
🎓Education Poor
🧸Kids & family Poor
🐕Dog-friendly Poor
⛰️Outdoors Poor
🎭Culture Poor
🛡️Safety Higher crime
🌪️Few natural disasters Good
☀️Sunny Average
🌤️Mild summers Average
✈️Airport Average

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Is Alexandria right for you?

Answer 27 quick questions and see how it ranks against your priorities.

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Sources: US Census ACS 2019–2023, Census State Tax Collections FY2025, Zillow 3-bedroom ZHVI, HUD Fair Market Rents, BEA Regional Price Parities 2024, FBI 2019, FEMA National Risk Index v1.20, OpenFEMA disaster declarations, NOAA Normals 1991–2020, NASA POWER, CMS, NCES IPEDS 2023, IMLS, OpenStreetMap. How scores work.